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Alaska Mtn Guides Int'l (AMGI)
CLIMB THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IN AFRICA! Kilimanjaro Join us for an unforgettable adventure on Mt Kilimanjaro, one of the "Seven Summits!" We climb the mountain via the Machame, Lemosho, and Rongai Routes. These are fantastic routes with incredible scenery. They are non-technical and give climbers a chance to climb at altitude amidst an amazing backdrop. We combine ascents of these routes with a descent of the normal route to complete a loop of the mountain. This is an amazing way to see all that Kilimanjaro has to offer, and to miss the crowds. Our itineraries are designed to give participants a positive high altitude experience. We have found that this makes a big difference in being well acclimatized and feeling strong for summit day!
Many of our climbs are timed to summit with the full moon so you can enjoy incredible views. Check the schedule for all available departure dates!
"AMGI is the only US based guide service that I recommend." Cameron Burns, Author "Kilimanjaro and East Africa, a climbing and trekking guide."
AMGI is proud to have a 93% success rate on Kilimanjaro!
AMGI is leading it's 3rd fundraising climb for the Quebec Heart and Stroke Foundation this August. Click the logo above to learn more.
Alaska Mountain Guides International is one of the best guide services on Kilimanjaro and is the choice of many groups to lead their fundraising or group climbs. Some of our clients include: The Canadian Heart Association, Outward Bound International, The Boy Scouts of America, National Public Radio, etc. Reasons for this include:
American Guides on every trip Professional AMGI guides accompany every one of our trips. This guarantees that your trip is run to our high standards. It also adds a level of safety not found with other companies. AMGI guides have high altitude experience from around the world and are certified in advanced first aid.
Safety - Alaska Mountain Guides International has a perfect safety record. We have had no major injuries or accidents in more than fifteen years of operation. This is not happenstance; your safety is our highest priority. We were the first guide service to carry satellite phones on all of our trips and continue to use them on every trip. We also carry pulse oximeters, stethoscopes, and expedition first aid kits on all treks and climbs that go to altitude. We also carry portable hyperbaric chambers on all Kili trips for your safety. No other company exceeds our level of safety!
Sanitation - AMGI has set the standards of sanitation in many of the areas that we operate. We work closely with Mountain Safety Research and use their MIOX water purification system on most trips needing purified water. We also use iodine to treat water and recognize the fact that it takes longer to purify cold water. This is critical on Kilimanjaro, use caution with services that use only boiled water on Kilimanjaro. The water rarely gets fully boiled, which means the bugs are alive. Do not trust your adventure to a guide service that does not provide a reliable water treatment system! We also provide all of our African Kitchen Staff with Antibacterial soap to minimize germs.
Gamov Bags & Oxygen - GAMOV BAGS are portable hyperbaric chambers that can help with altitude sickness emergencies. We carry these along with bottled oxygen on every trip.
Trip Length - All of our trips spend 7 or 8 days on the mountain. This includes a rest/ acclimatization day. We have found that this extra day spent around 14,000 feet, is critical for success on the final summit day.
Trip Size - We believe that group size is one of the most important factors determining the kind of experience our guests will have. Smaller groups give us the flexibility to meet individual goals and expectations. Because of this we strive to keep our groups to eight guests. We are happy to work with larger groups by special arrangements.
Porters - We provide local porters for all of our climbs. Our guests only carry a light day pack containing water, extra layers, camera and snacks. This makes the hiking that much more enjoyable and summit day that much easier.
Private Toilets - We carry portable toilets on the mountain for sanitation, and the privacy of our guests.
References - Don't just take our word for it. We are happy to provide both individual and group references.
THANK YOU for arranging such a super adventure for us. Bill is a great guy, knowledgeable, fun, competent, and very encouraging. All the porters on our 'team' were splendid. We had great food every day; my friends are amazed at the menus I've described. The sleeping bags and pads from AMG were outstanding. It was the experience of a lifetime for both of us. And we couldn't have been better cared for.
Thanks again!
--Jane W.
