The Western Breach route sits on the western side of Kibo and is a gap to the summit that was formed hundreds of thousands of years ago by volcanic eruptions and lava flows from Kibo’s Crater.
Due to its steep and rocky slopes, the Western Breach is considered a risky and dangerous route. It is however, the fastest route up Mt Kilimanjaro and is therefore quite popular with experienced mountaineers.
If you want a real adventure and to trek on parts of Kilimanjaro that few other people have had the privilege of experiencing – then our extreme adventure is the trip for you. This is an expedition which involves camping on the glacier overnight – and the photographic opportunities are outstanding.
WHY WESTERN BREACH ROUTE
• Solid Climbing
• Low number of Climbers
ITINERARY OF 9 DAYS OF CLIMBING WESTERN BREACH ROUTE
11 DAYS WESTERN BREACH ROUTE (9 DAYS CLIMBING+ 2DAYS HOTEL)
DAY 1: ARRIVAL TO TANZANIA.
You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro international airport and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town; you will meet your guide who will brief you on your upcoming trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear. The missing gear can be rented on this day.
DAY 2: LONDOROSSI GATE (2100M) - MTI MKUBWA CAMP (2821M)
Ascent: 2380meters to 2895meters
Hours: 4 to 5 hours walking
Distance: 4km
Habitat: mountain forest.
From your hotel, you will be driven to the starting point of our Kilimanjaro climb, the Lemosho trail. Here you meet the rest of your crew and set out at a leisurely pace into the jungle.
The Lemosho route is unspoilt, remote and little used. It's a beautiful way up to the Shira Plateau with spectacular views. The route is one of the few where you are accompanied on the first day by an armed ranger, as the forests around the Lemosho Glades are inhabited by buffalo, elephant and other wildlife. You can also see white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, and different species of birds plus a lot of indigenous plant-life.
Lunch is taken on the trail and camp is reached midafternoon.
MEALS: BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER INCLUDED.
DAY 3: MTI MKUBWA TO SHIRA I
Ascent: 2895meters to 3450meters
Hours: 6 to7 hours walking
Distance: 12km
Habitat: heath zone.
From the forested slopes of Lemosho you ascend through Podocarpus and Juniper forest and break out onto the heath zone and the Shira Plateau. Look out for the pretty plant 'Senecio Kilimanjaro' and many other interesting species.
Lunch is taken on the trail and you arrive at camp in mid afternoon.
MEALS: BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER INCLUDED.
DAY 4: SHIRA I TO SHIRA II
Ascent: 3450meters to 3870meters
Hours: 6 to 7 hours walking
Distance: 8km
Habitat: moorland.
After a relatively long hike and the significant altitude gain yesterday, today is a short day and you arrive in Shira 2 camp in time for lunch. A good day for acclimatization with the option of
an afternoon walk with your guides.
MEALS: BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER INCLUDED.
DAY 5: SHIRA II TO BARRANCO CAMP VIA LAVA TOWER
Ascent: 4175meters to 4600meters to 3950meters
Hours: 7 to 8 hours walking
Distance: 15km
Habitat: semi desert
The route to Barranco via Lava Tower takes you into the semi desert zone. Here relatively little flora or fauna can survive the extreme temperatures. You will have a hot lunch at Lava tower, and after lunch you descend into Barranco camp. This is ideal for acclimatization.
Having reached 4600meters you descend and then spend the night at the lower altitude of 3950meters.
MEALS: BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER INCLUDED.
DAY 6: BARRANCO - KARANGA CAMP.
Acscent: 3950meters to 3930meters
Hours: 4 to 5 hours walking
Distance: 7km
Habitat: moorland/semi desert
You spend a relatively long time in Karanga camp. The selection of Karanga camp is strategic. Significant time at altitude is essential for safe acclimatization and in the late afternoon you arrive in camp. You will see a lots of giant senecios Kilimanjaro and lobelia plants. Sunsets here are spectacular with views of the southern glacial valleys and ice
fields towering 1000 meters (over 3000 feet) above you. MEALS: BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER INCLUDED.
DAY 7: KARANGA - BARAFU CAMP
Ascent: 3930 to 4600meters
Hours: 3 to 4 hours walking
Distance: 5 km
Habitat: alpine desert
This is half day ascending to Barafu camp. Once again, lunch is taken in camp allowing plenty of time to relax before the summit bid. Desolate alpine desert and at times strong winds rip over this camp and yet in the evening splendid views of Mawenzi volcano are the norm. Look out for the ravens and the mountain buzzards. These are big birds and mainly eat the common 'four stripe mouse’, which you will see running around.
MEALS: BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER INCLUDED.
DAY 8: BARAFU - CRATER
Ascent: 4600meters to 5730meters
Hours: 6 to7 hours walking
Distance: 10km
HABITAT: ice cap zone
Unlike other routes with a night time ascent, the expedition affords you a daytime ascent to Kibo crater. The going is slow but with constant encouragement from your climb team, the rim of Kibo is reached before descending a little way into the caldera to Crater camp.
