I was part of a group of 3 hikers wishing to climb Kilimanjaro via the Machame route in 7 days. The experience was great and landscapes so amazing. In fact it was the second time I climbed Kilimanjaro. I wanted to renew this experience because the first time the weather conditions was very cloudy the three first days and also I was not completely satisfied of the company I chose at that time.
As such, I selected Maasai Wanderings for the good reviews I had and also because it is part of the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (you can have more details here: http://www.mountainexplorers.org/) that was a concern for me after my first experience. And what I can say is that I have not been disappointed, everything was perfect from the beginning to the end.
We were guided by Julius and his team that I recommend. He is a very nice guy, likable, always calm, encouraging you and giving all information required when you need it. He is adapting to you, and most of the time the first days, slowing you down to maximize a progressive acclimatization. I was interested by flowers and history of Kilimanjaro (snow cover, geology) and this guy is a big library.
Food was very good, varied and always in good quantity. It is surprising to see what the cooker is able to do in such conditions. There was a big mess tent where all meals were taken when it was not possible outside. The cooker is cooking just in front of you. The tent had also two extension rooms on each sides dedicated for staff (relaxing/sleeping). It was funny to see that despite of the altitude, the coldness etc. they were always happy, smiling, talking all time etc.
Everybody was dressed properly and adapted to the mountain conditions, even for the shoes. This is important to note because I have been very sad when I saw few other porters from other companies dressed just with a tee-shirt with holes everywhere or not descent shoes. When we reached the last camp (Barafu Hut) at around 13:00, one of the porter was sick and Julius, the guide, decided to escort him down to the gate quickly. He was back to Barafu Camp few hours before we left the camp to climb the final step and came with us! Everybody in the team successfully reached the top Uhuru Peak and of course everybody was very happy. Once again it has been an excellent trip and experience. I keep a lot of good memories.
For these reasons I recommend clearly Maasi Wanderings, for the quality of the guiding, the food, the tents, the team, all the equipments provided (and in good shape).
The Lemosho Route is perhaps the most scenic Kilimanjaro route, from the first day to the last. The trail begins north of Shira, also on the western side of the mountain. But unlike the Shira Route, where for the first day you walk on a wide 4 WD road, Lemosho is a narrow wilderness trail right from the beginning, passing through pristine and remote rainforest with good chances of seeing wildlife. It then crosses the Shira Plateau before joining the Machame Route near the Lava Tower.
Luckily, despite its growing popularity, especially for second time Kilimanjaro climbers, Lemosho sees a very low number of people and truly offers and incredible adventure on the highest peak in Africa, and the highest free standing mountain in the world.
Maasai Wanderings is looking very much forward to providing you with a climb of a lifetime. No previous mountaineering experience is required for this trip.
Rongai route approaches Kilimanjaro from the north-eastern section of the mountain, not far from the Kenyan border. It is considered quite remote but has seen a surge in trekkers in recent years. On this route, the drive to the trailhead at Nale Moru is long but the road is tarmac most of the way. With a starting point in Arusha, the routes on the souther or western side are more popular because of accessibility. On this route, we camp at the base of Mawenzi Peak before walking across the Saddle to perch ourselves in the the busy camp of Kibo in readiness for the summit assault.
This route over 7 days allows for an extra night at Mawenzi Tarn with acclimatisation walks during the spare day. Doing this will increase the chance of successfully summiting Kilimanjaro.