Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival in Kilimanjaro; drive to Moshi

   • Arrive at the international airport in Kilimanjaro, and you will be met by a Himalayan Glacier representative who will escort you to your designated hotel in Moshi.

   • Attend a pre-trip discussion with the manager later in the evening. You will be provided all the details of the forthcoming climb by your travel manager. You may ask as many questions to your trip guide and get a clear vision about your upcoming trip. The final part of your preparation is a final check of your readiness to tackle Kilimanjaro.

   Driving time: 1 hour

   Elevations: Moshi low (700 m) – Moshi high (950 m)

   Maximum altitude: 950m

   Accommodation: Aishi Machame Hotel or similar

2. Day 2: Trekking from Umbwe Gate to Umbwe Camp

   • Wake up in the morning, where your guide will arrive at the hotel along with a support crew who will meet you and have another short briefing.

   • Drive off to the Umbwe Gate (1640m) of Kilimanjaro National Park after breakfast at your hotel.

   • Acquire climbing permits and register with the search and rescue service, and you will start trekking to the Umbwe Camp (2930m). The route follows a foresty track through the rainforest before steepening between the Lonzo and Umbwe Rivers. As you will be walking through the rainforest, tropical showers can be expected so it is necessary that you have a raincoat with you particularly for this day besides the spare clothes. Umbwe Camp is perched between large evergreen trees and thick undergrowth, with Umbwe Cave a short walk away.

   • Arrive at the campsite, where your tents will already be assembled and dinner will be served to you.

   Since it is your first day at this altitude, we strongly advise you to pay attention to the following instruction:

   • Stay away from drinking caffeinated and alcoholic beverages.

   • Drink as much boiled water as possible, at frequent intervals. It is best for your body if you drink at least 4 litres each day on your trek.

   • To lessen symptoms of altitude sickness, take a Diamox pill. If you are allergic to certain medicines, it is recommended that you consult your doctor prior to your trip.

   • If you experience any discomfort associated with your breathing and start feeling sick or get a headache, tell your guide about your condition immediately.

   Hiking distance: 11 km

   Hiking time: 5 – 7 hours

   Elevations: Umbwe Camp (2930 m)

   Maximum altitude: 2930m

   Accommodation: Tented Camping

   Included meals: BLD

3. Day 3: Trekking from Umbwe Camp to Barranco Camp

   • Eat breakfast in the morning, and you will start your trek towards the Barranco Camp. The landscape changes rapidly from rainforest to moorland, with rocky outcrops and sparse vegetation. The path continues along a narrow, but spectacular ridge and if the weather is clear, you will be able to see Meru Volcano for the first time. On gaining elevation, you will also catch glimpses of Kilimanjaro rising majestically ahead of you. 

   • See how the path flattens as you approach the Barranco Valley and at lunchtime, you will reach Barranco Camp (3960m) through the beautiful Senecio Forest. The camp sits inside a huge volcanic fault under the shadow of the Great Barranco Wall with Kibo visible in the distance.

   • Relax for the rest of the day to facilitate the acclimatization of your body to the high altitude after lunch.

   Hiking distance: 6 km
   Hiking time: 4 – 5 hours
   Elevations: Barranco Camp (3960 m)
   Maximum altitude: 3960m
   Accommodation: Tented Camping
   Included meals: BLD

4. Day 4: Trekking from Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp

   • Ready to climb the Barranco Wall. Hiking up the wall is not so hard and takes around one hour to the summit. In order to avoid crowds of other groups, it is advised to make an early start from the camp after breakfast.

   • Reach the top of the wall, and you will rest for a while and take photographs in front of the Kibo volcano. It is then time to take up a more difficult hike towards the Karanga Camp.

   • Walk with an optimal pace on the frequent ascents and descents on the route; you will reach the camp and have your lunch.

   • Hike further higher to get acclimatized a couple of hours after lunch and then walk back down to the camp.

   Note: It is advised to take the acclimatization hikes seriously as they help you avoid getting altitude sickness and ultimately increase the chances of successfully summiting Kilimanjaro. It is an easy trek with a slight gain in altitude that it is recommended for trekkers to do so as to speed up the acclimatization process.

   Hiking distance: 5 km (+2.5 km acclimatization hike)

   Hiking time: 4 – 5 hours (+1 – 2 hours acclimatization hike)

   Elevations: Karanga Camp (4035m) – Acclimatization point (4270m)

   Maximum altitude: 4270m

   Accommodation: Tented Camping

   Included meals: BLD

5. Day 5: Trekking from Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

   • Begin towards the Barafu Summit Camp (4640m) after breakfast. The camp is the starting point for summiting the Uhuru Peak (5835m).

   • Reach the camp, where you will have your lunch and rest for a few hours.

   • Head out for another acclimatization hike towards the intermediate Kosovo Summit Camp (4800m).

   • Come back to the camp, where you will eat your dinner and spend the remaining of your time resting and sleeping. You will begin summiting at night time.

   Hiking distance: 6 km (+2 km acclimatization hike)

   Hiking time: 4 – 5 hours (+1 – 2 hours acclimatization hike)

   Elevations: Barafu Camp (4640m) – Acclimatization point (4800m)

   Maximum altitude: 4800m

   Accommodation: Tented Camping

   Included meals: BLD

6. Day 6: Climb Uhuru Peak and Descent to Millennium Camp

   • Wake up just before midnight.

   • Begin the climb to the top of Uhuru Peak after having some tea and biscuits. Relatively, it is an easy climb with only the high altitude as a challenging factor. Your trekking guide will monitor your physical and mental conditions throughout the entire journey.

   • Reach Stella Point (5685m) located on the crater rim in about 6 hours and make a brief stop with magnificent sunrise views. From this point onwards, you may encounter snow all the way in the 1-hour ascent to the last point of the climb – Uhuru Peak, the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

   • Spend some time drinking tea and taking photographs on the summit.

   • Descend to the nearest glacier if you wish.

   • Return to Barafu Camp which will take around 3 hours. Here at the camp, you will rest and enjoy your hot lunch in the sun and after resting for a while, you will descend further to the Millenium Camp (3820m) to spend the night.

   Hiking distance: 15 km

   Hiking time: 9 – 12 hours

   Elevations: Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Millenium Camp (3820m)

   Maximum altitude: 5895m

   Accommodation: Tented Camping

   Included meals: BLD

7. Day 7: Descent from Millenium Camp to Mweka Gate

   • Wake up in the morning in the camp situated in a tropical forest, and you will be relieved with the normal elevation and the satisfaction of making it to the top.
   • Have a big celebration with your staff, present your tips to the guides and other crew members following a well-deserved breakfast.
   • Descend for three hours and head towards the park’s exit Mweka Gate (1640m). Hikers will be congratulated and given a chance to share their opinions on the climb in the guestbooks.
   • Be presented with commemorative certificates in the office in the end and transferred back to your hotel room.

   Hiking distance: 12 km

   Hiking time: 4 – 5 hours

   Elevations: Mweka Gate (1640m)

   Maximum elevation: 1640m

   Included meals: BLD

8. Day 8: Final Departure

   • Be transferred to the airport for your international departure home after breakfast. The hotel check-out time is 11.00 am but if you have an evening flight and wish to check out from the hotel at a later time, there is an option to extend your hotel stay for an extra charge. If you wish to extend your stay in Tanzania for a few more days, then you have the option to go on a Tanzania safari or relax on the beaches of Zanzibar.

   Included meals: B