The afternoon is spent relaxing and short walks can be taken with one of your guides.
MEALS: BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER INCLUDED.
DAY 9: CRATER - UHURU - MWEKA CAMP
Ascent/Descent: 5730meters to 5895meters to 3997meters
Hours: 11 to 12 hours walking
Distance: 21km
HABITATS: ice cap, alpine desert and moorland.
After a night in the crater, you now have the shortest final summit bid of any route. With such a short distance to the summit from the crater (around 1 hour) means, that timing arrival with the sunrise is much easier and quite spectacular. The summit of Kilimanjaro is the top of the highest freestanding mountain in the world. After your summit bid you then descend for a final night on the mountain at Mweka Camp passing back through the heath zone. Endemic Proteas, pollinated by Malachite Sunbirds are plentiful. MEALS: BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER INCLUDED.
DAY 10: MWEKA CAMP - MWEKA GATE - HOTEL
Descent: 3100 meters to 1800meters
Hours: 3 to 4 hours walking
Distance: 10km
Habitat: jungle forest.
After breakfast, you descend once again through mountain forest and around mid-day after saying farewell to your crew, you are picked up and transferred back to your hotel for a well-deserved shower!
Overnight at your hotel (dinner)
DAY 11: Hotel to Kilimanjaro International Airport
After breakfast, you continue with your travel plans or take a transfer to the Kilimanjaro Airport.
Health & Safety is our first priority :
✔ We Climb Kilimanjaro Company we are a local owned company that we
are high consider health and safety of our customer before, during and
after climbing, these are:-
Before climbing:
✔ We book to the hotel that they provide high standard of safety in
terms of human health that is (food and shelter ) and considering
safety costumer’s properties
✔ We make sure that you are health worth for climbing. We check if
there is any medical recommendation from you're doctor so if any
can take special care of you.
During climbing :
✔ Constantly monitor your health: You can be fit and healthy at the
start of your climb, but altitude can affect your health as you
progress up the mountain. That’s why we constantly monitor your
health as you climb. Our expert guides can detect any problems
and take the necessary actions. Always health checks are conducted three times a day to measure
pulse, temperature, blood pressure and oxygen saturation
✔ We provide Nutritious food and safe water: we always follow good
food safety practices — from packing to plating
Good food and plenty of drinking water are essential ingredients,
both physically and psychologically, to make your climb
rewarding. At high altitudes, drinking a lot of water is essential
for your health and helps preventing altitude sicknesses. It goes
without saying that your body will also need plenty of food to
compensate for the unusual physical effort in climbing.
After climbing:
✔ If you will need any assistant after climbing, we are ready to
assist you.
✔ Return transfer from Kilimanjaro International Airport to accommodation in Moshi;
✔ Return transfer from accommodation in Moshi to the entry gate into Kilimanjaro National Park.
Accommodation:
✔ Accommodation at 3* hotel (Around Moshi) one night before and one night after the Climbing. You will have all for a
comfortable stay - friendly staff, clean rooms, Wi-Fi, restaurant and swimming pool;
✔ Tented accommodation on Mount Kilimanjaro (modern comfortable 4-season North Face VE-25 tents);
Please note: by default, you will share a room and a tent with your travel companion. If you travel solo on a group expedition,
we will room you with a same-sex participant. Single supplement is available upon request.
Meals:
✔ Breakfast in the hotel before and after the hike;
✔ All meals on the hike. You will find delicious energy-rich meals on our mountain menus.
Our professional chefs will prepare assorted soups, garnishes, several types of fish and meat, fresh fruit and vegetables.
Vegetarian/gluten-free/halal options are available at no extra cost;
✔ All drinks on the hike (coffee, tea, hot chocolate and water).
Hiking and safety equipment:
✔ 4-inch (10-cm) thick and comfortable sleeping mats;
✔ All group equipment (dining tent, table, chairs, crockery and cutlery);
✔ Oxygen cylinders and oximeters;
✔ Complete medical kits.
Climbing crew:
✔ Professional guides licensed by Kilimanjaro National Park. All guides are holder of Wilderness First Responder
certification.
All of them have 7+years of successful experience;
✔ 18% VAT, 1% TDL and 0.3% Service Levy. We Climb Kilimanjaro is an honest and responsible tour operator working in
full compliance with the tax law of the
United Republic of Tanzania.
:
✘ International flights;
✘ Tips (200-300 USD per climber for the whole mountain crew);
✘ Visa fee (100 USD for American citizens and 50 USD for all others);
✘ Personal gear rentals;
✘ Lunch and dinner at the hotel (before and after the climb);
✘ Portable toilets (if required - 250 USD per unit, one can be shared between 3 people);
✘ Mountaineering insurance. You'll need special insurance for climbing Kilimanjaro that covers
high-altitude trekking up to 6000 m.
