Northern Circuit 11 day tourNorthern Circuit 10 day tour

11 day tour (9 days of trekking)

  • Fully flexible dates
  • Includes 2 nights’ hotel accommodation
  • 8 nights on Kilimanjaro

Prices in USD $ per person

3,440

Itinerary

Day 0: arrival

After checking in at the airport (JRO) you will meet your driver who will take you to the hotel in Moshi. For the rest of your day, you can do anything you want such as relaxing by the pool or you can explore more of Moshi. Your guide will meet with you in the evening and they will check all of your equipment as well as giving you a briefing about the climb.


Day 1: ascent from Londorossi gate (2,250m) to Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,780m)

Distance: 6 km
Hiking time: 3-4 hours

After breakfast at the hotel, we will drive you to the Kilimanjaro National Park, to the Londorossi Gate at an altitude of 2,250 meters above sea level. The journey takes approximately two hours. After completing the formalities required to launch your output. In the first phase, you will walk through the rainforest, where you can spot local monkeys or other animals in the lush vegetation. After that, the rainforest at higher altitudes passes into a more sparsely wooded area. Approximately three hours later, you will arrive at your first camp, Mti Mkubwa Camp (also called Big Tree Camp or Forest Camp), where you will spend your first night in tents on Kilimanjaro.


Day 2: ascent from Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,780m) to Shira 1 Camp (3,500 m)

Distance: 8 km
Hiking time: 5-6 hours

After an early breakfast, you’ll start today’s hike, and shortly after that, the forest landscape around you will change, allowing you to better observe the majestic mountain range in front of you. The trek takes approximately 3-4 hours and you will arrive at Shira 1 Camp in the early afternoon. From the camp there are nice views of the Kilimanjaro mountain range in front of you as well as the surrounding countryside. You can rest and relax for the rest of the day. During sunset, the sun’s rays illuminate the rocks and glacier on the Kibo volcano.


Day 3: ascent from Shira 1 Camp (3,500m) to Shira 2 Camp (3,845m)

Distance: 10 km
Hiking time: 4-5 hours

After an early breakfast, you will set off on your journey. The landscape around you will be rocky with bushes and low grass and sometimes there will also be large lobelia trees. The elevation gain is quite small on this day, so the hike is less demanding. In the afternoon you will arrive at Shira 2 Camp. At the end of the journey and from the campsite there are nice views of Mount Meru and the Great Rift Valley. You can rest and relax for the rest of the day. During sunset, the sun’s rays illuminate the rocks and glacier on the Kibo volcano.


Day 4: ascent from Shira 2 Camp (3,845m) through Lava Tower (4,640m) to Moir Hut (4,140m)

Distance: 10 km
Hiking time: 6-7 hours

On this day, you will first climb about 800 meters across the Shira Plateau to the Lava Tower, but then descend on the less used northern trail to a campsite at an altitude only slightly higher than the night before. This day will allow you to acclimatize well to the higher altitude before continuing the ascent. Vegetation decreases on the way up and the landscape changes to alpine semi-deserts. After a 5-7 hour walk you will arrive at Moir Hut.


Day 5: trek from Moir Hut (4,140m) to Buffalo Camp (4,020m)

Distance: 9 km
Hiking time: 6-7 hours

It will start in the Moir Valley, where there is a gentle incline. You’ll climb to the top of the Lent Hills before returning to the main trail. The trail crosses rock formations. Uphill and downhill sections alternate. After a 5-7 hour march you will arrive at Buffalo Camp.

This part of the trail offers great views of the plains that lie north of Kilimanjaro and stretch all the way to the Kenya-Tanzania border.


Day 6: trek from Buffalo Camp (4,020m) to Third Cave Camp (3,875m)

Distance: 8 km
Hiking time: 6–7 hours

As you head up Buffalo Ridge, the terrain becomes increasingly desert-like. This route is rarely used and you will enjoy the feeling of real mountain wilderness. You will pass through remote mountain valleys on the northern slope of Kilimanjaro until we reach the Third Cave.


