| Daily information and program | Overnight | ||||||||
| Day 1: Arrival and pre-climb briefing day
Today has no planned activities and is only an arrival day for you to reach your base lodge in time for a pre-climb briefing (time to be confirmed) with your mountain guide.
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Bristol Cottages
Style: Budget range lodge |
| Day 2: Moshi to Londrossi gate to Big tree (Mti Mkubwa) camp
You will be transferred by road from Moshi (09:00am) to Londorossi gate. After registration you continue on the 4×4 track till the trail head where you begin your trek through the rain forest zone with your guide. The forest is thick and diverse with flora / fauna, and you may experience rain this afternoon which is common in this zone making the path slightly slippery. A short and winding path takes you steadily to the first camp.
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Big tree (Mti Mkubwa) Camp
Style: Shared Public campsite Altitude: 2780m or 9120ft No websites |
| Day 3: Big tree (Mti Mkubwa) camp to Shira one camp
This morning you quickly leave the forest zone on a steep path as the dense vegetation slowly eases into the Heather and moorland zone. The remainder of the day takes you on a steady hike across the Shira ridge where views of the Shira peak (the third of Kilimanjaro’s volcanic cones) gives you the spectacular jagged scenery of this eroded peak.
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Shira One Camp
Style: Shared Public campsite Altitude: 3505m or 11500ft No websites
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| Day 4: Shira One camp to Shira Cathedral Peak to Shira Two camp
Todays hike takes you gradually across the Shira Plateau within the heather and moorland and an optional extra hike to the Shira Cathedral peak (3880m) before gradually taking you to Shira two camp. Shira is the third of Kilimanjaro’s volcanic cones and has been shaped by lava and volcanic activity to create a stunning jagged peak and offering a unique western view of Kibo, the highest of the peaks and your final destination on the tour.
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Shira Two Camp
Style: Shared public campsite Altitude: 3845m or 12615ft No websites |
| Day 5: Shira camp to Lava Tower to Barranco camp
Your hike today takes you towards to Kibo cone steadily climbing up and over the edges of the alpine desert to your first high altitude at the lava tower (4630m or 15190ft). Today helps you to acclimatize and also is a great indicator to see how your body can handle the higher altitude. From the Lava Tower you begin your steep descent anti clockwise around Kibo and into the Barranco Valley passing the large flowering mountain cacti (Kilimanjaro Senecios) unique to Kilimanjaro. The day ends around the same elevation as you started on the edge of the heather and moorland.
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Barranco Camp
Style: Shared public campsite Altitude: 3960m or 12990ft No websites |
| Day 6: Barranco camp to Barafu camp
This morning you will leave the camp and ascend the Barranco wall. This is an impressive non-technical scramble and gives a feeling of mountain climbing (without any previous experience or advanced equipment required) and is rewarded with a superb view from the top back into the camp and the Heim glacier on the peak. The remainder of the hike will be through the alpine desert winding around the mountain then through the Karanga valley. From the Karanga camp you continue on the path until Barafu camp where you will prepare for your summit attempt tonight.
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Barafu Camp
Style: Shared public campsite Location: Alpine desert, Kilimanjaro National Park Altitude: 4640m or 15225ft No websites No reviews |
| Day 7: Barafu Camp to Stella point to Uhuru peak to Mweka camp
In the early morning (around 00:00am) you begin your final ascent to the summit of Uhuru peak through the arctic zone. The trek is a steep hike over loose volcanic scree through the dark and cold night and takes a slow pace in a zig-zag pattern towards Stella point (5685m or 18650ft) which is your first stop on the Kibo crater rim. From here a short (but difficult) hike remains to take you to Uhuru Peak (5895m or 19341ft), the highest point in Africa. You usually don’t spend that long at the peak due to the extreme altitude and will descend back down to the base camp for your breakfast / brunch. After your gear is packed up you continue the descent through the alpine desert, heather and moorland and eventually stopping at Mweka camp in the rain forest zone for a well-deserved rest.
