Trailblazer Guide Books

Trailblazer guidebooks provide practical information on specific routes in less accessible parts of the world.
 — Wanderlust

INTRODUCTION  7

When to go  14

PART 1: PLANNING YOUR TRIP

With a group or on your own?  17

Budgeting  19

Booking your trek
Booking with an agency at home 20 – Booking in Tanzania 36
Signing the contract 39 – The cost  40

The crew  44

Getting to Kilimanjaro  51

The routes up Kilimanjaro  53

What to take  59

Fitness, inoculations and insurance  68

PART 2: TANZANIA

Facts about the country  73

Practical information for the visitor  80

PART 3: KILIMANJARO

Geology  91            Climate  97

The history of Kilimanjaro  100    Fauna and flora  124

The people of Kilimanjaro: the Chagga  137

PART 4: DAR ES SALAAM & NAIROBI

Dar es Salaam  144        Nairobi  153

PART 5: ARUSHA, MOSHI & MARANGU

Kilimanjaro International Airport 162

Arusha 163    Moshi  193    Marangu  217

PART 6: SAFE & MINIMUM IMPACT WALKING

Safe trekking  222    

Minimum impact trekking  232

PART 7: MOUNT MERU

Introduction 235 – Practicalities 236 – Momela Gate to Miriakamba Huts 239 – Miriakamba Huts to Saddle Huts 242 – Saddle Huts to Meru Summit and back to Miriakamba Huts 244 – Miriakamba Huts to Momela Gate 247

PART 8: TRAIL GUIDE AND MAPS

Using this guide  248

The Marangu Route
Marangu Gate to Mandara Huts 254 – Mandara Huts to Horombo Huts 258 – Horombo Huts to Kibo Huts 261 – Kibo Huts to Gillman’s Point and Uhuru Peak 264

The Machame Route
Machame Gate to Machame Huts 269 – Machame Huts to Shira Caves 272 – Shira Caves to Barranco Huts 275 – Barranco Huts to Barafu Huts 278 – Barafu Huts to Stella Point and Uhuru Peak 281

The Lemosho & Shira Plateau routes
The Lemosho Route (Londorossi Gate to Mti Mkubwa 289, Mti Mkubwa to Shira 1 292, Shira 1 to Shira Huts 294, Shira Huts to Lava Tower Camp/Barranco Huts 298, Western Breach Trail to Uhuru Peak 300) – The Shira Plateau Route 305

The Rongai Route
Rongai Gate to Simba Campsite 315 – Simba Campsite to Third Cave Campsite 318 – Third Cave Campsite to School Hut 324 – School Hut to the Kibo Huts Junction and Uhuru Peak 325

Umbwe Route
Umbwe Gate to Umbwe Cave Campsite 327 – Umbwe Cave
Campsite to Barranco Huts 330 – Barranco Huts to Lava Tower Campsite 333

The descent routes
Marangu Route 334 – Via Mawenzi Route 335 – Mweka Route 337

PART 9: THE SUMMIT

What’s at the top?  344

APPENDICES

A: Swahili 348    B: Kilimanjaro & Arusha airport schedules 349
C: Tanzanian and Kenyan diplomatic missions 351
D: Recommended reading, listening and watching 353
E: GPS waypoints 361    F: AMS articles 366

INDEX  369

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