Kilimanjaro Trek via the Northern Circuit with optional Crater route
Join a certified mountain guide for this once-in-a-lifetime trekking experience, heading up to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro via the Northern Circuit. Enjoy phenomenal views of the massif as well as its surroundings and get the chance to climb on one of Kilimanjaro's glaciers too.
Group
East African Mountains
10 Days
All year
High
Intermediate
Highlights
- Enjoy the stunning scenery of Mount Kilimanjaro.
- Make it to the top of one of the world's Seven Summits.
- Get the chance to climb on the glacier at the summit.
Description
Rising to 5,895 meters (19,341 feet) in elevation, Mount Kilimanjaro towers above the serengetis, rainforests and other mountain peaks in East Africa! Climbing by the Northern Circuit is one of the best ways to see it.
Uhuru Peak, the highest one on the mountain, is the highest point in all of Africa. It is also the easiest of the world’s Seven Summits to reach, which is what attracts the 30,000 people to the mountain each year.
Our adventure to the top of Tanzania begins after we pick you up from the airport and transfer to our comfy hotel. After relaxing for the rest of the day, we go over our plans in the evening and get ready for the real fun to begin.
The following day, we transfer to the national park, register and head to the trailhead. The first few days, we’ll be acclimatizing. This means we will spend three to five hours hiking from one camp to the next, gaining some, but not too much, altitude each day.
As we go, we’ll enjoy stunning views of Kilimanjaro from multiple angles as well as the surrounding grasslands. We’ll also get the chance to see local wildlife and plants.
The highlight of the trip comes on the eighth day of the adventure, when we get up at midnight and begin hiking to the summit. From the top of Uhuru Peak, we will enjoy a sublime sunrise and get the chance to climb on a glacier too.
By the time the trip is over and we’ve returned to the hotel, you’ll already be planning your next trip back to this incredible part of the world.
(Please note that we can extend the trip by two days and begin the trip from Londorossi Gate, hiking to Mti Mkubwa Camp, before arriving at Shira 1 Camp. Please contact us for details, if you would like to do this.)
So what are you waiting for? Book now for this scenic, exciting and unique 10-day ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro via the Northern Circuit!
If you like the look of this trip then we think you may also enjoy our 9-day trek to the summit of Kilimanjaro via the Machame Route!
Price includes
- Accommodation included
- Guiding fee
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Transport during the trip
- Transportation start and back
- Permit and entrance fees
- Porters
- Personal porters
- Tents
- Sleeping pad
- Sleeping bag
- Snacks
- Drinks
Price details
- Please note the price does not include the following
- Airline tickets;
- Visa fee;
- Lunch and dinner at the hotel (before and after the ascent);
- Personal gear rentals;
- Tips for the mountain crew (200–250 USD per person);
- Mountaineering insurance.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival
You will fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), where you will meet one of our representatives and transfer to the hotel. We will have a meeting to go over the plan for the trip there.
Day 2: Trekking To Shira 1 Camp (3,505m/11,499ft)
We will make the 3 to 4 hour transfer to the trailhead and unload the gear. From here, we hike for one hour to our first camp.
Day 3: Trekking To Shira 2 Camp (3,900m/12,795ft)
We will spend a leisurely day hiking up to Shira 2 camp, enjoying great views and local flora as we go. Once we arrive, we will go on a short acclimatization hike.
Hiking distance: 7 km/4.3 miles
Hiking time: 3-4 hours
Day 4: Trekking to Moir Hut via Lava Tower Trek (4,200m/13,779ft)
We will spend the day hiking over the Lava Tower (4,630m), where we will have lunch and acclimatize. From here, we will descend down to the Moir Hut Camp.
Hiking distance: 14 km/8.7 miles
Hiking time: 5–7 hours
Day 5: Trekking to Buffalo Camp (4,020m/13,188ft)
We will spend the day hiking up out of the Moir Valley and around the northern slope of Kilimanjaro. The hiking is long, but not overly difficult.
Hiking distance: 12 km/7.5 miles
Hiking time: 5–7 hours
Day 6: Trekking to 3rd Cave Camp (3,870m/12,696ft)
We will spend the day hiking up the rest of the northern slope then descend down to 3rd Cave Camp.
Hiking distance: 8 km/5 miles
Hiking time: 4–6 hours
Day 7: Trekking to School Hut (4,750m/15,583ft)
We will spend the day steadily climbing up to the School Hut. After arriving, we will get to sleep early in preparation for a pre-dawn start the following day.
Hiking distance: 5 km/3.1 miles
Hiking time: 4–5 hours
Day 8: Ascent to the summit and descent to Millennium Camp (3,820m/12,533ft)
Starting at about midnight, we will slowly begin our ascent up to Uhuru Peak (5,895m), the highest one on Kilimanjaro. We should get to the top at about dawn and enjoy a magnificent sunrise. There will also be an option to climb on the glacier, if the group feels up to it. After we’ve finished at the top, we will begin descending, eventually making our way to Millennium Camp.
Hiking distance: 6 km/3.7miles
Hiking time: 10-13 hours
Day 9: Trek to Mweka Gate
We will spend the day hiking toward the Mweka Gate. On the way, we will hike through a tropical rainforest and enjoy more stunning scenery.
Hiking distance: 12 km/7.5 miles
Hiking time: 4–5 hours
Day 10: Departure
We will take you to the airport to catch your flight home.
Details
More info
Please contact us for a complete equipment list.
Meeting point
About the guide
Altezza
Tour Operator
Altezza Travel is a team of dedicated wildlife specialists, whose mission is to turn your Tanzanian dreams into reality. We are vastly experienced in organizing top-notch Kilimanjaro climbing expeditions and wildlife safaris.
Unparalleled safety standards, individual care for each guest and professional guides are the foundations of our vision. We will make your adventure a lifetime memory!
Languages
English
What people are saying about Explore-Share
Man
Climbing with guide Guillaume was absolutely a highlight of my 2-week Europe vacation. Originally, we were planning on climbing in the Calanques, but the park was closed due to wind and fire danger. Guillaume chose another amazing location (Pic de Bretagne) based on my climbing abilities and preferences and kindly offered train station pick-up and hotel drop off, which I appreciated very much. The multi-pitch route we did was not only fun but also the right amount of challenge, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The communication from the team (Gauthier) was prompt and clear—highly recommend!
Maxine
Luis Silva was a great climbing guide and belayer! He taught me how to do moves that were difficult and encouraged me to try routes that were challenging for me! Because of his encouragement, I managed to complete these routes! I really enjoyed the climbs and completed 8 routes in the Sesimbra/Azoia area. The weather was perfect, no direct sun and cool enough to enjoy the climbs. Explore-Share made booking an outdoor climbing experience in Lisbon extremely easy. Luis, our guide, was fantastic, and the platform’s organization was flawless.
Valeriya
You’re simply the best!!! :))) Explore-Share made everything easy and stress-free. Will definitely use again.
Joshua
We had Léo as a guide for our day climb in Fonty. We were blessed with a knowledgeable, warm, and instructive guide. Communication with Léo and Ivan was smooth and swift. Explore-Share was excellent in arranging everything for our day climb. The communication was quick, and the platform was easy to use, making our adventure stress-free.
Cami
Patrick was a great guide. He took us on an intermediate Via Ferrata at Passo Sella. Renato was quick to respond with any outreach on the Explore-Share platform. The booking process was straightforward, and once Patrick was confirmed, all went well. It was a wonderful experience, and I’d highly recommend the platform.
4.8
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