Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest freestanding mountain in the world, and standing at Uhuru Peak (5,895m) as the sun comes up over the African plains is one of the great trekking achievements. This climb is run by Kilimanjaro Trekking Mate, a privately owned operator based at the foot of the mountain in Moshi, Tanzania, with a professionally trained local crew who know the mountain inside out.

You join a small group of fellow climbers, usually between 2 and 15 people, on the route and length that suit you: Marangu, Machame, Lemosho, Rongai, Umbwe or Shira, over 5 to 8 days. Longer versions add an extra acclimatisation day, which gives your body more time to adjust to the altitude and improves your chances of reaching the summit. You choose the start date that fits your schedule.

Each day on the mountain takes you through a different world: montane rainforest on the lower slopes, open heath and moorland, high alpine desert and finally the ice and scree of the summit cone. Days are spent hiking at a steady pace with your guides, and nights are spent camping under the stars, with a chef preparing three meals a day and porters carrying the camp.

The price covers the essentials: airport pickup and drop-off at Kilimanjaro Airport, a night in a Moshi hotel with breakfast before and after the climb, transfers to the trailhead, all national park permits, rescue and camping fees, your guides, chef and porters, four-season tents, a dining tent and three meals a day on the mountain. Emergency oxygen, pulse oximeters and a first aid kit are carried, and every successful climber receives a Kilimanjaro National Park summit certificate.

It's a demanding physical challenge as much as a mental one. As the team puts it, it's not a mountain we conquer but ourselves.

What's included

Airport pickup and drop-off at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO); Hotel accommodation in Moshi with breakfast before and after the climb; Transfers to and from the trailhead; Professional mountain crew, with guides holding wilderness first aid certification; Guide, chef and porter salaries; Kilimanjaro National Park permits, park rescue fees and camping/hut fees, including 18% VAT; Three meals a day on the mountain; Four-season three-person tents (two climbers per tent) and 2-inch foam sleeping pads; Group dining tent with table and chairs; Bottled oxygen (emergency use only), pulse oximeters and a first aid kit; Kilimanjaro National Park summit certificate for a successful climb

What's not included

International and domestic flights; Visa fees; Personal mountain gear such as sleeping bags and trekking poles (equipment can be hired); Tips for the mountain crew; Mountaineering insurance; Lunch and dinner at the hotel; Drinks at the hotel; Extra hotel nights in Moshi (available on request)