Overview

DAY OF ARRIVAL::
picked up from the airport but depends what time are you landing, if it’s night you should take a rest at the hotel,for dinner and rest, depends on your choice too,and if it’s morning and you prefer to rest for a day then it’s ok ,

DAY 1: MACHAME GATE – 1800 m
MACHAME CAMP: 11 km| 5 HRS | RAINFOREST

Elevation: 1800m – 2835m
Altitude gained: 1035 m

Machame Gate (1800m) to Machame Camp (2835m), distance is about 18 km.
It is approx. 45 minutes drive from Moshi to Machame gate. All your equipment and supplies are taken over by porters; a cook will prepare all your meals. Where accommodation on the Marangu route are in huts, the Machame route offers tents only. After all, formalities have been taken care at the gate, head into the forest and begin the 7-hour ascent to the first camp on the mountain, Machame camp (2835m).

DAY 2: MACHAME CAMP – SHIRA CAMP(cave ): 5km 6 HRS | MOORLAND

Shira cave 3750m
Altitude gained: 915m

Machame Camp (2835m) to Shira Camp (3750), distance is about 5 km
Breakfast is served early in the mess tent and, weather permitting; you could take in your first view of the Western Breach of Kilimanjaro. The lunch stop will be reached at about 3650m and after this short lunch and an equally limited rest you’ll continue up the rocky ridge to the next camp on the mountain, Shira camp (3750).

DAY 3: SHIRA CAMP – LAVA TOWER – BARRANCO CAMP: 6-7 HRS | SEMI-DESERT

Elevation: 3750m – 4600m – 3900m
Altitude gained: 150m

Shira Camp (3750m) to Barranco Camp (3900m), distance is about 10km.
The route now turns east into a semi-desert and rocky environment where you reach an altitude of 4600m after a 4 hours – 7km walk to Lava Tower. As you ascend from the Shira camp (3750m), there are good views of the Shira Plateau to the west, the Ridge to the northeast and the Western Breach to the east. This day you will climb high and steep low.

DAY 4: BARRANCO CAMP – KARANGA CAMP: 6 KM 3-4HRS | ALPINE DESERT

Elevation: 3900 m to 3995m/
Altitude gained: 995m

After spending a night at the Great Barranco Wall (a very imposing sight at first), you make your way up this awesome-looking obstacle, which in the end normally turns out easier than what you anticipated. Topping out just below the Heim Glacier, you now appreciate just how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is. The route then heads down through the Karanga Valley over intervening ridges and valleys and then joins up with the Mweka route. This is the preferred route down from the summit, so remember it. Turn left up the ridge and after another hour or so, you reach Barafu Hut.

DAY 5: HIKE KARANGA CAMP – BARAFU CAMP: 4KM – 3 to 4HRS | ALPINE DESERT

Elevation: 3995m to 4673m
Altitude gained: 673m

We leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the rocky section to Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the Southern Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest and enjoy an early dinner to prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are viewable from this position.

DAY 6: BARAFU CAMP – SUMMIT: 5 KM / UP | 7HRS | – MWEKA CAMP: 14 KM DOWN | 14 15 HRS | GLACIERS, SNOW CAPPED SUMMIT

Elevation: 4673m to 5895m
Altitude gained: 1222m
Descent to 3100
Altitude lost: 2795m

Very early in the morning (around midnight), we begin our push to the summit from barafu camp to uhuru peak is 5 km – 7 hrs . This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. The wind and cold at this elevation and time of day can be extreme. We ascend in the darkness for several hours while taking frequent, but short, breaks. Near Stella Point (18,900 ft), you will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see coming over Mawenzi Peak. Finally, we arrive at Uhuru Peak- the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. The trail is very rocky and can be quite hard on the knees; trekking poles are helpful. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.

DAY 7: MWEKA CAMP – MWEKA GATE – MOSHI: 10km 3-4HRS | RAINFOREST

Elevation: 3100m to 1750m
Altitude lost: 1350m

On our last day, we continue the descent to Mweka Gate and collect the summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. From the gate, we continue to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet us at Mweka Gate to drive us back to the hotel in Moshi,