12 Days Northen Circuite Route | Kilimanjaro Climbing

Day 1: Arrival in Tanzania – Kilimanjaro International Airport

Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, our representative from Migration Venture Africa will be waiting to welcome you. You will then be transferred to Maridadi Hotel, where you can relax and recover from your flight.

If you are already in Tanzania, we can also arrange pickup around Moshi/Arusha and transfer you to Maridadi Hotel, where the tour will begin.

In the evening, you will meet your mountain guide for a detailed briefing. He will go over the itinerary, provide important tips, and advise you on what to wear and pack to ensure a safe and comfortable climb.

Day 2 : Hotel to Lemosho Glades (2385m) to Big Tree Camp (2780m)

You will be picked up at your hotel at around 08:00 am and transferred to the Lemosho gate located on the western side of Kilimanjaro. After the registration process, you will still start your climb steadily through the forests of the Lemosho glades to reach Big Tree camp where you will be spending the night.

Distance covered: 7km / 4.3mi

Approx. time taken: 4 hours

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Day 3 : Big Tree Camp (2780m) to Shira 1 Camp (3500m)

Today you will trek across a plateau of grassy moorland and heather scattered with volcanic rock formations. Our destination for today is the Shira 1 Camp from where there are often views of Kibo Peak floating on the clouds. We gain a reasonable amount of altitude today and parts of the route are fairly steep.

Distance covered: 8.5km / 5.3mi

Approx. time taken: 7 hrs

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Day 4 :Shira 1 Camp (3500m) to Shira 2 Camp (3900m)

Today you will get the chance to view the Northern Ice fields from the western side of the mountain with some unusual views of Kibo. Our steady climb across the moorland of the Shira Plateau will help with acclimatization and we enjoy great panoramic views. Our destination today is the Shira 2 Camp. In the afternoon you will take an acclimatization walk then head back to camp for dinner and overnight.

Distance covered: 8km / 5mi

Approx. time taken: 5 hours

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Day 5 : Shira 2 Camp (3900m) to Lava Tower (4,600 m /15,088 f)

After breakfast, you will leave Shira 2 Camp (3,850 m /12,628 f) and start trekking to Lava Tower (4,600 m /15,088 f). The route is more challenging than the hikes on previous days and has more inclines and descents throughout. You may find it more physically demanding than the day before, however, it offers an ideal way to acclimatize to the high altitude. Lunch is served atop Lava Tower, allowing you 1-2 hours to rest and relax after a challenging morning.

After lunch, you will trek a little higher and then gradually descend to Moir Hut. This camp is located on the way to the northern part of Kilimanjaro.

Trekking time:

5-7 hours

Distance Distance:

14 km (8.7 miles)

Day 6 : Moir Hut to Buffalo Camp

On this day, you will have a long but relatively easy trek. Initially, you will have a steep (although short) climb to depart Moir Valley, and then approach the northern slope of Kilimanjaro. While there will be more ups and downs on this trek, there are no steep altitude gains. This route passes close to the border with Kenya, so you will be treated to amazing views of the Tsavo and Amboseli Valleys.

Trekking time Trekking time:

5-6 hours

Distance Distance:

12 km (7.4 miles)

Day 7 : Buffalo Camo to 3rd Cave Camp

You will finish trekking up the northern slope of Kilimanjaro and stop for the night in 3rd Cave Camp, where the route will meet up with the traditional Rongai route. On this day the trekking will be shorter, and by this time your body should already have become completely acclimated to an altitude of 3,800 m / 12,464 f, which will contribute to your increased comfort and overall well-being.

Trekking time Trekking time:

4-6 hours

Distance Distance:

8 km (4.9 miles)

Day 8 : 3rd Cave to School Hut

On this day you will be trekking to the School Hut Summit Camp (4,800 m /15,744 f). The actual trekking is not very hard, so remember to just choose an appropriate pace in order to keep your strength up for the next day. When you reach the camp, we recommend you sleep well, avoid strenuous activity, and drink as much water as you can, because tomorrow your group will trek into the crater.

Trekking time Trekking time:

4-5 hours

Distance Distance:

5 km (3.1 miles)

Day 9 : School Hut to UHURU PEAK to Crater Camp

­Around midnight, you will depart from the camp and walk along the edge of the crater rim to reach the highest point in Africa, Uhuru Peak, which stands at 5,895 meters. Once you arrive at the top, you will spend about 30-40 minutes taking photos and watching an amazing sunrise with views across Africa. You can explore the nearby glaciers (just a 30-minute walk from the top) or start descending to the crater camp whenever you're ready.

Reaching the crater floor requires much dedication, but it is well worth it! When you arrive, you will be astonished by the ancient glaciers and snow. If you want, you may choose to trek further to the Ash Pit (it takes approximately 90 minutes), or save this endeavor for the next day.

Trekking time Trekking time:

4-6 hours

Distance Distance:

5 km (3.1 miles)

Day 10 : Crater Camp to Millenium Camp

On this day you can make another summit attempt in the morning, your general condition permitting. If you don’t want to get back to Uhuru, you can proceed with hiking out of the crater to Barafu summit camp and further down the slope to Millenium camp, your next overnight site.

Or, if you feel like it, you can go to the Ash Pit, a still warm ice-free part of the crater with a diameter of 340 m, consisting of lava gravel (in case you didn't explore it yesterday). Its whitish-yellow sulfur slopes drop about 200 m into the depth of the volcano. Together with the Reusch crater that is encircling Ash Pit, Kilimanjaro has one of the most perfect crater shapes on earth. The amount of snow in the crater will determine the possibility of getting to the Ash Pit.

Day 11 : Trek Millennium Camp (3790m) to Mweka Gate (1630m)

A gentle trek takes us down through the rainforest 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 the hotel in Moshi, where you can treat yourself to a hot welcome shower.

Distance covered: 12.1km / 7.5mi

Approx. time taken: 6 hours

Meals: Breakfast & lunch included

Day 12 : Departure

Today marks the end of your unforgettable adventure. Enjoy your final moments in Tanzania before our driver transfers you to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your journey home.

If you wish to extend your holiday, we can arrange an exciting safari in Tanzania’s national parks or a relaxing beach getaway in Zanzibar to complement your Kilimanjaro experience.