Tanzania: Climbing Kili

Arrive into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) in Arusha and meet your Program Leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program. Settle in at the guesthouse and join the group for an orientation discussion about the week ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture.

Move through five unique climate zones on your way to the summit. Trek through rainforest from the gate to the first base camp of Machame. Check in each day with your trip leaders and mountain guides who will monitor your health and encourage you to hydrate and fuel up for the days to come. (Distance: 6.8 miles; Altitude: 5,380 to 9,350 feet; Hiking time: five to six hours)

Practice Swahili hiking songs as you trek out of the rainforest and into the rolling moorlands to Shira 2 Camp. (Distance: 6.8 miles; Altitude: 9,350 to 12,500 feet; Hiking time: four to six hours)

Spend the next few days acclimatizing to the elevation. Hike from Shira Plateau up to Lava Tower (15,190 feet) and past the Arrow Glacier (16,000 feet) before descending to Barranco Camp (13,044 feet). Follow the “climb high, sleep low” wisdom. (Distance: 6.2 miles; Hiking time: six to eight hours)

Allow your body to continue adjusting to the altitude during the hike from Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp. (Distance: 3.2 miles; Altitude: 13,044 to 13,107 feet; Hiking time: four to five hours)

Continue through alpine desert to Barafu Camp on the penultimate day of your ascent to complete the South Circuit. Rest at Barafu, enjoy dinner, prepare for the summit day, and take a moment to marvel at the remarkable night’s sky before getting a few hours of sleep. (Distance: 2.5 miles; Altitude: 13,107 to 15,331 feet; Hiking time: 4 to 5 hours)

Start your summit approach at midnight on your way to the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. Ascend through the most challenging portion of the trek toward Stella Point on the crater rim, hopefully in time for a breathtaking view of that day’s sunrise. Continue another hour or two through the arctic zone to Uhuru Peak for a group photo and well-deserved brief celebration. Descend to Barafu for lunch and a short rest before heading down to Mweka Camp for the night. (Distance: 3.2 miles ascent, 7.5 miles de- scent; Altitude: 15,331 to 19,341 feet ascent, descent to 10,068 feet; Hiking time: seven to eight hours ascent, four to six hours descent)

Head downhill to Mweka Gate. Receive your certificates of accomplishment and take one last group photo, and thank your porters for the vital work they did to help you along the way. Reflect on your experience back in Moshi, the challenges, and what you learned about your potential. (Distance: 6.4 miles, Altitude: 10,068 to 5,380 feet; Hiking time: three to four hours)

Recover from your climb with a casual morning resting and exploring the markets of Moshi before a stop at the Moshi hot springs, locally popular but largely off the beaten path.

Awake early for one last adventure in Arusha National Park, an oft-overlooked destination in Tanzania’s famed Northern Circuit, full of giraffes and buffaloes.

At the end of each program, students reflect on their experiences and the issues they engaged with, and talk about how to apply this new understanding to their own worlds. During or after their closing discussion, groups participate in Rustic Ties, a unique and powerful activity that allows students to capture the memories and learning moments of their program to process and share with their communities back home.

Your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your departure as you say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure.