Price discount for each person is available based on the number of people making the booking. Thus: if you are making the booking a solo trekker, the discount is applied for solo. If you are booking as a group of 3 people, a discount is applied per person for each 3 of you. Thus; the bigger the number of people making the booking, the better the price. The price change can be seen on the checkout page when you are making a purchase.
Overview
The Northern Circuit is the newest and longest route on Mount Kilimanjaro. It begins in the West at the Londorossi Gate and follows the same path as the Lemosho Route for the first two days. After crossing the Shira plateau the path veers north near Lava Tower, following the longer Northern Circuit instead of the more popular Southern Circuit via Barranco Valley The route circles around the quieter northern slopes to the east side of the mountain.
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Itinerary summary
Day 1: Arrive at Moshi
Day 2: Moshi to Londorossi gate to Mti Mkubwa camp
Day 3: Mti Mkubwa camp to Shira camp
Day 4: Shira Camp to Moir camp
Day 5: Moir Camp to Buffalo camp
Day 6: Buffalo camp to Rongai Third Cave camp
Day 7: Rongai Third Cave camp to School Hut camp
Day 8: School Hut camp to UHURU Peak to Crater camp
Day 9: Crater camp to Millenium camp
Day 10: Millenium Camp to Mweka gate to Hotel
Day 11: International departure
Itineraries
Day 1
Time : 2:00 am
Arrive at Moshi
Our Kilimanjaro adventure starts the moment you land at Kilimanjaro International Airport, You will be met by our staff at the airport and transferred to our partner lodge in Moshi in the peaceful surrounds of our comfortable pre and post trek accommodation in Honey Badger, or Q wine hotel. The guide will perform a gear check for you after dinner so that next morning you will be ready for your tour to start.
Day 2
Time : 5:00 am
Londorossi Gate (2,100 meters) – start point 2,360 meters to Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,820 meters)
Hiking time: 3 -4 hours
Distance: Approximately 5.5 kilometers
Habitat: Rain forest
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 MtiMkubwa Camp (2,820 meters) begins. You may get lucky and spot large wildlife like elephants 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 MtiMkubwa Camp.
Day 3
Time : 7:00 am
Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,820 meters) to Shira Camp 1 (3,610 meters)
Hiking time: 6 hrs
Distance: Approximately 8 km
Habitat: Low Alpine Zone
On this day you will spend the first hour trekking through the last section of the rainforest path before entering the low alpine moorland zone which follows up onto the Shira Plateau. The trek is relatively short and gradual, ending at Shira Camp 1 (3,610 meters).
Day 4
Time : 8:00 am
Shira Camp 1 (3,610 meters) to Moir Camp (4,200 meters)
Hiking time: 7h
Distance: Approximately 15 km
Habitat: High Alpine Zone
Day four is a long trek heading east which passes through the ‘Garden of the Senecios’ and then enters the high alpine desert zone. The morning is spent trekking up to Lava Tower and the iconic Shark’s Tooth rock formation at 4,600 meters, where you will have lunch. After lunch, you will join the northern circuit heading down to Moir Camp at 4,200 meters (see map above). This is an important day in your trek as you will get to experience high altitude and then sleep low, which is good for the acclimatization process.
Day 5
Time : 8:00 am
Moir Camp (4,200 meters) to Buffalo Camp (4,020 meters)
Hiking time: 7h
Distance: Approximately 13 km
Habitat: Alpine desert
Day five involves a moderately steep climb out of Moir Valley. Trekkers can take a small detour here to climb the summit of 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 gives 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 6
Time : 4:00 am
Buffalo Camp (4,020 meters) to Rongai Third Cave (3,800 meters)
Hiking time: 6 – 7 hrs
Distance: Approximately 8 km
Habitat: High Alpine zone/Low Alpine zone
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 7
Time : 5:00 am
Rongai 3rd Cave (3,800 meters) to School Hut (4,800 meters)
Hiking time: 4 hrs
Distance: Approximately 15 km
Habitat: Desert and Glacial zone
Day seven involves a steady incline up and over the Saddle which sits between the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi Peak. Trekkers then continue walking southwest up to School Hut (4,800 meters). After arriving at 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, headlamps, and cameras before going to bed.
Day 8
Time : 9:00 am
School Hut (4,800 meters) to UHURU PEAK (5895m) to Barafu camp (4,645m)
Hiking time: 7-8 hrs
Distance: Approximately 6 km
Habitat: Glacial zone
Wake before dawn to start your summit approach. You’ll reach Uhuru Peak in the early afternoon when few groups are around. A descent brings you to Barafu Camp, eat relax, sleep.
Day 9
Time : 2:00 pm
Barafu Camp (4,645m) to Mweka Camp (3,110m)
Hiking time: 12 -14 hrs
Distance: Approximately 14 km
Habitat: Alpine zone/ forest zone
In the morning after early breakfast, we begin our descent from Barafu camp down to Mweka Camp for a long well-earned rest.
Day 10
Time : 7:00 am
Mweka Camp (3,110m) to Mweka Gate (1,630m)
Hiking time: 6 hrs
Distance: Approximately 12 km
Habitat: Rain forest zone
Today you walk down through the rain forest 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 your arranged hotel in Moshi.
Day 11
International departures
Today is airport transfers to fly back home.
Transfers:
- Pick-up and drop-off at Kilimanjaro International Airport;
- Transfer to the trailhead - entry gate to Kilimanjaro National Park;
- Pick-up at the exit from Kilimanjaro National Park and transfer to the hotel;
Entry fees:
- All park fees are collected by the Kilimanjaro National Park ( conservation fees, camping fees, crew fees, vehicle fees, rescue fee,s and all other fees collected by the Tanzania National Parks Authority).
Accommodation:
- One night at 3* hotel (Honey Badger, AMEG Lodge or Park View Inn) before the expedition and one night after; The hotels have everything for your comfortable stay - caring staff, nice rooms, reliable Wi-Fi, restaurant and swimming pool);
- Tented accommodation on Mount Kilimanjaro (modern, comfortable 4-Season tents
Please note:
All accommodation is on sharing basis (i.e. you will be sharing with your travel companion a twin/double room in the hotel and a tent during the hike. If you travel alone, we will match you with a same-sex adventurer).
Meals:
- Breakfast in the hotel before and after the hike;
- All meals on the hike. Our Kilimanjaro diet includes energy-rich and highly nutritious meals prepared by our professional high-altitude cooks. A typical diet on Kilimanjaro includes different soups, garnishes, several types of fish and meat, fresh fruit and vegetables; vegetarian/gluten-free/halal options are available at no extra cost;
- All drinks on the hike (coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and water).
Hiking and safety equipment
- 4-inch (10-cm) thick and comfortable sleeping mats;
- All group equipment (spacious and comfortable dining tent, camping table and chairs, crockery and cutlery);
- Oxygen cylinders and oximeters;
- GPS-tracking service;
- Complete medical kits.
Climbing crew:
- Professional guides, licensed by Kilimanjaro National Park. All our guides are the holder of Wilderness First Responder or Wilderness First Aid certifications. All our guides have 7+years of successful mountaineering experience;
- Dedicated support crew (assistant guides, camp master, porters, cooks, etc.).
- Airline tickets;
- Visa fee;
- Lunch and dinner at the hotel (before and after the ascent);
- Personal gear rentals;
- Tips for the mountain crew
- Mountaineering insurance.
Lemosho route is around 70 kms or 42 miles whether you opt for the 7 or 8 day version. It joins up with the Machame Route between Shira and Barranco so the terrain is very similar.
Barranco Wall Mt Kilimanjaro – A Steep Climb But Totally Doable. The Barranco Wall on Mount Kilimanjaro forms part of your early morning exercise on day 4 for climbers on the Machame, Shira, Umbwe and Lemosho Route. ... You need no technical climbing skills to be able to scale the Barranco wall.
Mount Kilimanjaro can be a dangerous mountain to climb. Nearly 1,000 rescues and ten deaths on the mountain occur each year. While climbing the mountain itself is dangerous, the Barranco Wall is a portion of the climb that does not require technical skills to navigate.
Lemosho has the highest summit success rate of all route! Machame is the second most popular route on Kilimanjaro
The Lemosho route is a good eight day hike for those who have not trekked much at high altitudes, with an effective extra day's acclimatization, giving a better success rate. Experienced and already acclimatized mountaineers may opt for the more difficult 7 day ascent along the Lemosho route
There are public toilets at every camp stop on a Kilimanjaro trek. You're going to need to lower your expectations though. Forget porcelain loos with lockable doors, marble sinks with soap dispensers, hot water and hi-tech hand driers.
Technically speaking, Mount Kilimanjaro is also relatively safe compared to other mountains of similar altitude and the risks are low compared to other mountains. ... The main reason why climbers do not reach the summit is altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness (AMS), caused by the high elevation.
At the summit, Uhuru Point, the night time temperatures can range between 20 and -20 degrees Fahrenheit (-7 to -29 degrees Celsius).
As we mentioned before, Kilimanjaro is suitable for beginners; they do very well. The best advice is for everyone to arrive in great shape. Don't underestimate the climb because you know someone did it who you believe was not fit. Train for the adventure.
By far, the reason people have to abandon their Kilimanjaro attempt is due to altitude sickness. At high elevations, nearly everyone will experience some symptoms of altitude sickness. Mild levels of altitude sickness include a headache, nausea, lack of appetite, dizziness, and lethargy. This is normal.
Why? Because winds carry moisture from the ocean. When they hit large objects, like mountains, they rise, cool and condense, forming clouds and precipitation (i.e. rain and snow). There are two main winds that drive weather patterns on Mount Kilimanjaro – the South-east trade winds and Northeast anti-trade winds.
Kilimanjaro is an achievement many hikers, athletes, and nature lovers have set their eyes on. But towering 19,341 feet, with a nearly 50% fail rate, reaching the peak takes a hefty amount of work against significant odds. Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro is absolutely worth it.
How long does it take to train to climb Kilimanjaro? If you aren't already active each day (hiking, walking, or running several miles), if you aren't in great shape it's recommended that you take at least 8 weeks (or 2 months) to train.
The short answer is “Yes”. You may get a phone signal all the way through the summit. Over the years, the mobile network coverage on Kilimanjaro has improved greatly. Nearly everyone who treks nowadays brings Electronic Gadgets On Kilimanjaro, especially smartphones
Here are some common animals that you have a chance of seeing on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Blue Monkey. ...
White Necked Raven. ...
Colobus Monkey. ...
Four Striped Mouse. ...
Bush Baby.
200,000 years ago
How to minimize your chances of suffering from altitude sickness on Kilimanjaro:
Acclimatize prior to the climb. ...
Start the climb in the best possible health and with an excellent level of physical fitness. ...
Take it easy on the trail and in camp. ...
Drink plenty of fluids. ...
Eat well. ...
Sleep well. ...
Relax.
The fact that there are still glaciers is due to the prolonged 'cold snaps', or ice ages, that have occurred down the centuries, allowing the glaciers to regroup and reappear on the mountain.
The best time to climb Kilimanjaro are the months of January through early-March and June through October. The clear skies, great views, and the sunshine makes it the best comfortable hiking conditions. However, there is always the possibility of weather changing dramatically, regardless of the season.
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