Tour Itinerary

• Day 1 Kilimanjaro Airport – Moshi

  Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, you will be greeted by our transfer driver and taken to Hotel Moshi. The rest of the day will be at leisure and you may choose to relax at the hotel or perhaps explore the town of Moshi (taxi required). In the evening, you will attend a briefing in preparation of your upcoming trek. Dinner and overnight

• Day 2Moshi -Lemosho Gate - Big Tree Camp

  In the morning, you will be picked up at the Hotel and taken to the Lemosho Gate (2,250 m). Here you will be registered by the national park authorities. You will follow a moderately steep track, which leads you through an amazing and unspoilt natural forest to the Big Tree Camp, your destination for today. As this region is also home to wild game, you will be accompanied by an armed ranger during the first 2 days of your trek.

  • Elevation: 2389m/7838ft to 2785m/9137ft
  • Distance: 6 km
  • Hiking Time: 3 to 4 hours
  • Accommodation: Mti Mkubwa Camp
  • Meals Plan: Lunch & Dinner
  • Habitat: Rainforest Forest

• Day 3Big Tree Camp – Shira Camp

  Today’s long trek starts on a small trail that passes through the rainforest. As one climbs, the forest gradually thins out and the landscape changes into heath and moorland where plants like erica and lobelia start to dominate the landscape. You will cross the Shira Ridge and after 4 to 5 hours of trekking, you will reach the Shira Camp 1. Here you will stop for lunch, relax a bit and enjoy the fantastic views of Mt Meru and the Rift Valley. For the last part of the climb (approximately 3 hours), you will climb another 250 m in altitude. The landscape will change again and you will pass giant senecios that can grow to almost 9 m in height. At Shira Camp 2, you will camp for the night and with a little luck, enjoy the wonderful view of the Kibo summit at sunset.

  • Elevation: 2785m/9137ft to 3504m/11,496ft
  • Distance: 8 km
  • Hiking Time: 4 to 6 hours
  • Accommodation: Shira 1 Camp
  • Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Habitat: Moorland Forest

• Day 4 Shira Camp 2 – Lava Tower – Barranco Camp

  Today you will climb approximately 700 m, but you will spend the night at an elevation only slightly higher than the previous night. This will allow your body to acclimatise, as a height of over 4,600 m will be reached before descending again. In doing so, you will be able to see how your body reacts to such an altitude. The trek begins with a long ascent above the Shira Plateau in the direction of the Lava Tower. The vegetation becomes sparser as the landscape changes to alpine desert. The climb passes through the wide Barranco Valley with its lobelia and giant senecio plants. After 6 to 7 hours’ walking, you will arrive at the Barranco Camp – perhaps the most beautiful camp on Kilimanjaro.

  • Elevation: 3850m/12,600ft to 4000m/13,000ft
  • Distance: 8km/5mi
  • Walking Time: 5-6 hours
  • Accommodation: Barranco Camp
  • Habitat: Semi-desert
  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

• Day 5Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp

  After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge up the Barranco Wall to the Karanga Valley and the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail.

  • Elevation: 4000m/13,000ft to 4050m/13,250ft
  • Distance: 5km/3mi
  • Climbing Time: 3-4 hours
  • Accommodation: Karanga Camp
  • Habitat: Alpine Desert
  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

• Day 6Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

  We continue up to the Barafu Camp. You have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day.

  • Elevation: 4050m/13,250ft to 4700m/15,350ft
  • Distance: 4km/2mi
  • Climbing Time: 3-4 hours
  • Accommodation: Barafu Camp
  • Habitat: Alpine Desert
  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

• Day 7Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Camp

  Very early in the morning (midnight to 2 am), we continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. At Stella Point you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see. Faster hikers may view the sunrise from the summit. From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit. Once at Uhuru Peak you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa! From the summit we begin our descent by continuing straight down to the Mweka Camp, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You may want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. We arrive at Mweka Camp and enjoy our last evening on the mountain.

  • Elevation: 4700m/15,350ft to 5895m/19,340ft
  • Down to 3090m/10,150ft
  • Distance: 5km/3mi up / 13km/8mi down
  • Hiking Time: 5-7 hours up / 5-6 hours down
  • Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

• Day 8Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate to Hotel

  After breakfast we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy). Our vehicle will be waiting for you at Mweka gate to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi (around 60 minutes).

  • Elevation: 3090m/10,150ft to 1680m/5500ft
  • Distance: 10km/6mi
  • Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
  • Habitat: Forest
  • Meals: Breakfast