Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit route 9 Days

DAY 0: ARRIVE IN TANZANIA

You will be collected up from Kilimanjaro International Airport and driven to your Moshi town hotel, where you will meet your guide, who will brief you on your upcoming adventure and do an equipment check to verify that you have all of the necessary mountain gear.

You may rent the missing equipment on this day.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner are all Included

DAY 1: LONDOROSSI GATE (2,100 METERS) – START POINT 2,360 METERS TO MTI MKUBWA CAMP (2,820 METERS)

The Lemosho Route and the Northern Circuit Route both start at Londorossi Gate (2,100 meters) in the west. From Moshi, the journey to Londorossi Gate takes around two hours, while from Arusha, it takes much longer. At the gate, you will be required to register with the Kilimanjaro National Park officials before being transported higher up the mountain to the trailhead starting point.

Before starting the short first day hike to Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,820 meters), most tour companies offer lunch here. As you walk towards your first camp, you may get fortunate and see big animals like elephants and buffalo emerge from the jungle onto the trail. When you arrive at Mti Mkubwa Camp, dinner will be provided.

• Distance traveled: 5.5km
• Time spent: 4hrs
• Zone: Rainforest
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner are all Included

DAY 2: MTI MKUBWA CAMP (2,820 METERS) TO SHIRA CAMP 1 (3,610 METERS)

Today you will spend the first hour trekking through the last section of rainforest path before entering the low alpine moorland zone which follows up onto the Shira Plateau. The trek is relatively short and gradual, ending at Shira Camp 1 (3,610 meters).

• Distance traveled: 5.5km
• Time spent: 4hrs
• Zone: Rainforest
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner are all Included

DAY 3: SHIRA CAMP 1 (3,610 METERS) TO SHIRA CAMP 2 (3,850 METERS)

From Shira Camp 1 to Shira Camp 2, the journey traverses the Shira Plateau on day three. Trekkers on the Machame Route typically spend the night in Shira Camp 2, where they will meet up with those on the nine-day trip.

It’s recommended hiking a bit further up the plateau at Shira Camp 2 to get a better glimpse of the valley below and Kilimanjaro’s Western Breach above. Because the plateau is exposed, expect a chilly night with temperatures below zero. On an eight-day walk, trekkers will continue east along the Shira Plateau ridge to Lava Tower (4,600 meters), then return via the Northern Circuit to Moir Camp (4,200 meters).

• Distance traveled: 7km
• Time spent: 4hrs
• Zone: Rainforest / Low Alpine Zone
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner are all Included

DAY 4: SHIRA CAMP 2 (3,850 METERS) TO MOIR CAMP (4,200 METERS)

On day four, you’ll go on a lengthy journey eastward, passing through the ‘Garden of the Senecios’ before entering the high alpine desert zone. You’ll spend the morning hiking up to Lava Tower and the famous Shark’s Tooth rock formation at 4,600 meters, where you’ll eat lunch.

After lunch, you’ll join the northern circuit and descend to Moir Camp, which is located at 4,200 meters (see map above). This is a crucial day in your trip since you will be exposed to high altitude and then sleep at a low altitude, which is beneficial to the acclimatization process.

• Distance traveled: 14kms
• Time spent: 7hrs
• Zone: Low alpine zone / High alpine zone
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner are all Included

DAY 5: MOIR CAMP (4,200 METERS) TO BUFFALO CAMP (4,020 METERS)

A fairly hard ascent out of Moir Valley awaits you on day five. Before returning to the Northern Circuit route, hikers may take a short diversion to the top of Little Lent Hill, which stands at 4,375 meters. From here, the trail continues a succession of inclines and dips to Buffalo Camp, skirting the northern slopes of Kibo (4,020 meters).

The trip offers spectacular views of the plains north of Kilimanjaro, which extend all the way to the Kenyan-Tanzanian border. After a hard day of trekking, you’ll arrive at Buffalo Camp just after noon, where you’ll have lunch and relax.

