AFRICA ‘28
Your VITAL Kilimanjaro Full Moon Series Adventure Guide
September 25 – October 5, 2028
This guide covers everything you need to decide: the day-by-day itinerary, what's included, who this climb is for (and who it's not for), where you'll stay, and the full investment and payment plan.
Ready to commit? Put down your deposit below. Have questions? Book a 1:1 with Libby.
What Makes This Adventure Different
There's a moment near the top when the sky turns from black to violet to gold, and you're standing above the clouds on the roof of Africa — climbed there under your own power, by moonlight, alongside the crew who trained beside you for twelve weeks.
You'll move through five climate zones in eight days: rainforest, moorland, alpine desert, arctic — each one a completely different world. You'll stand at the base of the Barranco Wall. You'll watch Mount Meru rise out of the clouds from Shira 2 Camp. And on summit night — under October's full moon — you'll cross the crater rim as the sky turns to sunrise.
Twelve weeks from now, you won't just remember what Kilimanjaro looked like. You'll remember what you found out you could do.
The Challenge, By the Numbers
Distance: 71 km | Elevation: 2,250m at Londorossi Gate to 5,895m at Uhuru Peak — 3,645 meters of gain.
Kilimanjaro is the tallest freestanding mountain on Earth, and the Lemosho route takes you through five climate zones in eight days — rainforest to arctic — before a midnight push to Uhuru Peak. It's technically simple. It's physically and mentally the hardest thing most of our crew members have done.
That gap between ‘technically simple’ and ‘hardest thing I've done’ is exactly where 12 weeks of training closes the distance.
Package Pricing
Total investment (per person, double occupancy): $8,400
Deposit to reserve your spot: $1,500 per person (non-refundable)
Deposit unlocks: Training program access, gear list, Member Hub, community
Balance due: May 28, 2028 (120 days before departure)
Balance unlocks: Full training program, group workshops, final trip logistics
Spots available: 10
Read our full Booking Terms & Conditions including Payment & Cancellation Summary here.
Is this the right challenge for you?
Level III — High-Endurance Trek.
Eight days of trekking — up to 14km and 6+ hours in a single day — across five climate zones, capped by a 12+ hour overnight push to 5,895 meters. No technical climbing skills required. This is about stamina, altitude resilience, and mental grit — exactly what your training program is built to deliver.
Kilimanjaro is For You If You’re:
Willing to commit to 12 weeks of structured training before departure
Comfortable hiking 5–8 hours a day, several days in a row
Ready for basic camping — tents, camp meals, no showers — for a week
Excited to push through cold nights, thin air, and tired legs for a sunrise at the top of Africa
How VITAL Helps
Twelve weeks of progressive training, altitude education, and a guide team — ours, plus our Tanzania-based mountain guides — who've done this dozens of times.
Kilimanjaro is NOT for you if…
You're new to endurance training and not willing to commit to the full prep program
You're managing a heart, lung, or other condition altitude could seriously complicate — talk to your doctor before booking
You need a fixed daily pace or schedule — trekking pace is guide-led and altitude-dependent
You can't tolerate real cold — summit night drops to around -17°C (1°F)
You're not willing to complete the pre-trip training program
You're under 12 or over 70 — our age policy for Kilimanjaro climbs, set for safety at altitude
Your Stay
Aishi Machame Hotel — Before and After the Climb
Aishi Machame sits quietly in the green foothills of Kilimanjaro, about 23km from Moshi — a lush, garden-wrapped property where monkeys and mongooses wander the grounds and birds fill the trees. You'll rest here the night before your climb begins, and return here to recover afterward: a hot shower, a real bed, a pool for tired legs, and breakfast on the terrace. It's a 3-star property, deliberately simple, so the mountain stays the main event.
On the Mountain
Four-season tents (two per tent, shared with your travel companion or a same-sex crewmate), 3-inch sleeping mats, a proper mess tent with real tables and camp chairs, and a dedicated crew who pitch camp and have hot food ready before you arrive.