Day 7: ascent from Third Cave Camp (3,875m) to School Hut (4,800m)

Distance: 4 km
Hiking time: 4–5 hours

After a relatively easy path, you climb to the so-called “saddle” connecting Kibo Peak and Mawenzi Peak. At this height, almost nothing grows except for a bit of grass. The landscape changes to alpine semi-deserts and then to frost deserts. Finally, you will arrive at the School Hut, where you will have the afternoon and evening to rest before the night-time ascent to the summit.


Day 8: ascent from School Hut (4,800m) to Uhuru Peak (5,895m) and then the descent to Mweka Camp (3,080m)

Distance: 16 km
Hiking time: 14–16 hours

This is the day where you climb to Uhuru Peak – the highest peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. We will wake you up before midnight and shortly after you will start the final climb after a small snack. At this hour, the lava ash is frozen and climbing it is a bit easier. A night-time hike awaits you in freezing weather at a height where the lack of oxygen is already noticeable. Despite its difficulty, there is a good chance that you will reach the top with us. At dawn you reach Gilman’s Point at an altitude of 5,715 meters above sea level, from where the path is not so steep, but still strenuous due to the thinner air and requires a very slow pace. It gets noticeably warmer after dawn. After another 1 to 2 hours you will reach your destination – Uhuru Peak at 5,895 m above sea level. This is the highest point in Africa. Enjoy the moment and don’t forget to take a memorable summit photo with the iconic sign marking the summit of Kilimanjaro in the background before you return. Our guides will be happy to take your picture.

The descent is along the same route. The lava ash, which has probably melted in the meantime, may be slippery. After returning to Barafu Camp, you will have a hot meal, rest for 1-2 hours and then you will continue your descent to Mweka Camp at an altitude of 3,080 m above sea level. At this altitude, there is noticeably more oxygen, and you can rest better and regenerate after a difficult ascent. After dinner, you can go straight to sleep.


Day 9: descent from Mweka Camp (3,080m) to Mweka Gate (1,630m)

Distance: 9 km
Hiking time: 3–4 hours

On this day, after breakfast, our porters and guides give you the final celebration ceremony and you can hand them your tip during this. After that, you will pack up and we will set off for the final descent to Mweka Gate. Here, further formalities will be taken care of with the park rangers and then you will drive to the Moshi Hotel to collect your belongings you will spend your last night there.


Departure day: It is your final day. You’ll have breakfast in your hotel and then after checking out, we’ll transfer you to the airport.

Board: breakfast

northern-circuit

Get in touch by phone | WhatsApp | email with your ideas and dates for your trip

 +44 7761 228972

  WhatsApp

  info@malaikatravel.com


10 day tour (8 days of trekking)

  • Fully flexible dates
  • Includes 2 nights’ hotel accommodation
  • 7 nights on Kilimanjaro

Prices in USD $ per person

3,250

Itinerary

Day 0: arrival

After checking in at the airport (JRO) you will meet your driver who will take you to the hotel in Moshi. For the rest of your day, you can do anything you want such as relaxing by the pool or you can explore more of Moshi. Your guide will meet with you in the evening and they will check all of your equipment as well as giving you a briefing about the climb.


Day 1: ascent from Londorossi gate (2,250m) to Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,780m)

Distance: 6 km
Hiking time: 3-4 hours

After breakfast at the hotel, we will drive you to the Kilimanjaro National Park, to the Londorossi Gate at an altitude of 2,250 meters above sea level. The journey takes approximately two hours. After completing the formalities required to launch your output. In the first phase, you will walk through the rainforest, where you can spot local monkeys or other animals in the lush vegetation. After that, the rainforest at higher altitudes passes into a more sparsely wooded area. Approximately three hours later, you will arrive at your first camp, Mti Mkubwa Camp (also called Big Tree Camp or Forest Camp), where you will spend your first night in tents on Kilimanjaro.


Day 2: ascent from Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,780m) to Shira 1 Camp (3,500 m)

Distance: 8 km
Hiking time: 5-6 hours

After an early breakfast, you’ll start today’s hike, and shortly after that, the forest landscape around you will change, allowing you to better observe the majestic mountain range in front of you. The trek takes approximately 3-4 hours and you will arrive at Shira 1 Camp in the early afternoon. From the camp there are nice views of the Kilimanjaro mountain range in front of you as well as the surrounding countryside. You can rest and relax for the rest of the day. During sunset, the sun’s rays illuminate the rocks and glacier on the Kibo volcano.