• Distance traveled: 12km
• Time spent: 7hrs
• Zone: High alpine zone
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner are all Included

DAY 6: BUFFALO CAMP (4,020 METERS) TO RONGAI THIRD CAVE (3,800 METERS)

The sixth day begins with a climb over the Buffalo Ridge and then a descent to Porfu Camp, where lunch is typically given. The trail then heads east along the northern slopes to the 3,800-meter Rongai Third Cave. The hike is shorter than the day before, and you should be fully acclimatized to the altitude by this point. Around mid-afternoon, you’ll arrive at the Third Cave.

• Distance traveled: 8km
• Time spent: 7hrs
• Zone: High alpine zone and low alpine zone
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner are all Included

DAY 7: 3RD CAVE (3,800 METERS) TO SCHOOL HUT (4,800 METERS)

On day seven, you’ll climb steadily up and across the Saddle, which lies between Kibo and Mawenzi Peaks. The trekkers then go south-west to School Hut (4,800 meters). You will be given an early supper after arriving to School Hut, and then you should get some rest since you will be awakened before midnight to begin your summit attempt. Before going to bed, make sure you have all of your gear ready, including warm clothing, insulated water bottles, food, a flashlight, and a camera.

• Distance traveled: 15km
• Time spent: 5hrs
• Zone: High alpine zone and glacial zone
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner are all Included

DAY 8: SCHOOL HUT (4,800 METERS) TO UHURU PEAK (5895M) TO MILLENNIUM CAMP (3790M)

Around 11:30 a.m., you’ll be awakened with hot tea and cookies, and you’ll begin the arduous ascent up Kibo’s hills under the cover of darkness. Hans Meyer Cave will be your first stop, where you will take a brief rest. As you reach Gilman’s Point (5,681 meters), which will be about 5-6 hours after leaving School Hut, the climb becomes steeper.

Take a time to appreciate the coming dawn and the magnificent view out and over to Mawenzi Peak, but keep in mind that you still have 2 hours of hiking ahead of you to reach Uhuru Peak. As you go west around the crater rim, the slope flattens out, and you should reach at the top just after dawn. Because your time here will be limited, take as many photos as you can of the breathtaking vistas and nearby glaciers.

You’ll next return around the crater rim to Stella Point (5,739 meters), where you’ll turn south and descend Kibo’s highly scoured slopes to Barafu Camp (4,680 meters). Most hikers stop here for a brief rest before heading down to Millennium Camp (3,950 meters) for your last night on the mountain.

On day eight, you will be hiking for a total of 14-16 hours, so pace yourself, stay hydrated, and keep your blood sugar levels up. Note that some tour companies take the Marangu Route back to Horombo Hut via Gilman’s Point.

• Distance traveled: 6km  miles ascent and 10.5km  descent
• Time spent: 8hrs ascent and then 6hrs descent
• Zone: Glacial zone and all preceding zones
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner are all Included

DAY 9: MILLENNIUM CAMP (3,950 METERS) TO MWEKA GATE (1,640 METERS)

The last day is a short walk from Millennium Camp (3,950 meters) to Mweka Gate in thick montane rainforest (1,640 meters). You must sign out with the officials at the gate, who will also give you your official certificate — a green certificate for those who made it to Gilman’s Point and a gold certificate for those who made it to Uhuru Peak. Before being taken back to your accommodation in Moshi, it is traditional to tip your guide and porter.

• Distance traveled: 10km
• Time spent: 4hrs
• Zone: Rainforest zone
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner are all Included

DAY 10: DEPART TANZANIA

After the hike, you’ll have the rest of the day free to relax before your trip home. Depending on flight schedules, you may want to go sightseeing around Moshi and pick up some souvenirs before going to the airport.

*If you want to continue exploring Tanzania, safaris, Zanzibar, and other add-ons are available.

• Breakfast is included in the price.