Itinerary

1. Day 1: Moshi to Machame Camp

   • Meet your local tour guide in Moshi for pick-up and transfer.

   • Drive from Moshi to Kilimanjaro National Park gates. The journey passes through the villages of Machame which is located on the lower slopes of the mountain.

   • Leave the park gate and walk through the main forest on winding trails up a ridge with your Kilimanjaro trekking guide. Lower down, the trail can muddy and slippery so gaiters and poles are a good idea here. 

2. Day 2: Shira

   • Have your breakfast and leave the glades of the rain forest and continue on the ascending path, crossing the little valley walking along a steep rocky ridge, covered with heather until the ridge ends.

   Dinner and overnight at the Shira campsite.

3. Day 3: Barranco Hut

   • Continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo.

   • Change your direction to the South East towards the Lava Tower, called the "Shark's Tooth."

   • Come to the second junction which brings you up to the Arrow Glacier at an altitude of 16,000 ft.

   • Descend down to the Barranco Hut at an altitude of 13,000ft.

   Rest and enjoy dinner, and spend overnight.

4. Day 4: Barafu Hut

   • Leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge passing the Barranco Wall, to the Karanga Valley campsite.

   • Proceed to Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail.

   • Continue up to the Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles.

   • Make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are to be seen from this position.

5. Day 5: Uhuru Peak & Mweka Camp

   • Wake up very early in the morning and continue your way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. Head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek.

   •  Stop for a short rest at Stella Point (18,600 ft) and be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see. From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit.

   • At Uhuru Peak, you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. Faster hikers will see the sunrise from the summit.

   • Make your descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You will want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon.

   Enjoy your dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.

6. Day 6: Return to Moshi

   • Have breakfast and continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help.

   • Proceed for another hour to Mweka Village.

   • Find the vehicle which will meet you at Mweka village to drive you back to the hotel in Moshi.