Itinerary
- Day 1
Kilimanjaro International Airport to Moshi
You'll arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport and get transferred to Springlands Hotel in Moshi. Your climbing guide will meet you there to go over the itinerary, help you select gear, and answer any questions before the climb starts. If you're coming from Nairobi, there's an optional shuttle that leaves at 7:30 am and gets to Moshi around 3 pm. Transfers from Arusha can also be arranged if that works better for you.
- Start point
- Nairobi, Kenya (Pickup in hotels in Nairobi, Arusha or Moshi town)
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Airport transfer from Kilimanjaro International Airport
- Guide briefing and gear selection at hotel
Optional Activities
- Daily shuttle from Nairobi to Moshi
Landmarks Kilimanjaro International Airport Springlands Hotel 
- Day 2
Machame Gate to Machame Campsite
After an early briefing and breakfast at the hotel, you'll drive for 45 minutes from Moshi up to Machame village. Your guides and porters will sort through supplies and equipment while you're there. Then it's a potentially muddy 3 km walk to Machame Gate, taking about an hour. You'll register at the gate office and start your hike through rain forest. A packed lunch waits at the gate, and your private chef will have dinner ready at camp. Temperatures can drop to freezing overnight.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch pack), Dinner
Included Activities
- Transfer from Moshi to Machame village
- Guide and porter preparation and packing
- Trek from Machame village to Machame Gate
- Forest zone hike to Machame Campsite
- Breakfast
- Lunch pack
- Dinner
Optional Activities
- Bottled water purchase at Springlands Hotel in Moshi
Landmarks Machame Gate Machame Campsite - Day 3
Machame Campsite to Shira Campsite
Rising early from Machame camp, you'll have breakfast before climbing about an hour to reach the forest's edge. From there, roughly 2 hours through moorland follows at an easier pace. After a short lunch break and rest, the route heads up a rocky ridge onto Shira plateau at 3,840m. You'll see the Western Breach with its glaciers to the east and Kibo to the west. Your chef prepares dinner at this exposed, extremely cold campsite where you'll spend the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Trek through forest to moorland zone
- Hike up rocky ridge to Shira plateau
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Landmarks Shira plateau Western Breach Kibo - Day 4
Shira Campsite to Barranco Campsite
The route turns east into semi-desert and rocky terrain. After about 5 hours of hiking, you'll reach Lava Tower at 4,630m, which is the hardest day so far. This is where many climbers first feel breathlessness, irritability, and headaches. Lunch gets served in a designated spot. Then you'll descend roughly 680m down to Barranco Campsite, a 2-hour hike with great photo chances of the Western Breach and Breach Wall. The valley location and sunset here are memorable before dinner and overnight.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Trek through semi-desert and rocky landscape to Lava Tower
- Ascent of rocky scree path to Lava Tower (4,630m)
- Descent to Barranco Campsite
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Landmarks Lava Tower Western Breach Breach Wall Barranco Campsite 
- Day 5
Barranco Campsite Rest Day and Preparation
Your tents are on a narrow, stony ridge that's fully exposed to strong winds. Spend daylight hours getting familiar with the terrain so you avoid accidents after dark. The summit sits 1,345m above. Check your equipment, trekking poles, and thermal clothing. Replace headlamp and camera batteries and make sure you have spares. Keep water in thermal flasks so it doesn't freeze. Head to bed around 7 pm and try to rest for about 5 hours before the summit push starts late tonight.
Included Activities
- Equipment preparation and inspection
Landmarks Barafu Campsite - Day 6
Summit Attempt: Barafu to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Campsite
Around 11:30 pm you'll wake up, have tea and biscuits, then start the final push. You'll head northwest through heavy scree toward Stella Point on the crater rim, a 6-hour trek that's mentally and physically tough for most people. Arriving at Stella Point (5,685m), you'll get a short rest and typically see the most beautiful sunrise you've ever witnessed (if weather cooperates). From there it's about 2 hours on snow to Uhuru Peak at 5,895m. Summit time depends on weather conditions. After reaching the peak, you'll descend roughly 3 hours back to Barafu, grab your remaining gear, then hike down to Mweka Camp at 3,100m for dinner and overnight.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Tea and biscuits), Dinner
Included Activities
- Final summit push from Barafu to Stella Point
- Trek from Stella Point to Uhuru Peak
- Descent from Uhuru Peak to Barafu
- Descent from Barafu to Mweka Campsite
- Tea and biscuits
- Dinner
Landmarks Stella Point Uhuru Peak Mweka Campsite 
- Day 7
Mweka Campsite to Moshi
After breakfast, you'll continue down from Mweka Gate through Mweka village on what's usually a muddy and long hour walk. Then you'll drive back to Springlands Hotel for a hot lunch, shower up, and spend the night. Successful climbers get their summit certificates here: green certificates if you reached Stella Point at 5,685m and gold certificates if you summited Uhuru Peak at 5,895m. It's customary to tip your guides, porters, and hotel staff.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Hot lunch at Springlands Hotel), Dinner
Included Activities
- Trek from Mweka Gate through Mweka village to hotel
- Return transfer to Springlands Hotel
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Optional Activities
- Tips for guides, assistant guides, chefs, and porters
Landmarks Mweka Gate Mweka village Springlands Hotel - Day 8
Departure from Moshi
Late evening you'll drive to Kilimanjaro International Airport to catch your return flight. If you need to head back to Nairobi, there's an optional daily shuttle departing at 7 am that arrives around 2 to 3 pm. You can also arrange a transfer to Arusha if that's easier.
Included Activities
- Late evening airport transfer from Moshi
Optional Activities
- Daily shuttle to Nairobi
- Transfer to Arusha
Landmarks Kilimanjaro International Airport
