Day 0: Arrive at KIA and transfer to Arusha City

After you arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), you will be met by Maasai Wanderlust representative and be transferred to Arusha City. In the evening there will be a briefing with our chief guide, who will also make sure you are ready to begin the climb.

Please Note

Day 1: Londorosi Gate – Mti Mkubwa Camp (2100m- 2800m)

Transfer from your hotel to Londorosi Gate on the western side of Mount Kilimanjaro. After the quick formality of acquiring climbing permits and registering with the search and rescue service, start trekking towards the first camp of the route: Mti Mkubwa Camp. By the time you reach the camp, our professional mountain crew will prepare everything necessary, put tents and cook lunch for you. After lunch the group will depart on an acclimatization hike towards Shira 1 Camp that features a 300 meter gain in altitude, after which you will hike back down to Mti Mkubwa Camp, where a hot dinner will be waiting.

Acclimatization hike:

At night you may experience discomfort associated with acclimatization to the high altitude; because of a reduction in your waking breathing pattern, your body gets less oxygen than during the day. Taking altitude into account, you may therefore start feeling sick and have a headache. Pay attention to your own body and tell your guide if you start feeling any symptoms of altitude sickness.This will be your first day at this altitude, so it is strongly recommended you heed the following instructions from this point on:-

Day 2: Mti Mkubwa Camp – Shira 1 Camp (2800m- 3505m)

An early wakeup, breakfast, and a gradual trek upwards until 3,500 meters; at that point for the first time you will be able to see stunning views of Shira Plateau and Kibo Volcano. On the whole, the passage from Mti Mkubwa Camp to the second high-altitude Shira 1 Camp (3,505 m) is rather easy and takes about 5-6 hours. This will allow you to start the acclimatization process gradually, which is a mainstay of good trekking. When you reach the camp, your team of specialists will cook you lunch and you will have the chance to rest in your tent or walk around the nearby area.

Day 3: Shira 1 Camp – Shira 2 Camp (3,505m - 3810m)

Departing from Shira 1 Camp (3,505 m) and a light trekking towards the second high altitude camp: Shira 2 Camp (3,900 m). This trek is not difficult and you will be able to enjoy spectacular views of Africa and the unique flora of Kilimanjaro and the surrounding area. Shira 2 Camp is the best place on the trip to see Mount Meru (the fifth summit of Africa), weather permitting. When you arrive to camp you will have lunch, and after a two-hour rest everyone will complete an acclimatization hike towards Lava Tower Camp that features a 200-meter gain in altitude.

Acclimatization hike:

Day 4: Shira Camp 2- Lava Tower – Moir Camp (3,810m- 4,600m- 4,200m)

Today is a long trek heading east which passes through the ‘Garden of the Senecios’ and then enters the high alpine desert zone. This part of the route is rife with ups and downs and may bring some discomfort. You will need to spend one or two hours at higher altitude in order to properly acclimatize yourself, so the lunch break will take place at Lava Tower itself. The afternoon part of the route climbs slightly before descending to Moir Hut Camp. Your guide may decide to bypass Lava Tower altogether, taking the porter trail instead, if any of the members of the group do not appear to have acclimatized properly. In this case the highest altitude reached will be 4,400, rather than 4,630 metres.

Day 5: Moir Camp (4,200m) – Buffalo Camp (4,020m)

Today involves a moderately steep climb out of Moir Valley. You can take a small detour here to climb the summit of Little Lent Hill at 4,375 meters before returning to the Northern Circuit trail. From here the route follows a series of inclines and declines, skirting around the northern slopes of Kibo to Buffalo Camp (4,020 meters). The trek gives great vistas out across the plains that lie north of Kilimanjaro and stretch out to the Kenyan / Tanzanian border. So, you will be treated to amazing views of the Tsavo and Amboseli Valleys.

Day 6: Buffalo Camp (4,020m) – Third Cave Camp (3,800m)

Soon after breakfast, you starts with a climb up the Buffalo ridge and down into Porfu Camp where lunch is usually served. The route then continues east around the northern slopes to the Rongai Third Cave. The trek is shorter than the day before and by now you should be feeling well acclimatized to the altitude to an altitude of 4,000 meters, which will contribute to your general feelings of well-being.

Day 7: Rongai Third Camp (3,800m) – School hut (4,800m)

After having your sumptuous breakfast, begin a steady incline up and over the Saddle which sits between the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi Peak. You will be trekking to the School Hut Summit Camp (4,750 m). The actual trekking is not very hard, so remember to just choose an appropriate pace in order to keep your strength up for the trekking to Kilimanjaro's summit. When you reach the camp, we recommend you sleep well, avoid strenuous activity and drink as many fluids as you can, because that very night you will complete the trekking to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m).

Day 8: School hut- Uhuru Peak – Mweka Camp (4800m- 5895m- 3,068m)

Wake up around midnight and have breakfast before you start hiking up into the night on the steepest and demanding part of the Kilimanjaro. If you are lucky enough, the moonlight will light your steps up on the northwest through the most challenging heavy loose scree and boulders trails all the way to Stella point. Each pair of climbers will get a personal guide for the entire ascent to monitor your physical and mental conditions. At Stella point, you will have a short rest and welcome a new dawn with amazing and stunning sunrise. Then continue to Uhuru Summit, the highest point in Africa and the world’s highest freestanding peak where you create memories of lifetime. Take time to celebrate with your fellow trekkers, and snap once-in-a-lifetime photos before descending to Barafu camp. At the camp, pack your belongings then descend to Mweka Camp through empty rocky landscapes, moorland and lush forest. At the camp, you will celebrate the successful summit by grabbing some soft drinks or couple of beers and spend your last precious sleep on the cool mountain weather.

Day 9: Mweka Camp – Mweka Gate (3,068m- 1,640m) -Arusha City

Wake up, you will feel relief from the reduction of the height and the satisfaction of reaching the summit. After a warm breakfast, you will head for the park's exit: Mweka Gate (1,640 m). After your descent the whole group will gather to congratulate you, followed by offering you a chance to share your opinions on the climb in the guestbook. Lastly, we will present you with your commemorative certificates. After tipping and saying welfare to your mountain crew, you will be transferred back to Arusha City.

END OF TOUR