Itinerary
- Day 1
Arusha to Mount Kilimanjaro
You'll drive from Arusha to Machame Gate, a journey taking around 50 minutes through Machame village on the mountain's lower slopes. From there, the hike begins through rainforest on a winding trail that climbs a ridge toward Machame Camp. The lower sections tend to be muddy and slippery, so gaiters and trekking poles come in handy here.
- Start point
- Arusha, Tanzania (pangani street, 06:00 - 09:00)
Included Activities
- Transfer from Arusha to Machame Gate
- Guided hike through rainforest from Machame Gate to Machame Camp
Landmarks Machame Gate Machame Camp Mount Kilimanjaro National Park - Day 2
Machame Camp to Shira Camp
After breakfast, you'll ascend through moorland on a steep rocky ridge covered with heather. The trail crosses a small valley and continues along the ridge until it ends, then turns west into a river gorge. You'll rest, have dinner, and stay overnight at Shira Camp.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided hike from Machame Camp to Shira Camp
Landmarks Shira Camp - Day 3
Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp
From Shira Plateau, hike east up a ridge, passing the junction toward Kibo peak and continuing southeast to Lava Tower (called the 'Shark's Tooth'), then on to Arrow Glacier at 16,000 feet. You'll descend to Barranco Hut at roughly the same elevation you started from, making this an important acclimatization day. Rest and dinner happen at Barranco Camp.
- Meals
- Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided hike from Shira Camp through Lava Tower to Barranco Camp
Landmarks Shira Plateau Lava Tower Arrow Glacier Barranco Camp Kibo Peak - Day 4
Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
After breakfast, tackle the steep Barranco Wall ridge and continue to Karanga Valley campsite. From there, head to the junction connecting with the Mweka Trail and ascend to Barafu Hut. You'll have completed the South Circuit with views of the summit from many angles. Rest and dinner come with views of Mawenzi and Kibo peaks before your summit day.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided hike from Barranco Camp through Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
Landmarks Barranco Wall Karanga Valley Barafu Camp Mawenzi Peak Kibo Peak - Day 5
Barafu Camp to Summit (Uhuru Peak) to Mweka Hut
Summit day starts very early, departing between midnight and 2am. You'll ascend between Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers in a northwesterly direction through heavy scree to Stella Point on the crater rim. Weather permitting, catch the sunrise, then continue toward Uhuru Peak, where you might encounter snow. Reach the highest point in Africa, then descend to Mweka Hut with a lunch stop at Barafu. The loose gravel descent can be tricky, and mist or rain may appear at the forest camp. End the day with your final mountain dinner.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch at Barafu Camp during descent), Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided summit attempt from Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak
- Sunrise viewing at Stella Point
- Guided descent to Mweka Hut
Landmarks Rebmann Glacier Ratzel Glacier Stella Point Uhuru Peak Mweka Hut - Day 6
Mweka Hut to Arusha
After breakfast, complete the final descent through rainforest to Mweka Park Gate where you'll receive your summit certificates. The lower elevations are wet and muddy, so gaiters and trekking poles remain useful. You'll then walk an additional hour to Mweka Village, where a vehicle meets you for the drive back to your hotel in Arusha.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided descent from Mweka Hut to Mweka Park Gate
- Summit certificate collection
- Transfer from Mweka Village to Arusha hotel
Landmarks Mweka Park Gate Mweka Village
