Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival in Tanzania

   • On your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport /shuttle bus stand, meet a member of tour staff.

   • Transfer to your hotel in Arusha for overnight.

2. Day 2: Arusha to Machame Gate to Machame Camp

   • Depart Machame Gate and trek upwards through the montane rainforest, characterized by dense vegetation, a muddy trail and short sections of steep climbs where you may hear the calls of many exotic birds, and if we are lucky, we may see blue monkeys on the forest canopy and hear the grunting calls of the magnificent black colobus monkeys.

   • Our first campsite, Machame Camp, is right after the dense tree cover in an area with lower but still thick bush where Podocarpus (African yellow-wood), Hagenia and Hypericum (St John’s Wort) dominate. 

   • In the evening, you may hear the unmistakable shrieking call of the tree hyrax.

3. Day 3: Machame Camp to Shira 2 Camp

   • Continue through increasingly sparse trees and bushes into moorlands. Picturesque hanging mosses often cover trees offering an ethereal quality to the landscape. 

   • Finish the day at Shira Camp, which is on a small plateau in the high moorlands, and features views of Kibo in the northwest and Mount Meru towards the east. White necked ravens can be seen throughout the day and around our campsite.

4. Day 4: Shira 2 Camp to Barranco Camp

   • Turn east and continue to climb through increasingly rocky and desolate terrain. Leave the moorland behind and continue up a rocky path through typical Kilimanjaro mountain vegetation of Senecios and Lobelia. 

   • Pass through the alpine moorland zone, where plants are extremely hardy and consist of lichens, grasses, and heather, to reach Kilimanjaro’s alpine desert zone. 

   • Have lunch at Lava Tower (4630m), and those who feel up to it can undertake an optional rock scramble (non-technical) to the top of Lava Tower where you will have spectacular panoramic vistas of the Karanga Valley below, Shira Plateau and the spectacular Western Breach above.

   • From Lava Tower, descend steeply for 2 hours down more than 600m into the Great Barranco Valley. This descent affords fantastic views and some great photo opportunities of the Western Breach and Breach Wall. You will also feel the clear benefits of this acclimatisation day as we lose altitude down to the camp.

5. Day 5: Barranco Camp to Karanga Valley Camp

   • Undertake the Great Barranco Wall – an imposing face above Barranco camp. 

   • Steady climb up the eastern wall takes us just below the Heim Glacier, where we may have some breathtaking views of the Heim Glacier and Mt. Kilimanjaro depending upon the weather and any cloud cover. 

   • Trail continues down into the alpine desert of the Karanga Valley, where we finish this second acclimatisation day at Karanga Camp at 4046m.

6. Day 6: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

   • Trail continues down into the alpine desert of the Karanga Valley. 

   • Here the temperature will grow colder as we follow the trail climbing through this barren and dry landscape up to the Barafu camp. Our campsite at 4600m offers spectacular views of the nearby peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi.

   • In preparation for your final ascent tonight, you will familiarise yourself with the terrain before dark, and prepare your equipment and thermal clothing for the summit attempt. 

   • Sleep will be difficult, though you will to retire to your tents after dinner to rest for the 1385m final ascent to the roof of Africa. 

7. Day 7: Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp

   • Rise early to leave camp at around 12 am and after a warm drink and a light snack, begin the most difficult yet the most rewarding day of the trek – your hike to the roof of Africa. 

   • After approximately 6 hours of slow but strenuous hiking, reach the rim of the main crater, Stella Point, at 5685m. At this point, stop to rest, eat lunch and take in the views over the clouds.

   • From Stella Point the trail is normally snow-covered, and every step of the two-hour final ascent to Uhuru peak is challenging.

   • Arriving at the summit, feel a huge sense of elation and accomplishment you have done it; you have made it to the highest point in Africa. 

   • Spend as much time as you need to appreciate your accomplishment, as this is a day to remember for the rest of your life! The time you will spend on the summit will depend on the weather conditions and temperature. 

   • Start back down the same trail, and descend to Barafu camp. Here, have a well earned but short rest and remove some of your many layers of clothing as the day begins to heat up. 

   • Head down the rock and scree path into the moorland zone, reaching the forest, and eventually arriving at Mweka Camp in the early afternoon, where a hot shower and meal awaits. Today is the longest, and the most mentally and physically challenging of the trek, but a life-changing day that will stay with you forever, as you have conquered the summit of Kilimanjaro. 

8. Day 8: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate to Arusha

   • Today your legs will be further tested as the trail descends steeply through the lush Mweka rain forest. The trail is steep in places and the going slippery if wet.  The route follows the crest of a broad ridge separating two river valleys until it meets with a road that leads us for the last 40 minutes to the Mweka Park Gates, where we stop for a well-deserved picnic lunch.

   • Here, successful hikers will receive their summit certificates (gold for Uhuru Peale, Green for Stella point) from the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority.

   • After celebrations, go by either private bus or jeep to Arusha/Airport.