The trip was absolutely amazing! It was all I could have asked for and more. Bill was simply a superb trip leader and mountain guide -- I can't say enough good things about him. His good nature, sense of humor, organizational skills, mountaineering skills, and ability to interact with all age levels were evident in all he did. I have already recommended Alaska Mountain Guides, and this trip in particular, to many of my friends and hope to travel with your organization in the future. Thanks again for making my dream of climbing Kilimanjaro come true! Susan, Kili 2008
Hi Darsie, I just want to thank you and your staff on the best adventure of my life. Josh and Abdi were the best guides on the mountain.
Thank you so much for all the great memories of Africa! Sandy K.
Standing on the summit |
Alaska Mountain Guides International was chosen by the Canadian Heart and Stroke Association to lead the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Quebec's fundraising expedition up Mt. Kilimanjaro. In August 2005, AMGI and 20 members of the Heart Association made it to the top and raised $50K for charity!
Kilimanjaro Highlights:
MOSHI: This is where our trip begins and ends. Moshi is an interesting town located near the flanks of Kilimanjaro. It is a great spot to relax before and after the trip.
MACHAME OR RONGAI ROUTE: Both of these routes include great hiking through all the unique ecological zones, fantastic views, and camps that are appropriately spaced for acclimatization.
LEMOSHO ROUTE: The Lemosho route is considered the most gentle and perhaps easiest route on the mountain. We do this route in 8 days which is one more day than the Machame or Rongai. It also includes fine hiking in all the ecological zones and affords great views. This is the route we use for our specialty trips led by Kilimanjaro guide book author, Cameron Burns.
KILIMANJARO'S CRATER: On our way to the summit we will hike right along the crater rim. This is definitely a highlight of the climb. There are awesome views of the glaciers both inside the crater, and down the Machame/ Shira routes!
LOOP ROUTE: By descending the normal route we complete a loop around the mountain. An exciting way to explore Kilimanjaro!
SAFARI OPTIONS: Climbing on Kilimanjaro can easily be combined with safaris in several of Africa's finest wildlife viewing areas including: Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, and the Serengeti.
 Kilimanjaro Details:
Included: ALL INCLUSIVE MOSHI TO MOSHI. Transfers, hotels in Arusha, local guides/porters, climbing and trekking permits, transportation, park fees, hut fees, camping fees, all food while climbing, all group climbing and camping equipment and U.S. guide.
Not Included: Airfare to/from Africa, restaurant food in Moshi, bottled water, alcohol, gifts, tips, visas, and departure taxes.
Itineraries & Altitude: Our itineraries include ample time for rest and acclimatization days. They are designed to provide participants with a positive high altitude experience.
Length: 10 days total for Machame climb, 10 days total for Rongai, 11 days for Lemosho
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult trekking at altitude.
History: East Africa and the nearby Olduvai Gorge in the Great Rift Valley is thought to be the cradle of mankind. A native Wachagga legend tells of Mawenzi (now one of the lesser peaks of Kilimanjaro) receiving fire for its pipe from his younger brother Kibo (another lesser peak). The Wachagga who live on the fertile volcanic soils around the base of the mountain probably only came to the area about 3000 years ago thus this legend suggests very recent activity. Another of their legends talks of demons and evil spirits living on the mountain and guarding immense treasures. Stories are told of a king who decided to go to the top, few of his party survived and those who did had damaged arms and legs.
Arab and Chinese traders and historians make mention of a giant mountain lying inland from Mombasa or Zanzibar but few early traders ventured into the interior of the continent. Slave traders passed below it and sometimes raided the villages of the Wachagga but it was not till the middle of the 19th century that a more serious interest was taken in the mountain and attempts were made to scale it.
View of summit from Shira Plateau |
In 1848 Johann Rebmann a missionary from Gerlingen in Germany while crossing the plains of Tsavo saw Mount Kilimanjaro. His guide talked of baridi - cold, and of tales how a group of porters were sent up the mountain to bring back the silver or other treasures from the summit.They came back only with water. Rebmann's report stimulated great interest in Germany and in the following years several expeditions were organised; first by Baron von Decken then later by Dr. Hans Meyer who finally stood on the highest point on the 5th of October 1889.