Full Moon Timing
This series is timed deliberately: your summit push falls on the night of October 3rd, 2028 — the actual full moon. You'll climb the crater rim under real moonlight before the sun comes up over Africa.
Itinerary Highlights
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![A group of eleven women posing around a white pillar outside a building with large glass windows, palm trees, and a clear, sunny sky in the background.]()
DAY 1
ARRIVAL
Time: 12 PM Las Vegas Airport Meetup.
Transport: Shuttle to Grand Canyon North Rim
Duration: 4.5 hours
Check-in: 5 PM
Dinner: 6:30 PM Kaibab Lodge
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DAY 2
SHAKE OUT
Breakfast: 8:00 AM Kaibab Lodge
SHAKE OUT HIKE
Distance: ~2 miles. Elevation 1K
Duration: ~2 hours
Lunch
Gear check + pack prep
Dinner
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![Hikers walking along the rim of the Grand Canyon on a sunny day.]()
DAY 3
THE RIM TO RIM
Distance: 24.2 miles. Elevation: 10K feet of total elevation change over the full trail.
Duration: ~12-15 hours.
Shuttle to Trail: ~4:00 AM
Hike: North Kaibab to Bright Angel
Finish: Celebrate
Dinner
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![Two people sitting on wooden chairs at a scenic overlook of the Grand Canyon, with trees and a clear blue sky in the background.]()
DAY 4
REST & RECOVERY DAY
Breakfast 9:00 AM
Trail Gratitude: Revisit Bright Angel Trailhead in daylight and on fresh legs. Witness what was accomplished.
Lunch: Open to explore the South Rim options.
Open time: Relax, rest, journal and take in your accomplishment.
Dinner: El Tovar Hotel
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![Night view of a rustic stone lodge with a sign that reads 'Grand Canyon Lodge'. Warm lights illuminate the entrance. A golf cart and a white van are parked outside, with a moon visible in the sky.]()
DAY 5
FAREWELLS
Shuttle: 6:00 AM Grand Canyon to Las Vegas Airport (4.5 hours)
Bid farewell to the Grand Canyon sunrise and shuttle back to Las Vegas Airport reflecting on an unforgettable and audacious accomplishment.
Package Includes
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VITAL Strength & Conditioning Program
Performance Nutrition Masterclass with Industry Specialists
Personalized Goal-Setting Framework
Ongoing Coaching Support & Accountability Tools
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Three nights included: one at the Kaibab Lodge Cabins on the North Rim, followed by two at the historic El Tovar Hotel on the South Rim — basecamp before the hike, and a well-earned stay after.
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Get yourself to Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport and we'll take it from there.
From Las Vegas, it's about 4.5 hours to Kaibab Lodge on the North Rim where your journey begins, and about 4.5 hours from El Tovar on the South Rim back to Las Vegas at the end. Ground transportation between airport, lodging, and trailheads is coordinated by VITAL.
If you're flying in early or into a different airport, you'll need to make your own arrangements to meet the group in Las Vegas or at North Kaibab Lodge on Sept. 16
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8 meals are included in your itinerary, including lunches on transition days in Las Vegas, the South Rim, and the North Rim.
VITAL coordinates a group grocery run to stock shared trail snacks. You're responsible for bringing your own performance gels, electrolytes, and supplements.
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Airfare & Travel Insurance
Any transportation other than the VITAL shuttle service from Airport to Canyon and back.
Alcoholic Beverages
15 Years of Group Fitness Experience
Featured in Journey Woman
Locally recognized in The Recorder
Certified NY State Hiking Guide
ACE Certified Personal Training
See the Vital Community in Action!
We believe in doing things differently—with intention, with passion, and with people at the center of it all. Every detail here reflects that mindset.
Take The Next Step!
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BOOK NOW
Ready? Lock in your spot with a deposit.
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BOOK A DISCOVERY SESSION
Join a Discovery Session with Vital Ventures Founder Libby to explore the Pre Adventure Training Program, daily itinerary, and package pricing.