11 Days Northern Circuit Route

Day 1: Arrival

As you touch down at Kilimanjaro International Airport, a warm Tanzanian welcome awaits you! Your designated guide will escort you directly to your hotel, where you can unwind and immerse yourself in the vibrant African ambiance. The following day, embark on an exclusive, personalized safari adventure led by your guide, granting you the freedom to explore at your leisurely pace.

Reasons to Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro

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Day 2: Lemosho Trailhead (2000 M) - Big Tree Camp (2800 M)

Begin your adventure from your hotel, where your driver will collect you and drive you to Londorossi Gate on the west side, a journey of approximately 2 hours. From there, proceed to Lemosho trailhead for lunch and commence your ascent. Enjoy a leisurely walk through thick rainforests for 3 to 4 hours, listening to the diverse sounds of animals, including buffaloes and monkeys. After navigating a narrow path and a few steep sections, arrive at Big Tree camp, your resting place for the night.

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Day 3: Big Tree Camp (2800 M) - Shira 1 Camp (3500 M)

Venture out of the forest into an environment of meadow heather and volcanic rock on this second day. Ascend and descend through lush hills beneath the Shira Plateau, the third of Kilimanjaro’s volcanic peaks. Upon reaching the edge of the plateau after a long 5-6 hours hike, the trail becomes gentler. Arrive at Shira Camp and marvel at the incredible view of the Kibo summit before spending the night.

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Day 4: Shira 1 Camp (3500 M) - Lava Tower (4550 M)

Embark on a 7-8-hour hike today through heather to the alpine desert. Traverse the Shira Plateau, one of the world's highest, and make your way to the lava tower with an optional visit to the Shira Cathedral en route. From the lava tower, continue northwest towards Kibo, the highest peak of Kilimanjaro. Follow a steep trail to Moir Hut Camp, offering splendid views over the Shira Plateau

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Day 5: Lava Tower (4550 M) - Buffalo Camp (4020 M)

Continue your journey on the Northern Circuit over a steep ridge along the main path. This 8–9-hour hike takes you through heathland and alpine desert to Buffalo camp. In the morning, consider a quick detour to Little Lent Hill for a unique perspective.

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Day 6: Buffalo/Pofu Camp (4020 M) - Third Cave Camp (3870 M)

Cross varied landscapes including heathland, valleys, and alpine environments on this 5th day. As you continue eastwards along the northern circuit route, enjoy peaceful contemplation of the landscapes and wilderness. Expect this journey to take approximately 5 to 7 hours.

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Day 7: Third Cave Camp (3870 M) - School Huts (4750 M)

Embark on a 4-5 hour climb today to reach the “Saddle,” a beautiful lunar landscape between the Mawenzi and Kibo Peaks. Continue to School Hut camp, which you'll arrive at in the early afternoon. Relax for the remainder of the day to prepare for the final ascent the next day.

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Day 8: School Huts (4750 M) - Uhuru Peak (5895 M) - Millenium Camp (3720 M)

Commence the summit push around midnight, prepared for the steep path to Gilman’s Point, the rim of the main crater. Ascend for several hours with short breaks, reaching Gilman’s Point to witness a beautiful sunrise over Mawenzi Peak. Continue for 2-3 hours to Uhuru Peak, celebrating your success with incredible views. Descend to Millenium Camp via Kibo Huts for dinner and your final night on the mountain.

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Day 9: Millenium Camp (3720 M) - Mweka Gate (1830 M) - Hotel

Experience a decrease in altitude as you descend from Millenium Camp. After breakfast, walk to the exit of the national park. Upon descent, gather as a group to congratulate each other. Your driver will transport you back to the hotel, where you can enjoy a shower, a good dinner, and a well-deserved sleep.

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Day 10 - 11: Final Day and Flight Back to Home

On your final day, luxuriate a while longer at the lodge, basking in relaxation before our driver escorts you to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your homeward-bound flight, tailored to suit your departure schedule.

Gear

There are five ecological zones on Mount Kilimanjaro, each with its own climate and weather characteristics. Climbers are required to have the right gear to stay warm, dry and comfortable in a wide range of weather conditions. Typically, it is warm and humid in the rainforest, at the start of your trek. Then as you climb higher, it becomes colder and drier in the moorland and alpine desert zone. The summit can be extremely cold and windy, as being in the arctic zone would suggest. Climbing Kilimanjaro is like hiking from summer to winter in a matter of days. Your apparel will reflect this as well. You will need technical clothing such as a waterproof jacket, fleece jacket and several base layers. Cold weather gear such as hats, gloves, down jacket, and a warm sleeping bag are essential.

You are responsible for bringing personal gear and equipment while communal equipment (tents, food, cooking items, etc.) is provided. For clients who have hiking and backpacking experience, you will already have most if not all of the gear on the list. If you are starting from scratch, then it will take some time and money to assemble the items. Also consider renting gear from shops or borrowing gear from friends if possible to reduce the cost.

Training

We recommend training for at least two months prior to your departure. For those who are new to hiking, it would be smart to train longer. For those who are regular hikers, you will likely perform fine just keeping your regular routine. Doing day hikes is a great way to prepare though it’s entirely possible to train exclusively on a stair master machine if you don’t have access to trails.

Attitude Training

In fact, a person who is in phenomenal shape but can’t acclimatize will perform worse than a person who is in poor shape but acclimatizes well. There are things you can do to pre-acclimatize, or prepare for high altitude, before your climb. For instance, you can spend some time at high altitude immediately before your trip. If that is impractical due to timing, you can take a trip or two to high elevation destinations and hike – just to test your body’s response. You can also use an altitude training system and pre-acclimatize in your own home.

Medical Check

It is a good idea to be medically cleared for climbing by your doctor. Your age, fitness level, health, and pre-existing medical conditions may preclude you from high altitude trekking. Our minimum fitness requirements are that each climber must have a resting heart rate of under 100 beats per minute.

Vaccination

There are NO mandatory vaccinations, immunizations or medications to enter Tanzania. However, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends many vaccines for travel to East Africa. We encourage you to discuss your travel plans with a medical professional to determine which vaccinations and medications you should get.

Insurance

Travel insurance is required to participate on our trips. Standard travel insurance provides coverage for trip cancellation, interruption, and delay; lost, stolen and damaged baggage; medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation; and luggage delay. Your travel insurance must also cover high altitude trekking up to 6,000 meters. This insurance will make you eligible for rescue by helicopter from Kilimanjaro MedAir, a private company. Clients must be able to provide proof of insurance to staff upon request or they will not be allowed to participate.