The origins of the name Kilimanjaro presents somewhat of a dilemma. Many people believe the name is derived from the Kishwahili tribal name, Kilima meaning mountain. The local Wachagga people claim to have no name for Kilimanjaro, but did name the dual peaks Kipoo and Kimawenzi.
Machame Route 10 day Itinerary:
Travel Day Depart U.S.A. Depending on flight times and connections, travel to Arusha, Tanzania typically takes over 24 hours from the U.S. including a stop in Amsterdam or London. Please be sure your arrival in Tanzania coordinates with the first day of the program.
MOSHI- Day 1 (this is the start date listed on our dates and prices on the website) We will pick you up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha (generally at 9:00 PM) and drive about 45 minutes to the hotel in Moshi.
MOSHI- Day 2 We will have a group meeting in the morning and spend part of the day organizing and packing all of our gear. In the afternoon we may take a hike to stretch our legs or relax by the pool.
MACHAME CAMP (9,750 ft.)- Day 3 After breakfast we will drive about an hour to the Machame gate, which is the start of the climb. Here we sign in with the national park authorities and begin hiking. The trail here is in great shape and winds uphill through the tropical rainforest for 5 to 6 hours before reaching Machame Hut. The views from our first camp are fantastic.
SHIRA PLATEAU (12,480 ft.)- Day 4 We start out at about 8 a.m. and enter alpine vegetation. In the distance we can see the first close-up of the snow-capped summit. This is a great day of gradual hiking through fields of heather. At around 9,000 ft. we begin to see the first Lobelia, Protea and giant Senecia plants. This is another 5 to 6 hour day.
BARRANCO CAMP(12,850 ft.)- Day 5 Today we hike up over a high ridge, known as the Lava tower, and then descend to Barranco camp. Our camping elevation does not change much, but the hike to almost 14,000 feet helps with acclimatization. Barranco camp has a great view to the south over Moshi.
High camp at Barafu 14,950 ft. |
KARANGA VALLEY - (13,200 ft.)- Day 6 Most groups will move to Barafu camp on this day. However, We believe it's best to spend an extra day at Karanga to aid in acclimatization and to make the summit day easier. This is a 4 hour day.
BARAFU CAMP (14,950 ft.)- Day 7 We reach Barafu in about 4 hours. Here we will have lunch, and rest until dinner. Then we will sleep until midnight.
BARAFU to UHURU PEAK (19,340 ft.) to MILLENNIUM CAMP (12,500 ft.)- Day 8 At midnight we'll have some hot drinks, don our headlamps and head out. We plan most of our trips around the full moon, but it can still be dark if there are clouds. It will take 6 or 7 hours to reach the crater rim. Sunrise on the Crater is going to be something to remember forever. The sun rising over the plains of Africa and diffuse light highlighting the nearby glaciers is truly a world class experience. After a cup of hot tea, we will continue along the rim for another hour or two before reaching the highest point in Africa, (19,340 ft). Congratulations! We will spend up to a half hour on the summit and then begin the 4-hour descent to Barafu. At camp we will rest for a few hours and then walk down to Millennium camp. This is a great 4-hour walk with each step adding more oxygen. Many companies will go all the way to Mweka camp at 10,000 feet. This is a bad idea! Imagine summit day. You just hiked from 15,000 ft to over 19,000 ft, then back to 12,000 ft. This is a big day and you are tired. There is no reason to go another 2 hours and 2000 ft on this day. This last 2000 feet after summit day is a great time to sprain an ankle or twist a knee.
MOSHI- Day 9 In the morning we have a 3-hour walk down to the road. We then get a lift back to the hotel and a well-deserved shower and a beverage with our guides. We overnight at the hotel.
Day 10 Transfer from the hotel to Kilimanjaro International Airport, or head out on Safari!
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