Meet at the group hotel in Arusha. Airport transfers are provided for all flights between 0600 and 2300 into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) on this day. KE Land Only services begin with dinner and the opportunity to meet our fellow trekkers.

After breakfast we make the 2 hour drive to the park gate. It will take an hour or so to organise our porters' loads and register with the Park Authorities, then we start our walk up to Miriakamba Hut. Unlike the Kilimanjaro climb where we will be camping, our accommodation on Meru will be in the relative luxury of wooden mountain huts. Our trekking starts in grassland and then climbing gradually into the rainforest. We may see giraffe and zebra along the way. Miriakamba Hut is situated at 2470m in a clearing with shy spider monkeys sometimes venturing close to the huts to who has arrived.

Following breakfast, we start the ascent to Saddle Hut. Today's walk is steeper than the previous day as the well maintained path winds up through the rainforest. A clearing in the trees on Elephant Ridge offers great views to the summit and down into the crater and also over to Kilimanjaro. We continue upwards through grassy clearings to reach Saddle Hut (3570m), on a wide col between the slopes of Meru and Little Meru. The short walk to the summit of Little Meru (3820m) is rewarding for the views across to Meru's summit, the crater and the top of the ash cone where we can see Kilimanjaro towering in the distance. We have an early night as it's a pre-dawn start for our summit ascent tomorrow.

The morning wake-up call is at 2 am and after a quick bite to eat we start the walk to the summit by the light of our head torches, with the aim of watching the sunrise over Kilimanjaro and the African plains from the top. After about an hour we reach Rhino Point, from where there are great views across to Kili and down to the base of the ash cone. From Rhino Point there is a short scramble across rocks on to the crater rim. Now, the path follows the ridge of the crater rim, somewhat exposed in places and very exciting. If the weather is clear, the views on this section of the climb are absolutely stunning. We should reach the summit (4566m) at about 7am, just as the rising sun is turning the remaining snows on Kilimanjaro a surreal pink colour. We take some time out to enjoy the sunshine on the summit and then begin the long descent to Miriakamba Hut. A long, but brilliant day, and excellent preparation for the bigger climb to come.

We descend to the Park Gate where we collect our certificates confirming that we successfully ascended "Socialist Peak", the name the Tanzanian Government still officially gives to Mount Meru. After lunch, we have a game drive in the nearby Arusha National Park, which lies between the peaks of Kilimanjaro and Meru. With its backdrop of rocky peaks, it is one of the most strikingly beautiful areas in this part of Africa. There is a wide range of habitat within the park, including the alkaline Momella Lakes where many water birds (sometimes thousands of pink flamingos) can be seen, and rich forest, which is home to bushbuck, possibly one of the few leopards and the acrobatic colobus monkeys. In the grasslands we see giraffe, herds of buffalo, the occasional hyena & Hippo, warthog and we might see a few elephant. We then continue to Arusha for a well- deserved shower, beer, and a re-pack before our Kilimanjaro climb.

We drive to the Kilimanjaro National Park and there are more formalities to complete as we pass the Machame Gate. Our route starts on a 4WD trail before turning off onto the ascending path through the forest. Being fit and acclimatised from our Mt Meru climb we will be in good shape to make it to Machame Camp at around 3000 metres in good time.

Today's route starts out in the rainforest before emerging to cross open moorland with wide ranging views. After ascending for around 3 hours we reach the Shira Plateau, from where there are spectacular views of Kilimanjaro in front of us and of Mount Meru away to the north west. This is the joining point of the Machame and Lemosho Routes. We continue on and have to navigate some rocks and boulders as we reach our campsite at Shira Caves.

A spectacular day as we traverse the south-west slopes of the mountain. We hike up to the Lava Tower as we make the most of exploring this spectacular landscape. We then walk onwards to the Umbwe Valley, also known as Barranco Valley to reach our camping place at Barranco (3950m). The awesome Breach Wall of Kibo rises spectacularly above our camping place. Although we have gained relatively little altitude today it is an important acclimatisation day.

This is a great mountain day. We descend into the start of the Great Barranco and then exit steeply up onto the southern slopes of Kibo. We pass beneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers and head up to the Karanga Valley, the last place where we can find water below the summit. We pass this campsite and the junction of the Mweka Trail before a final push across some scree to the Barafu Hut campsite. From here we can see both the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo.

A predawn start enables us to take advantage of the best surface conditions (frozen scree and snow) for our trek up to the summit of Kilimanjaro. The angle of climb is steeper today as we tackle the cone of the volcano up to the Crater Rim at the place known as Stella Point. There are tremendous views of the ice cliffs inside the crater and also across to Mawenzi summit and 'the saddle'. Now on easier terrain, we follow the crater rim for a further hour to reach the highest point in Africa - Uhuru Peak (5894m). Having watched the dawn flood the surrounding lands with colour, and after taking the classic photo beneath the summit signs, we begin our descent by a different route. We descend a massive 3000m to the Mweka Camp at 2950m. This is a long trekking day, but the extra acclimatisation and fitness provided by our ascent of Mount Meru will make this easier for us than many others on the mountain. And you will have stood on the highest mountain in the whole of Africa - congratulations!

We trek down for 5 hours through beautiful rainforest to the road head - the final leg of our Kilimanjaro ascent journey. We say fond farewell to our trusty guide, staff and the porters who have helped us during the past week and pick up our certificates of ascent(to accompany the first one we achieved at the beginning of the week). We transfer to our hotel Arusha - and delight after camping on the mountains slopes. Here we have a shower and a beer (not necessarily in that order) and reflect on the climb and our achievements. We then transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport, where KE Land Only services end.

