Climbing from Kilimanjaro’s rainforests to its glacier capped 19,340’ summit is simply an unforgettable experience.
KILIMANJARO TREK HIGHLIGHTS
- Hike through the soaring rainforests and sleep amongst the giant heather of the Machame Route, a more beautiful and less traveled option to the standard “Coca-Cola Route” of Kilimanjaro.
- Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro with an experienced RMI Guide, benefiting from the background, training, and expertise of our guides as you venture to higher altitudes.
- Enjoy the support of RMI’s fantastic local mountain staff who ensure our team benefits from fresh and clean food, comfortable camps, and the luxury of carrying only light day packs throughout the climb.
- Improve your chances of success with seven days on the mountain, taking advantage of our carefully planned acclimatization schedule as we traverse the southern side of Kilimanjaro in preparation for summit day.
- After the climb watch bull elephants walk across the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater and leopards lounge in the Acacia trees of the Tarangire, embarking on a safari to Tanzania’s famous National Parks where we witness one of the greatest wildlife spectacles found anywhere on earth.
- Take part in the legacy of an RMI adventure and see why we continue to set the standard in guiding excellence.
We begin our adventures amongst the tea, coffee, and banana fields on the lower slopes of Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro in Arusha, Tanzania. Our climb of Kilimanjaro ascends Machame Route, which is also known as the Whiskey Route for its “intoxicating” views of the mountain.
The extraordinary success rate of our chosen route is attributed to the fact we spend a full seven days on the mountain, giving our team the needed time to properly acclimatize on our way to the summit.
The altitude makes our Kilimanjaro guided climb challenging, but the support of local porters allows our team to carry only light packs throughout the trip, letting us focus on the climb and appreciate the experience of climbing Kilimanjaro.
Following the Kilimanjaro climb we return to Arusha before departing on our safari. Over the course of five days we watch herds of Africa’s greatest animals amidst the scenery of the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire National Parks. Each evening we return to the comfortable luxuries of our secluded safari lodges, located right along the edges of the parks we visit. Watching the sun set across the African landscape from the porch of our safari lodge is the perfect way to finish our climb of Kilimanjaro.
RMI's KILIMANJARO GUIDES
RMI Expeditions' Kilimanjaro guides have extensive experience on Kilimanjaro and around the world. Together they have reached the summit of Kilimanjaro over 53 times and over 1,147 summits of Mt. Rainier. They have records for the most summits on Mt. Rainier, Vinson Massif, and Mt. Everest (by a non-sherpa). Read more about our Kilimanjaro guides and discover how our guides set this Kilimanjaro Climb and Safari apart from our competitors.
-
Casey became captivated by climbing in 1993, which led to his escape from the corn and cows of Ohio. He worked for numerous years on a square-rigged wooden sailboat where he learned "the ropes". He spent the next few years honing his skill climbing rock and ice throughout much of the U.S. and in 2000 he started his guiding career at Rainier Mountaineering Inc. (RMI). He has since then guided all over the world. Casey takes pride in being a well-rounded climber, which has led him from the ice routes in Canada to the rock climbs of Yosemite. Read more...
-
Brent began guiding on Mt. Rainier in 1986. As a Senior Guide and Supervisor he has over 590 successful ascents of Rainier. In 1991 he reached the summit of Mt. Everest via the North Ridge (Mallory’s 1924 route). Ten years later he revisited Mt. Everest as part of the 2001 Mallory-Irvine Search Expedition. Brent has summited Denali a remarkable 23 straight times in 24 expeditions. He has also guided extensively throughout the Alps of Switzerland, France and Italy, as well as Mexico, Antarctica and Alaska. Read more...
-
Dave Hahn has reached the summit of Mount Everest fifteen times out of 21 tries. He has guided climbers to the summit of Mount Rainier more than 300 times, and has led 37 attempts on Denali, reaching the summit 25 times. Dave has reached the summit of the Vinson Massif in Antarctica 38 times. In 2006, Dave guided a team of professional athletes on an expedition to ski Mount Everest. In 1999 Dave participated in the expedition that discovered and identified the remains of explorer George Mallory, who died trying to scale Everest in 1924. Read more...
THE RMI DIFFERENCE
Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. was established in 1969 and is one of America's oldest and most-trusted guide services. We are the largest guide service on Mt. Rainier and Denali and leaders in guiding climbs and treks around the globe. Our years of leading mountain adventures give us the experience and knowledge to lead the best possible trips. We work hard to live up to our reputation as an industry leader. Our trip preparation before departure takes care of the details for you, from lodging and airport transfers to safari schedules, so that you can focus on preparing for the climb instead of the distraction that comes with coordinating logistics.
Our Kilimanjaro climbs are led by RMI’s foremost U.S. guides, who bring years of climbing experience on not only Kilimanjaro but on mountains all over the world, from the Andes to the Alaska Range to the Himalayas. As you reach higher elevations and test the limits of your experience, the value of an accomplished, highly trained RMI Guide held to our standards and who can effectively communicate with you cannot be understated. Our professional guides often make the difference between safely reaching the summit or not. We have cultivated a close relationship with our local outfitter on Kilimanjaro whose years of organizing Kilimanjaro climbs is evident in the outstanding local staff we climb with. Our relationships there are the key to our trip’s success.
RMI’s climb of Kilimanjaro redefines the meaning of mountain luxury. With spacious sleeping tents, private toilets, and dining tents complete with tables and chairs that accompany us up the mountain.
During our time in Arusha and while on safari we stay at select lodges that are intimate, comfortable, and wonderfully run; they have been hand picked by our guides over the course of the years as their favorites. On the mountain we provide the highest quality food and facilities for keeping our spirits elevated and health in order. Our professional, experienced cooks adhere to strict standards of hygiene while fresh, clean fruits and vegetables complement our diverse menu. With spacious sleeping tents, private toilets, and dining tents complete with tables and chairs that accompany us up the mountain, our highly sought after mountain staff has thought of every detail – from the candles at dinner to the hot cup of tea in bed each morning!
RMI proudly accepts the International Mountain Explorers Connection’s (IMEC) choice of RMI as a Partner for Responsible Travel. Through its Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) in Moshi, Tanzania, IMEC focuses on improving the working conditions of the porters on Kilimanjaro. RMI Expeditions works to ensure proper outfitting for the Kilimanjaro porters assisting on our programs. This includes providing for their food and water, securing care during sickness, helping with the receipt of their wages and tips, and ensuring that loads do not exceed the maximum recommended amount.
SAFETY
Safety has always been RMI's top priority and we strive to create the safest mountain experience possible. RMI's experienced team of guides focus on leading a fun and successful climb without compromising safety. We apply the same standards of safety we bring to Alaska and the Himalayas to our climbs of Mt. Kilimanjaro. While Kilimanjaro is a non-technical mountain, we do reach high altitudes. Our guides are trained, experienced, and certified by rigorous American standards in wilderness and high altitude medicine, avalanche training, and leave no trace techniques. We have spent considerable time in the mountains and know how to do so safely and comfortably; we don’t rush to the top but instead focus on using techniques that allow us to adjust and even excel in the thin air. Comprehensive medical kits, rescue equipment, and radio and satellite communication equipment are carried with the team throughout the climb.
As you prepare for your upcoming adventure please feel free to contact our office and speak directly to one of our experienced guides regarding equipment, conditioning, the route, or any other questions you may have about our programs. We are available Monday thru Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at (888) 89-CLIMB or [email protected].