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Mweka Camp
Style: Shared public campsite Altitude: 3080m or 10105ft No websites |
| Day 8: Mweka camp to Mweka gate to Moshi town
Your final day on Kilimanjaro is a descent through the southern rain forest until Mweka gate where our vehicle will be waiting to take you back to Moshi town. Usually, the crew will leave you at Mweka gate and it’s a perfect opportunity to say goodbye to your crew who all generally head directly home from the end gate.
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Bristol Cottages
Style: Mid-range lodge |
| Departure day or continue with next activity
Today has no planned activities and our services end after check-out (10:00am)
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None included but optionally available |
| Daily information and program | Overnight | ||||||||
| Day 1: Arrival and pre-climb briefing day
Today has no planned activities and is only an arrival day for you to reach your base lodge in time for a pre-climb briefing (time to be confirmed) with your mountain guide.
|
Chanya Lodge
Style: Mid-range lodge |
| Day 2: Moshi town to Rongai gate to Simba (First Cave) Camp
You will be transferred by road from Moshi town (09:00am) to Rongai gate. After registration you begin your trek through the rain forest zone with your guide. The forest thins out quickly on this remote and drier side of the mountain and you reach your camp on the edge of the forest and heather zone near the caves.
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Simba (First Cave) Camp
Style: Shared public campsite Altitude: 2625m or 8610ft |
| Day 3: Simba (First cave) camp to Second Cave camp
Today’s hike takes you further up towards the Kibo cone and into the lower alpine heather & moorland zone through a more barren landscape than the day before and heading towards the second group of caves near the Second cave camp where you will stop for the night. You may venture further up for acclimatization and views of the Kibo cone and Eastern Icefields on the crater rim or rest for the next day.
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Second Cave Camp
Style: Shared public campsite Altitude: 3480m or 11420ft No websites |
| Day 4: Second Cave camp to Third Cave camp
Today’s hike is another short hike further through the heather & moorland zone ascending towards the third group of caves near the Third Cave camp. The landscape becomes even more bare at the edge of the alpine zone and You may venture further up for acclimatization and views of the Kibo cone and Eastern Icefields on the crater rim or rest for the next day. Long ago trekkers and crew used to spend nights inside these mountain caves for shelter, which is no longer permitted.
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Third Cave Camp
Style: Shared public campsite Altitude: 3935m or 12795ft No websites |
| Day 5: Third cave camp to School Hut Camp (or alternatively Kibo Camp)
Your hike today takes you further towards the Kibo cone steadily climbing up and over the edges of the alpine desert journeying on the edges of the Kibo saddle. The relatively short distance today means you have plenty of time at your summit camp to rest and prepare for the summit attempt tonight.
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School Hut Camp
Style: Shared public campsite Location: Alpine desert, Kilimanjaro National Park Altitude: 4715m or 15470ft No websites No reviews |
| Day 6: School Hut Camp to Gilman’s point to Uhuru peak to Horombo Hut Camp
In the early morning (around 00:00am) you begin your final ascent to the summit of Uhuru peak through the arctic zone. The trek is a steep hike over loose volcanic scree through the dark and cold night and takes a slow pace in a zig-zag pattern towards Gilman’s Point (5681m or 18640ft) which is your first stop on the Kibo crater rim. From here a short (but difficult) hike remains to take you past Stella point (the first stop on the rim for those summiting from Barafu camp / the Southern circuit) and further around till Uhuru Peak (5895m or 19341ft), the highest point in Africa. You usually don’t spend that long at the peak due to the extreme altitude and will descend back down to the base camp for your breakfast / brunch. After your gear is packed up you continue the descent through the alpine desert, heather and moorland where you stop for the night.
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Horombo Hut Camp
Style: Shared public campsite Altitude: 3700m or 12220ft No websites |
| Day 7: Horombo Hut Camp to Marangu gate
Your final day on Kilimanjaro is a descent through the southeastern rain forest zone until Marangu gate where our vehicle will be waiting to take you back to Moshi town. Usually, the crew will leave you at Marangu gate and it’s a perfect opportunity to say goodbye and a great location to hand your optional tip to the crew as a token of your appreciation.
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Chanya Lodge
Style: Mid-range lodge |
| Day 8: Departure day or continue with next activity
Today has no planned activities and our services end after check-out (10:00am)
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None included but optionally available | |||||||||
| End of itinerary———————————————————————————————————— | ||||||||||
