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Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), Moshi, or Arusha. Our representative meets you personally at arrivals and transfers you directly to your hotel — we provide seamless transfers from either city at no extra hassle.
Check into your room and take the afternoon to rest, unpack, and explore the town. In the evening, attend a comprehensive pre-climb briefing with your Lead Guide and Climb Manager. Meet your climbing team, review the full route, confirm your gear, and ask any final questions before the adventure begins tomorrow.
Meals: Dinner included Accommodation: Hotel in Moshi or Arusha Altitude: ~900m (Moshi) / ~1,400m (Arusha)
After an early breakfast at your hotel — whether in Moshi or Arusha — our vehicle departs for the long but scenic drive to Londorossi Gate on the remote western slopes of Kilimanjaro (approximately 3–4 hours). Complete park registration, meet your full porter and cook team, and step onto the Lemosho trail.
The rainforest begins immediately — ancient, moss-draped, and alive with sound. Towering podocarpus and juniper trees form a canopy overhead. Look and listen for Black & White Colobus monkeys barking from the upper branches. Scan the forest floor for elephant and buffalo tracks — wildlife is frequently spotted in the Lemosho Glades, one of the most pristine and undisturbed sections of Kilimanjaro’s forest.
Arrive at Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree) Camp for your first night under the stars, with a hot dinner prepared by your mountain cook.
Meals: Lunch & Dinner Habitat: Montane Rainforest Hiking Time: 3–4 hours Distance: ~6 km / 3.7 miles Overnight Altitude: 2,895m / 9,498ft
After breakfast, leave the rainforest behind and begin the ascent through podocarpus and juniper forest, which gradually gives way to the heather and moorland zone — open skies, volcanic rock draped with long lichen beards, and wide sweeping views that announce the plateau ahead.
Trek up and over several ridges, crossing multiple crystal-clear mountain streams, before dropping gently down to Shira 1 Camp. Here, at the western edge of the famous Shira Plateau, you catch your first breathtaking view of Kibo Peak rising magnificently across the plateau. Rest well — the plateau crossing tomorrow is one of the most beautiful days on the entire route.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Habitat: Rainforest → Heather & Moorland Hiking Time: 5–6 hours Distance: ~8 km / 5 miles Overnight Altitude: 3,505m / 11,500ft
⭐ One of the Most Scenic and Least-Visited Sections of Kilimanjaro
A long and extraordinary day crossing the Shira Plateau — one of the highest plateaux on Earth and a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of rare beauty. Trek east across open moorland meadows towards Shira 2 Camp, with panoramic views of Mount Meru, Kibo Peak, and the vast volcanic wilderness of the plateau.
After Shira 2, leave the main trail and venture north toward the seldom-visited Moir Hut Camp — a hidden gem at the base of the dramatic Lent Hills, flanked by ancient lava flows. Along the way, stop for lunch at Scott Fisher Memorial Camp, named in honour of the legendary Everest guide.
Moir Camp is a strategic acclimatization point. The air is thin and the surrounding wilderness is vast and peaceful — almost no other climbers reach this camp. In the late afternoon, optional acclimatization hikes into the Lent Hills are available with your guide, offering some of the best panoramic views on the entire mountain.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Habitat: Moorland / Alpine Plateau Hiking Time: 6–7 hours Distance: ~11 km / 6.8 miles Overnight Altitude: 4,206m / 13,800ft
Today follows the essential “Climb High, Sleep Low” acclimatization principle — arguably the most important day for your summit success.
From Moir Camp, traverse the striking slopes of Kibo Massif and ascend steadily into the stark Alpine Desert Zone — a landscape where extreme temperature ranges and thin air allow almost nothing to grow. The volcanic terrain is dramatic and otherworldly. Ahead rises the Lava Tower — a 300-foot volcanic rock formation known as the “Shark’s Tooth,” formed 150,000 years ago during Kilimanjaro’s most active volcanic period. Reach the tower at 4,633m, take lunch, and let your body absorb the high altitude.
Then begin the descent into the spectacular Barranco Valley — one of the most beautiful and dramatic landscapes on the entire mountain. Pass through the extraordinary Garden of the Senecios — a forest of giant, alien-looking Dendrosenecio kilimanjari plants and solitary Giant Lobelias found almost nowhere else on Earth. Arrive at Barranco Camp set directly beneath the towering Barranco Wall, buzzing with anticipation for tomorrow’s famous climb.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Habitat: Alpine Desert Hiking Time: 6–7 hours Distance: ~10 km / 6.2 miles Overnight Altitude: 3,960m / 13,000ft
The morning begins with the most exhilarating challenge of the trek — climbing the Barranco Wall. Despite its intimidating, near-vertical appearance, this is a non-technical scramble that is safe for all fitness levels. Your guides support you every step of the way, and the views from the top are simply breathtaking — a 360-degree panorama of the mountain that makes the effort entirely worthwhile.