Day 3: ascent from Shira 1 Camp (3,500m) through Lava Tower (4,640m) to Moir Hut (4,140m)

Distance: 10 km
Hiking time: 6-7 hours

Today you face a long trek heading east which passes through the ‘Garden of the Senecios’ and then enters the high alpine desert zone. The morning is spent trekking up to Lava Tower and the iconic Shark’s Tooth rock formation at 4,600 meters above sea level, where you will have lunch. After lunch, you will join the northern circuit and head down to Moir Camp at 4,161 meters above sea level(see map above). This is an important day in your trek as you will get to experience high altitudes and then you will sleep lower down, which is good for the acclimatisation process.


Day 4: trek from Moir Hut (4,140m) to Buffalo Camp (4,020m)

Distance: 9 km
Hiking time: 6-7 hours

It will start in the Moir Valley, where there is a gentle incline. You’ll climb to the top of the Lent Hills before returning to the main trail. The trail crosses rock formations. Uphill and downhill sections alternate. After a 5-7 hour march you will arrive at Buffalo Camp.

This part of the trail offers great views of the plains that lie north of Kilimanjaro and stretch all the way to the Kenya-Tanzania border.


Day 5: trek from Buffalo Camp (4,020m) to Third Cave Camp (3,875m)

Distance: 8 km
Hiking time: 6–7 hours

As you head up Buffalo Ridge, the terrain becomes increasingly desert-like. This route is rarely used and you will enjoy the feeling of real mountain wilderness. You will pass through remote mountain valleys on the northern slope of Kilimanjaro until we reach the Third Cave.


Day 6: ascent from Third Cave Camp (3,875m) to School Hut (4,800m)

Distance: 4 km
Hiking time: 4–5 hours

After a relatively easy path, you climb to the so-called “saddle” connecting Kibo Peak and Mawenzi Peak. At this height, almost nothing grows except for a bit of grass. The landscape changes to alpine semi-deserts and then to frost deserts. Finally, you will arrive at the School Hut, where you will have the afternoon and evening to rest before the night-time ascent to the summit.


Day 7: ascent from School Hut (4,800m) to Uhuru Peak (5,895m) and then the descent to Mweka Camp (3,080m)

Distance: 16 km
Hiking time: 14–16 hours

This is the day where you climb to Uhuru Peak – the highest peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. We will wake you up before midnight and shortly after you will start the final climb after a small snack. At this hour, the lava ash is frozen and climbing it is a bit easier. A night-time hike awaits you in freezing weather at a height where the lack of oxygen is already noticeable. Despite its difficulty, there is a good chance that you will reach the top with us. At dawn you reach Gilman’s Point at an altitude of 5,715 meters above sea level, from where the path is not so steep, but still strenuous due to the thinner air and requires a very slow pace. It gets noticeably warmer after dawn. After another 1 to 2 hours you will reach your destination – Uhuru Peak at 5,895 m above sea level. This is the highest point in Africa. Enjoy the moment and don’t forget to take a memorable summit photo with the iconic sign marking the summit of Kilimanjaro in the background before you return. Our guides will be happy to take your picture.

The descent is along the same route. The lava ash, which has probably melted in the meantime, may be slippery. After returning to Barafu Camp, you will have a hot meal, rest for 1-2 hours and then you will continue your descent to Mweka Camp at an altitude of 3,080 m above sea level. At this altitude, there is noticeably more oxygen, and you can rest better and regenerate after a difficult ascent. After dinner, you can go straight to sleep.


Day 8: descent from Mweka Camp (3,080m) to Mweka Gate (1,630m)

Distance: 9 km
Hiking time: 3–4 hours

On this day, after breakfast, our porters and guides give you the final celebration ceremony and you can hand them your tip during this. After that, you will pack up and we will set off for the final descent to Mweka Gate. Here, further formalities will be taken care of with the park rangers and then you will drive to the Moshi Hotel to collect your belongings you will spend your last night there.


Departure day: It is your final day. You’ll have breakfast in your hotel and then after checking out, we’ll transfer you to the airport.

Board: breakfast

northern-circuit

Get in touch by phone | WhatsApp | email with your ideas and dates for your trip

 +44 7761 228972

  WhatsApp

  info@malaikatravel.com