Our team will meet you at the airport and transport you to the hotel. Rest and enjoy the hotel amenities before the group meeting to prepare for the adventure that begins tomorrow. 

Overnight and dinner at Under The Shade Safari Lodge or Airport Planet Lodge or Ameg Lodge for dinner and overnight (depending on availabilities). (D)

At 9am we will drive you several hours to the Western side of Mt. Kilimanjaro and to the Londrossi Gate, where our guides and porters will prepare and pack the equipment and supplies Once at the gate you will be given a packed lunch and after registration with the Kilimanjaro Park office, we will drive for another 45 mins to Lemosho Glades where your trek will begin with ascending into the rainforest.

You will ascend for approx. 3 hours in dense rain forest which could be very wet and muddy so be ready with your gaiters and trekking poles. 

By mid afternoon we will reach Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,895 m), also known as Big Tree Camp. The tents will have already been assembled by the porters who ran ahead of us.

Hike time: 3hrs
Elevation Change: + 650 M/+2,132
Estimation distance: 10 km
Final Elevation: 2,650 m/8,694 ft

Zone: Tropical rainforest

Meals: BLD

A few hours walk will see the end of the forest and the beginning of a climb through heather forest to the edge of the Shira Caldera. Destination is the scenic Shira One Camp

Hike time: 5 – 6 hrs
Elevation change: + 950 M/+3116
Estimation distance: 12 km
Final Elevation: 3609 m/11,841 ft

Meals: BLD

Today is spent on a gentle hike across the Shira Plateau which is one of the largest high-altitude plateaus in the world. It also offers fantastic views of Shira Cathedral, a dramatic buttress of rock. You can look forward to seeing giant lobelias, senecios and giant groundsels. Camp is at the first high camp of Shira Two.

Temperatures will start to change around this point in the trek. Expect night-time temps to drop below freezing.

Hike time: 5 - 6 hrs
Elevation change: + 240 M/+787 ft
Elevation distance: 5 km
Final elevation: 3849 m/12,628 ft.

Zone: Rainforest / Low Alpine Zone

Meals: BLD

A long trek heading east which passes through the ‘Garden of the Senecios’ and then enters the high alpine desert zone. The real work of climbing Kilimanjaro begins here. Today the main feature is a slow climb to Lava Tower (15,290 ft) for lunch and acclimation,  followed by a descent to the Moir Hut.. This is the Climb-High-Sleep-Low principal of altitude adjustment.

Hike time: 5 hrs
Elevation change: +100 M/+328 ft
Estimated distance: 6 km
Final elevation: 3948 m/12,956 ft.

Zone: Low alpine zone / High alpine zone

Meals: BLD

On this day you will have a rather long but at the same time easy trek. After a short steep climb out of Moir Valley onto the Lent's Hills,  you will start going around the northern slope of Kilimanjaro. The terrain is moon-like, with rolling inclines and declines without any real altitude gain.. This route passes close to the border with Kenya, so weather permitting, you will be treated to amazing views of the Tsavo and Amboseli Valleys. After a climb we hike then descend through the mountain, we continue around the southern circuit train until we reach our camp, immersed in Kilimanjaro wilderness Pofu/Buffalo camp. 

Hike time: 3.5 hrs
Elevation change: +100 m/+328 ft
Estimated distance: 4km/2.5 miles
Final elevation: 3,963 m/13,000 ft

Zone: High alpine zone

A short hiking day that traverses the high alpine desert over ribs and gulleys of the valley of Kibo. The topography is monotonous but it provides long stretches of quiet, meditative solitude that is hard to find on the more popular trails. 

You might even spot Cape buffalo along the way.

Hike time: 3.5 hrs to 4 hours
Elevation change: +600 m/+1,968 ft
Estimated distance: 4km/2.5 miles
Final elevation: 4,600 m/15,091 ft
Zone: Alpine desert

Meals: BLD

This day is 4 - 5 hours walk maximum, we will arrive at Kibo hut in the noon and have a hot lunch at the camp. After lunch we rest waiting, and hydrate, then after an early dinner, try to sleep and rest more. 

At 11:00 pm we wake up, eat a light breakfast and start our hike the summit leaving camp at 12:00 am to Uhuru Peak  

Camp (3,100 m/10,170 ft)

Elevation change: +1,300 m/+4,265 ft

Estimated distance: 5km/3.2 miles

Final elevation: 5,896 m/19,343 ft

Descent time: 5 hrs

Elevation change: -2,800 m/-9,186 ft

Estimated distance: 12km/7.5 miles

Final elevation: 3,100 m, 10,170 ft

Meals: BLD

This is a challenging day and will require you to dig in mentally and physically because you will hike for 12-16 hours today. Yes, 12-16. That is not a typo.

Today’s trek consists of three parts: 

Part 1: Ascent

A 12am departure from Kibo camp. After walking in the dark for about 6 hours, you reach Stella Point. Just 1 hour more to Uhuru Peak, the summit of Kilimanjaro. We arrive at the summit between 6-8am. You will see the sun rise on this unforgettable day you hiked to the highest peak in Africa.

Part 2: Celebration

You did it!!! Photos, hugs, high-fives at 19,340 ft. We stay as long as weather permits and hikers' conditions allows. Approximately 45 min - 1 hour. 

Part 3: Descent

Another 5-6 hours descent from Uhuru Peak to Millennium camp at 10, 170 ft. We will overnight at Millennium camp and get a good night's sleep at this significantly lower elevation.

Summit time: 7 hrs 

Elevation change: +1,300 m/+4,265 ft 

Estimated distance: 5km/3.2 miles 

Final elevation: 5,896 m/19,343 ft 

Descent time: 8 hrs 

Elevation change: -2,800 m/-9,186 ft 

Estimated distance: 12km/7.5 miles 

Final elevation: 3,100 m, 10,170 ft

Meals: BLD

Today is a short walk towards Mweka Gate and pickup. We will leave alpine desert and enter tropical rainforest. There will be more people on the trail and all will be talking about their magnificent day summiting Kilimanjaro. 

Arrival at the Gate at about 12:00 noon. 

Pickup transfer to Arusha for overnight at Under The Shades or Tumbili lodge for celebratory dinner and overnight.

Descent time: 4 hrs
Elevation change: -1,250 m/-4,101 ft
Estimated distance: 10km/6.21
Final elevation: 1,828 m/6,000 ft

Meals: BLD

Rest and relax at the hotel before heading to the airport or onto safari. (B)