Tanzania
Guided
Camping
This route to the summit of Kilimanjaro takes you on a stunning journey, exploring the mountain in detail from all sides and through all her environments. It offers excellent acclimatization, superb scenery with views across the southern flanks, western forests, the northern plains to the Kenyan border, and the dry arid eastern slopes. The route approaches Kibo from the west using the Lemosho ascent, then circles clockwise around to the quieter northern slopes and onward to the east, offering outstanding views from all sides. The north flank of Kilimanjaro is remote and less trafficked, so the environment is less disturbed and offers the best option to get away from other tourists. The route is well-suited for climbers who are seeking an enjoyable backpacking and camping experience without a frantic push for the summit. This allows for superior acclimatization and nearly guaranteed likelihood of reaching the Roof of Africa!
Our Kili climbs have become renowned for the excellent meals served on the mountain, even at the highest altitudes. We have put a great deal of effort into combining proper nutrition with appealing and varied dishes. Our meals are high in calories with the proper balance of complex carbohydrates, protein, and the right kind of fats to help sustain your increased level of exertion. We’ve designed our menus to include the right nutrition to keep you going on the climb, with three good meals a day, plus tasty trail snacks the simple sugars in these are helpful in providing a boost of energy to keep you going.
We have a separate dining tent with food available upon request at any time. Following are some sample menu items offered during meals while on the Kilimanjaro climb:
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
| From Price | Dates | No. travelling | Single Supplement |
|---|---|---|---|
| USD 2,100 | Year round | 1 | From USD 0 |
| USD 1,950 | Year round | 2 - 4 | From USD 0 |
| USD 1,850 | Year round | 5 - 7 | From USD 0 |
| USD 1,800 | Year round | 8 - 10 | From USD 0 |
| USD 1,750 | Year round | 11+ | From USD 0 |
On arrival at KIA, we transfer roughly one hour to your hotel in Moshi town. Freshen up and then have a briefing with your guide and ensure that you have all the gear required for the climb. If you are missing essential equipment it can be rented for a good price. The briefing will give you a clear view of the days to come from your personal guide and cook, you will also be told your exact crew numbers and makeup as well as get a chance to ask any questions. We will enjoy an evening meal together and then have a good night’s sleep to prepare for the challenge ahead.
Meals: Bed & Breakfast
The Northern Circuit Route begins at Londorossi Gate (2,100 meters) in the west, the same start point as the Lemosho Route. The drive to Londorossi Gate takes approximately two hours from Moshi and considerably longer from Arusha. Registration with the Kilimanjaro National Park authorities occurs at the gate and then you will be driven further up the mountain to the trailhead starting point. Most tour operators serve lunch here before the short first-day trek to Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,820 meters) begins. You may get lucky and spot large wildlife like elephant and buffalo that sometimes emerge from the rainforest onto the path as you trek towards your first camp. Dinner will be served when you reach Mti Mkubwa Camp.
Today you will trek across a plateau of grassy moorland and heather scattered with volcanic rock formations. Our destination is Shira One Camp from where there are views of Kibo Peak floating on the clouds. We gain a reasonable amount of altitude today and parts of the route are fairly steep.
The trek crosses the Shira Plateau from Shira Camp 1 to Shira Camp 2 for lunch. Here 9-day trekkers usually spend the night at Shira Camp 2 where they will join trekkers from the Machame Route. But for 8-day trekkers will continue with the trek heading east which passes through the ‘garden of the senecios’ and then enters the high alpine desert zone before joining the northern circuit heading down to Moir Camp at 4,200.
Day five involves a moderately steep climb out of Moir Valley. Trekkers can take a small detour here to climb the summit of the Little Lent hill at 4,375 meters before returning to the northern circuit trail. From here the route follows a series of inclines and declines, skirting around the northern slopes of Kibo to Buffalo Camp (4,020 meters). The trek has great vistas out across the plains that lie north of Kilimanjaro and stretch out to the Kenyan/Tanzanian border. You will arrive at Buffalo Camp just after midday, where you will have lunch and have time to rest after a long day hiking.
Day six starts with a climb up the Buffalo Ridge and down into Porfu Camp where lunch is usually served. The route then continues east around the northern slopes to the Rongai third cave at 3,800 meters. The trek is shorter than the day before and by now you should be feeling well acclimatized to the altitude. You will arrive at the third cave just around mid-afternoon.
Day seven involves a steady incline up and over the saddle which sits between the peaks of Kibo and the Mawenzi. Trekkers then continue walking south-west up to School Hut (4,800 meters). After arriving at the School Hut you will be served an early dinner and then you should get some shut-eye as you will be awoken before midnight to start your summit attempt. Remember to prepare all your gear, including warm clothes, insulated water bottles, snacks, headlamp, and a camera before going to bed.
You will be awoken around 11:30 pm with hot tea and biscuits and will then begin the steep incline up the slopes of Kibo under the cover of darkness. Your first check-point is Hans Meyer Cave where you will take a short break. The climb steepens as you approach Gilman’s Point (5,681 meters), which will be around 5-6 hours after departing school hut. You will still have 2 hours trekking to reach Uhuru Peak so dig deep for the energy. The slope flattens as you head west around the crater rim and you should arrive at the summit at or just after sunrise. Your stay here will be brief so get as many pictures as you can of the incredible views and surrounding glaciers.
You will then retrace your steps back around the crater rim to Stella Point (5,739 meters) where you will turn south and head down the heavily screed slopes of Kibo to Barafu Camp (4,680 meters). Most trekkers take a short break here before continuing down to Millennium Camp (3,950 meters) for your final night on the mountain. In total you will be trekking for 14-16 hours on day eight so it is important to pace yourself, remain hydrated, and keep your blood sugar levels up.
A gentle trek takes us down through the rainforest to Mweka Gate where we complete park formalities and receive certificates, which you can hang up with pride! We are then met by our vehicles and return to the hotel in Moshi, where you can treat yourself to a welcome hot shower.
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