From end May 2018 there is a night in Arusha at the end of trek, making it a 12 day trip.

Meet at the group hotel in Arusha. A single timed airport transfer is provided from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). KE Land Only services begin with dinner and the opportunity to meet our fellow trekkers.

After breakfast we make the 2 hour drive to the park gate. It will take an hour or so to organise our porters' loads and register with the Park Authorities, then we start our walk up to Miriakamba Hut. Unlike the Kilimanjaro climb where we will be camping, our accommodation on Meru will be in the relative luxury of wooden mountain huts. Our trekking starts in grassland and then climbing gradually into the rainforest. We may see giraffe and zebra along the way. Miriakamba Hut is situated at 2470m in a clearing with shy spider monkeys sometimes venturing close to the huts to who has arrived.

Following breakfast, we start the ascent to Saddle Hut. Today's walk is steeper than the previous day as the well maintained path winds up through the rainforest. A clearing in the trees on Elephant Ridge offers great views to the summit and down into the crater and also over to Kilimanjaro. We continue upwards through grassy clearings to reach Saddle Hut (3570m), on a wide col between the slopes of Meru and Little Meru. The short walk to the summit of Little Meru (3820m) is rewarding for the views across to Meru's summit, the crater and the top of the ash cone where we can see Kilimanjaro towering in the distance. We have an early night as it's a pre-dawn start for our summit ascent tomorrow.

The morning wake-up call is at 2 am and after a quick bite to eat we start the walk to the summit by the light of our head torches, with the aim of watching the sunrise over Kilimanjaro and the African plains from the top. After about an hour we reach Rhino Point, from where there are great views across to Kili and down to the base of the ash cone. From Rhino Point there is a short scramble across rocks on to the crater rim. Now, the path follows the ridge of the crater rim, somewhat exposed in places and very exciting. If the weather is clear, the views on this section of the climb are absolutely stunning. We should reach the summit (4566m) at about 7am, just as the rising sun is turning the remaining snows on Kilimanjaro a surreal pink colour. We take some time out to enjoy the sunshine on the summit and then begin the long descent to Miriakamba Hut. A long, but brilliant day, and excellent preparation for the bigger climb to come.

We descend to the Park Gate where we collect our certificates confirming that we successfully ascended "Socialist Peak", the name the Tanzanian Government still officially gives to Mount Meru. We then continue to Arusha for a well- deserved shower, beer, and a re-pack before our Kilimanjaro climb.

We drive to the Kilimanjaro National Park and there are more formalities to complete as we pass the Machame Gate. Our route starts on a 4WD trail before turning off onto the ascending path through the forest. Being fit and acclimatised from our Mt Meru climb we will be in good shape to make it to Machame Camp at around 3000 metres in good time.

Today's route starts out in the rainforest before emerging to cross open moorland with wide ranging views. After ascending for around 3 hours we reach the Shira Plateau, from where there are spectacular views of Kilimanjaro in front of us and of Mount Meru away to the north west. This is the joining point of the Machame and Lemosho Routes. We continue on and have to navigate some rocks and boulders as we reach our campsite at Shira Caves.

A spectacular day as we traverse the south-west slopes of the mountain. We hike up to the Lava Tower as we make the most of exploring this spectacular landscape. We then walk onwards to the Umbwe Valley, also known as Barranco Valley to reach our camping place at Barranco (3950m). The awesome Breach Wall of Kibo rises spectacularly above our camping place. Although we have gained relatively little altitude today it is an important acclimatisation day.

This is a great mountain day. We descend into the start of the Great Barranco and then exit steeply up onto the southern slopes of Kibo. We pass beneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers and head up to the Karanga Valley, the last place where we can find water below the summit. We pass this campsite and the junction of the Mweka Trail before a final push across some scree to the Barafu Hut campsite. From here we can see both the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo.

A predawn start enables us to take advantage of the best surface conditions (frozen scree and snow) for our trek up to the summit of Kilimanjaro. The angle of climb is steeper today as we tackle the cone of the volcano up to the Crater Rim at the place known as Stella Point. There are tremendous views of the ice cliffs inside the crater and also across to Mawenzi summit and 'the saddle'. Now on easier terrain, we follow the crater rim for a further hour to reach the highest point in Africa - Uhuru Peak (5894m). Having watched the dawn flood the surrounding lands with colour, and after taking the classic photo beneath the summit signs, we begin our descent by a different route. We descend a massive 3000m to the Mweka Camp at 2950m. This is a long trekking day, but the extra acclimatisation and fitness provided by our ascent of Mount Meru will make this easier for us than many others on the mountain. And you will have stood on the highest mountain in the whole of Africa - congratulations!

We trek down for 5 hours through beautiful rainforest to the road head - the final leg of our Kilimanjaro ascent journey. We say fond farewell to our trusty guide, staff and the porters who have helped us during the past week and pick up our certificates of ascent (to accompany the first one we achieved at the beginning of the week) We transfer to our hotel Arusha - and delight after camping on the mountains slopes. Here we have a shower and a beer (not necessarily in that order) and reflect on the climb and our achievements. A celebratory dinner and a well deserved sleep in the hotel bed!

Depending on flight times we have some relaxation time today. We need to vacate our rooms at 1100, but can use the hotel facilities until our transfer to the airport. A single timed transfer is provided.