From the top of the wall, trek along a series of ridges and valleys on the Southern Circuit — the dramatic path that winds beneath Kilimanjaro’s Southern Ice Field. Descend sharply into the Karanga Valley, catch your breath in the thin alpine air, and make the final push to Karanga Camp. This is a strategically important overnight stop — significant time at this altitude is essential for safe final acclimatization. Sunsets from Karanga are renowned for their beauty, with the southern glacial valleys and ice fields towering over 1,000 metres above camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Habitat: Alpine Desert Hiking Time: 4–5 hours Distance: ~5.8 km / 3.6 miles Overnight Altitude: 4,033m / 13,200ft
A shorter but important half-day ascent through increasingly desolate, wind-swept terrain to Barafu High Camp — aptly named “ice” in Swahili, and the main base camp for the summit attempt on all Southern Circuit routes.
The landscape here is stark and lunar. Strong winds regularly sweep across the exposed ridge. The dramatic silhouette of Mawenzi Volcano rises to the east, bathed in the warm light of the African sun. Arrive early at Barafu, enjoy a proper hot lunch, and spend the afternoon resting in your tent. Your Lead Guide will deliver a detailed summit night briefing — what to expect, when to wake, what to wear, and how to pace yourself for the biggest night of the climb.
Early to bed. The alarm comes before midnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Habitat: Alpine Desert Hiking Time: 4–5 hours Distance: ~4.2 km / 2.6 miles Overnight Altitude: 4,673m / 15,300ft
⭐ Summit Day — The Roof of Africa
Wake at midnight. Layer up. Step into the darkness.
The summit ascent begins between midnight and 1:00 AM with headlamps cutting through the cold, still air. The trail ascends steeply through loose volcanic scree — slow, deliberate, relentless. The wind at this altitude can be biting. Your guides encourage and pace you through every step. The mountain tests every climber’s resolve, but your preparation over the past seven days has been building to this moment.
After 6–7 hours of steady climbing, reach Stella Point (5,756m) on the crater rim as the first light of dawn breaks over Mawenzi Peak — arguably the most magnificent sunrise you will ever witness in your life. Push on for a final hour across the snow-dusted crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,895m / 19,341ft) — the highest point in Africa, the highest freestanding mountain in the world. The wooden summit sign. The glaciers. The infinite horizon. You made it.
Celebrate with your crew, take your photos, absorb every second — then begin the long descent back through all of Kilimanjaro’s climate zones to Mweka Camp for a final night on the mountain. A huge dinner awaits.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Habitat: Arctic Summit → Rainforest Hiking Time: 7–8 hours ascent / 4–6 hours descent Distance: ~5 km ascent / ~12 km descent Summit Altitude: 5,895m / 19,341ft
The final morning. Lace up your boots one last time and descend through the lush, green, tropical rainforest of the Mweka Route — a beautiful and rewarding last walk, with birdsong all around and the sweet smell of forest air after days on the alpine desert.
Reach Mweka Gate, sign out of the national park, and receive your official Kilimanjaro Summit Certificate — your permanent proof of one of Africa’s greatest achievements. Say a heartfelt farewell to your mountain crew — guides, porters, and cook — who have carried, cooked, and cared for you throughout this journey. Their tips are deeply appreciated.
Board the vehicle for the transfer back to your hotel in Moshi or Arusha — whichever suits your onward plans. A hot shower, a cold drink, and a celebratory meal await.
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch Habitat: Rainforest Hiking Time: 3–4 hours Distance: ~10 km / 6.2 miles
A well-earned rest day. Use the morning to recover, repack, and relive the memories of an extraordinary journey. Your hotel in Moshi or Arusha provides the perfect base to unwind.
Whether you are connecting to a Tanzania safari, heading to Zanzibar for a beach extension, or flying home, our team arranges your onward transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or any destination at your preferred time.
Accommodation: Hotel in Moshi or Arusha Meals: Breakfast included Transfers: To KIA airport, Zanzibar, or safari departure — all arranged on request
✔ Kilimanjaro National Park fees
✔ Professional mountain guides and crew
✔ Camping equipment and tents
✔ All meals during the trek
✔ Drinking water
✔ Rescue fees
✔ All transfers (airport & hotel)
✔ Government taxes (VAT)
✔ Accommodation
✖ International flights
✖ Travel insurance
✖ Tanzania visa fees
✖ Tips for guides, porters, cook
✖ Personal trekking gear
✖ Personal expenses
