Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival at Kilimanjaro
Your driver-guide meets you at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transfers you to your hotel in Moshi. Once you're settled, you'll sit down with your guide for a pre-trek briefing and go through an equipment check. If you're missing any gear, you can rent what you need today before the climb starts tomorrow.
- Start point
- Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (Kilimanjaro International Airport)
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Pre-trek briefing with guide
- Equipment check
Optional Activities
- Equipment rental (missing gear)
- Day 2
Moshi to Rongai Gate to Simba Camp
Breakfast happens early in Moshi, then you'll spend 2 to 3 hours being transferred through villages and coffee plantations to reach Rongai Gate. After signing in and getting the porters sorted, the actual hiking begins through maize and potato fields before the trail enters montane forest. You'll gradually climb through forest with wildlife around, and as the trees thin out, you reach Simba Camp where you can see across toward the Kenyan plains.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike from Rongai Gate to Simba Camp (3 hours, 7 km)
Landmarks Rongai Gate Simba Camp 
- Day 3
Simba Camp to Kikelewa Camp
After an early breakfast, you'll have a steady climb through the second cave and break there for lunch. From there the route leaves the main trail and cuts across moorland on a smaller path heading toward Mawenzi side peak. You'll continue on to Kikelewa Camp, which sits in a sheltered valley. Dinner and overnight rest follow once you've settled in.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike from Simba Camp to Kikelewa Camp (7 hours, 16 km)
Landmarks Kikelewa Camp - Day 4
Kikelewa Camp to Mawenzi Turn Hut
Breakfast comes first, then you're facing a short but steep climb up grassy slopes that rewards you with views in all directions across wild terrain. Trees disappear as you push higher and reach Mawenzi Tarn Camp in a dramatic cirque beneath Mawenzi Peak itself. You'll see the undried lake at Mawenzi Tarn Hut, have lunch and rest time, then return for dinner and overnight.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike from Kikelewa Camp to Mawenzi Turn Hut (4 hours, 7 km)
Landmarks Mawenzi Peak Mawenzi Tarn Camp - Day 5
Acclimatization Day at Mawenzi Tarn
This day is built in for your body to adjust to the altitude. You'll hike partway up toward Mawenzi for acclimatization, then head back to camp for lunch, dinner, and a full overnight rest. This extra night at Mawenzi Tarn is part of the 7-day itinerary and gets skipped if you're doing the 6-day version instead.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Acclimatization hike towards Mawenzi
Landmarks Mawenzi Peak - Day 6
Mawenzi Tarn to Kibo Huts Camp
After early breakfast, you'll cross the lunar-like desert landscape of the saddle between Kibo Peak and Mawenzi Peak, making your way to Kibo Huts at the base of Kibo's crater wall. Once you arrive, you'll spend the rest of the day resting and preparing yourself mentally and physically for the summit push that happens overnight.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike from Mawenzi Tarn to Kibo Huts (5 hours, 8.9 km)
Landmarks Kibo Peak Kibo Huts - Day 7
Summit Day: Kibo Huts to Uhuru Peak to Horombo Huts
You'll wake at midnight for a light breakfast before beginning your summit ascent. The climb starts right away to take advantage of darkness and cooler conditions, and you should reach Uhuru Peak around sunrise. The route switchbacks up steep scree to Gilman's Point on the crater rim where you'll see the crater and icecaps, then continues another 2 hours along the rim through snow to Kilimanjaro's true summit at Uhuru Peak. After photos and time at the top, you'll descend back to Kibo Huts for lunch and rest, then cross back over the saddle to Horombo Huts for dinner and overnight.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Light breakfast at midnight), Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Summit ascent from Kibo Huts to Uhuru Peak (6 km up)
- Descent to Horombo Huts (15 km down)
Landmarks Uhuru Peak Gilman's Point Kibo Crater Horombo Huts - Day 8
Horombo Huts to Marangu Gate to Moshi
After sleeping through most of the morning, you'll wake for breakfast and pack up your gear. The descent starts through moorland down to Mandara Huts where lunch waits for you. From there you'll continue through lush forest in a triumphant final push to Marangu Gate. You'll sign out at the park gate, and then your driver takes you back to your hotel in Moshi.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike from Horombo Huts to Marangu Gate (5-7 hours, 19 km)
Landmarks Mandara Huts Marangu Gate - Day 9
Departure from Kilimanjaro
You'll be picked up and transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) in time to connect your flight home.
