Itinerary
- Day 1
Kilimanjaro International Airport to Moshi
You'll land at Kilimanjaro International Airport and meet your driver who takes you to your hotel in Moshi. This is your chance to settle in, get some rest, and mentally prepare for the climb that starts tomorrow. Take time to organize your gear and get a good night's sleep before heading to the mountain.
- Meals
- Dinner, Breakfast
Landmarks Kilimanjaro International Airport - Day 2
Moshi to Machame Gate to First Camp
After breakfast, the drive to Machame Gate takes a couple hours. You'll handle registration and meet your mountain guides and porters, so you know who you're working with for the next week. The trek begins through rainforest thick with giant heathers, and you'll hike for around six hours before reaching your first camp. It's a good introduction to the mountain without being too demanding.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Registration at Machame Gate
- Rainforest trek through giant heathers to first camp (approximately 6 hours)
Landmarks Machame Gate - Day 3
First Camp to Shira Camp
Starting with breakfast at camp, today's route is short but steep with rocky and dusty terrain throughout. The pace stays slow with regular breaks built in for acclimatization, which helps your body adjust to the altitude. You'll cross ridges and start seeing Senecias as trees become scarcer. Dinner and overnight happen at Shira camp where you'll have time to rest and hydrate.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Trek from first camp to Shira camp with multiple acclimatization breaks
Landmarks Shira Camp - Day 4
Shira Camp to Barranco Camp
Breakfast fuels you for a boulder and rock scramble with steady climbing toward Lava Tower. Around midday you stop for lunch, or you can keep going if you want to explore Lava Tower at 14,850 ft. Some people feel mild headaches from the altitude shift, so move at your own pace. After that, you descend for about two hours through dusty terrain to Barranco camp at 13,000 ft for dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Climb to Lava Tower (approximately 14,850 ft)
- Trek from Shira camp to Barranco camp with lunch break at Lava Tower
Optional Activities
- Continue up Lava Tower for further exploration
Landmarks Lava Tower Barranco Camp - Day 5
Barranco Camp
Rise early for an optional game drive if you're interested in seeing wildlife around the camp. Later, the Barranco Wall scramble takes around 1.5 hours and requires using your hands to climb, though it's steep rather than technical. You'll walk through a greener valley below, which is the last water source on the mountain before the terrain turns drier. From the ridge top, you get views across Barranco Valley before heading back to camp for dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Barranco Wall scramble (approximately 1.5 hours)
Optional Activities
- Early morning game drive at camp
Landmarks Barranco Wall Barranco Valley - Day 6
Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp
After breakfast, the day crosses barren landscape with countless boulders and shattered rocks everywhere. Decken glaciers show on your left as you push up a very steep ridge, then scramble through rocky sections for about 1.5 hours total. Barafu camp sits on large rocks with steep cliff faces around it. You'll eat dinner early and get to bed soon, since you're waking at 11:00 PM to start the summit push.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Trek from Barranco camp to Barafu camp through barren landscape with rocky scrambling (approximately 1.5 hours)
Landmarks Decken Glaciers Barafu Camp - Day 7
Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp
Around midnight the summit push begins over very steep rocks for the first hour, then you enter snow and glacier terrain. On clear nights with moonlight, you can turn your headlamp off and walk by the moon's light. Breaks come every 15 minutes as the climb gets harder mentally and physically. Stella Point arrives after roughly two hours where lava fields look like loose sand. After a quick rest and breakfast, Uhuru Peak takes about one more hour, and you'll summit around 6:00 to 7:00 AM as sunrise hits the Mawenzi peaks. At 19,370 ft, you've reached the top. Descent goes steeply back through Stella Point to Barafu for lunch and rest, then the trail to Mweka camp (dusty in dry season but manageable).
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Summit climb from Barafu to Uhuru Peak (midnight start, approximately 5-6 hours to summit)
- Descent from Uhuru Peak to Barafu camp via Stella Point
- Hike from Barafu camp to Mweka camp
Landmarks Stella Point Uhuru Peak Mawenzi Mweka Camp - Day 8
Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate
The final descent goes from Mweka camp down to Mweka Gate, covering about 15 km with the altitude dropping from 3,100m to 2,000m. Your driver meets you at the gate and drives you back to K'S Hotel in Moshi, where you can clean up, have a proper meal, and start processing your climb.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Final descent to Mweka Gate (approximately 15 km)
Landmarks Mweka Gate
