Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Kilimanjaro International Airport – Moshi
Our guide driver will warmly meet you upon arrival at the Kilimanjaro Airport; transfer you to Moshi where you are booked at the Park View Inn on bed and Breakfast. Enjoy overnight.
Day 2: Lemosho Trailhead (2,000m/6,600ft) to Big Tree Camp (2,800m/9,100ft)
Elevation Gain: 800 metres / 2,500 feet
This morning our guide driver will pick you from the hotel after breakfast, transfer you to the Londorossi gate, taking approximately 3 hours. Here you will complete entry formalities. From Londorossi your drive continues for around 1 hour to the Lemosho trailhead along a 4WD track. Upon arrival at the trailhead you will eat lunch and then commence trekking through lush undisturbed forest where you may be lucky enough to see Colobus monkeys. The path undulates, steeply in places, to arrive at the first camp after 3-4 hours of trekking. Enjoy overnight at Big Tree Camp (Mti Mkubwa Camp).
Day 3: Big Tree Camp (2,800m/9,100ft) to Shira 1 Camp (3,500m/11,500ft)
Elevation Gain: 700 metres / 2,400 feet
Today your trek will begin in the forest; however you will soon leave this ecosystem behind taking a steep track into a zone of giant heather and volcanic rock. This is a full day ascending through the lush rolling hills below the Shira Plateau. Shira is the third of Kilimanjaro’s volcanic cones. It is filled with the lava flow from Kibo and its rim has eroded and been blasted away by weather and volcanic action. Finally the trail begins to ease as you reach the edge of the plateau. You will camp at Shira One after 5-6 hours of trekking. The view of Kibo from across the plateau is incredible.
Day 4: Shira 1 Camp (3,500m/11,500ft) to Shira 2 Camp (3,800m/12,500ft)
Elevation Gain: 300 metres / 1,000 feet
Your third day on the mountain consists of a trek across the Shira Plateau with an optional climb to Shira Cathedral (3,880m). Shira is one of the highest plateaus on earth. The day finishes with a gradual climb to Shira 2 Camp. Trekking time without the optional excursion is approximately 3 hours. Including the optional acclimatisation trek to the peak of Shira Cathedral will add approximately 1 hour to your trekking day.
Day 5: Shira 2 Camp (3,800m/12,500ft) to Barranco Camp (3,850m/12,650ft) via Lava Tower (4,550m/14,900ft)
Elevation Gain: 750 metres / 2,400 feet
Elevation Loss: 700 metres / 2,250 feet
Your climb today will take you steadily up and over the expansive ridgelines of high desert to Lava Tower. The trek to the base of Lava Tower is about 4 hours. This tower is a 300 foot high volcanic plug. If time and energy allow, you can scramble to the top of Lava Tower for fabulous panoramic views. From Lava Tower we begin our steep descent into the Barranco Valley, passing large flowering plants which actually look like trees, the scenecios. This is good practice for your descent from the summit in a few days time and will take 1-2 hours. Although you will end your day at almost the same elevation as you started, today is very important for acclimatisation and will help your body prepare for summit day. Barranco Camp is in a beautiful, sheltered valley below the imposing Barranco Wall.
Day 6: Barranco Camp (3,850m/12,650ft) to Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,100ft)
Elevation Gain: 750 metres / 2,500 feet
After breakfast, we leave Barranco Camp and begin our climb up the Barranco Wall. This is an impressive scramble where you will be rewarded with fantastic views back towards camp. The porters climbing the wall are also an impressive sight. From the top, at 4,200m, you will follow an undulating path around the mountain side. On a clear day there are spectacular views of Kibo to your left and Mount Meru to your right. After descending into the Karranga Valley your climb takes you through Karranga Camp and steadily on to Barafu. This is located on the ridge below the summit cone. You have now completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. At Barafu we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo can be seen from this position.
Day 7: Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,100ft) to Crater Camp (5,650m/18,500ft)
Elevation Gain: 1050 metres / 3,400 feet
Just as dawn breaks, you set out for the glacier zone atop Mount Kilimanjaro. Climbing over 3,000 feet today on steep scree, you’ll have countless opportunities to marvel at Mawenzi, Kilimanjaro’s second volcanic cone. After a tough climb, you will reach the rim of the crater at Stella Point. From here cross the crater floor for approximately one hour to reach camp. Crater Camp, the highest camp on the mountain, is located inside Kilimanjaro’s Kibo crater, and offers stunning views of the surrounding glaciers. If time and energy allows, explore the ash pit and glaciers. Alternatively, relax and enjoy the views in preparation for your climb to the summit early tomorrow morning.
Day 8: Crater Camp (5,650m/18,500ft) to Uhuru Peak (5,895m/19,300ft) then descending to Mweka Camp (3,110m/10,200ft)
Elevation Gain: 245 metres / 800 feet
Elevation Loss: 2,785 metres / 9,100 feet
Rise early to watch the sunrise from the summit. The climb from camp will take about 1.5 hours. After a short celebration at the summit, descend along the gently sloping crater rim to Stella Point. From here descend the Mweka Route down the steep scree slope back to Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,100ft) for lunch. In the afternoon continue the descent into the heather zone to Mweka Camp for the night. The trekking time from Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp will be around 6 hours. Total trekking time is around 8 hours.
Day 9: Mweka Camp (3,110m/10,200ft) to Mweka Gate (1,830m/6,000ft)
Elevation Loss: 1,280 metres / 4,220 feet
Descend straight to the gate through lush forest (2-3 hours), looking for monkeys along the way. Return to Moshi from Mweka Village. Our guide driver will drop you at the Pari View Inn where you are booked on bed and breakfast. Lunch and dinner are on own arrangements. Enjoy overnight.
Day 10: Mweka Camp (3,110m/10,200ft) to Mweka Gate (1,830m/6,000ft)
Enjoy breakfast then check-out. Our guide driver will transfer you to the Kilimanjaro International Airport in time for your departure flight. Alternatively, you can proceed on a safari to some of Tanzania’s finest game parks or to the Zanzibar Island for a beach holiday.