Overview
The longest and newest route on Mount Kilimanjaro, Northern Circuit, is known for excellent acclimatization and breathtaking views of Kilimanjaro’s northern slopes. For the present moment, a minimal number of travelers have set foot on this trail, and the route is hardly ever crowded.
It is recommended to those who enjoy long trekking experiences in remote wilderness, with a few other trekkers around.
It takes at least eight to 9 days to climb Kilimanjaro through the Northern Circuit which is why the route boasts a very high success rate.
Itinerary
9 days Northern Circuit
Day 1 - Arusha - Starting Point Lemosho - Big Tree Camp
In the morning, you will be taken to Londorossi Gate (2,250m). After completing all the entry formalities and a final 15 km drive on a bumpy road, you will reach your starting point at the edge of the rainforest. You will enjoy lunch before setting out on the trail through the rainforest. Today’s walk is quite short, giving you time to appreciate the lush scenery that will drastically change over the course of your trek. You might even catch a glimpse of the thumbless colobus monkeys sitting in the branches above you. Your dinner and overnight stay await you at the beautiful Big Tree Camp.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 2 - Big Tree Camp - Shira Camp 1
As you walk along the thin trail through the rainforest, you will notice the vegetation becoming scarcer until you finally reach moorland filled with lobelia and erica plants. Ascending through rolling hills, you will reach Shira Camp 1 in about 3 to 4 hours. From your camp, you can look over the Shira Plateau and see the unmistakable snow-capped summit of Kibo. A hearty evening meal and a last glimpse at the starry sky will bring the day to a close.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 - Shira Camp 1 - Shira Camp 2
Today, you will cross Shira Ridge with its rocky ground, low grasses, and shrubs. As the terrain is much flatter than the day before, your hike will feel more leisurely, allowing you to enjoy fantastic views of the Great Rift Valley and Mount Meru. Beautiful and distinctive giant lobelias still dot the moor landscape. Walking on ground where lava once flowed, you will reach Shira Camp 2, where you will have your evening meal and overnight stay.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 4 - SHIRA CAMP 2 - MOIR HUT CAMP
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 5 - POFU CAMP - THIRD CAVE
After breakfast, the famous Barranco Wall, which is probably the steepest part of the entire route, awaits you. Although no technical climbing is necessary, some spots require you to use your hands for a better grip and to pull yourself up. Your guide will be close by to assist you if needed. After navigating around the Kissing Rock, you will continue along the mountain ridge and through the Karanga Valley. You will also pass the last water spot before finally reaching Karanga Camp. After a well-deserved meal, it is off to bed.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 6 - THIRD CAVE - SCHOOL HUT
This is the final leg of the trip before your last ascent up to the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. The highlight of the day will be the trek up and over The Saddle, a lunar landscape that lies between the Kibo and Mawenzi Peaks. You’ll then head southwest to School Hut (4,800 m) to rest in preparation for the end of your amazing journey. Your guides will thoroughly check all your gear and supplies in preparation for an early morning start.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 7 - SCHOOL HUT - MWEKA CAMP
Your last morning on the Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit will get off to an early start. You and your guides will travel through the darkness towards Kilimanjaro’s main crater rim at Gilman’s Point.
There you’ll rest before the final push, passing spectacular ice cliffs and glaciers. You’ll arrive at the Mount Kilimanjaro summit just in time to catch the sunrise, the most spectacular of nature’s backdrops. Share the sense of exhilaration and accomplishment with your guides and support team. Soak in the beauty of the view before retracing your steps down the crater rim. Then you’ll descend on the Mweka Route towards the last stop on your journey – Mweka Camp.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 8 - MWEKA CAMP - MWEKA GATE
It’s a day of celebration today, as you’ll enjoy one last breakfast on the mountain before descending to the Mweka Gate.
Here, you’ll get to celebrate with your porters and guides, provide them with their tips for their hard work, and collect your certificate of completion.
Your driver will then whisk you away to your Moshi or Arusha hotel to get some well-earned rest.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Climbing cost
Included
- Park fees, camping fees & rescue fees
- 18% VAT on tour fees & services
- 3 Season mountain tents
- Double layered Sleeping Mats
- Transportation to & from the mountain gate
- Professional mountain guides, cooks, and porters
- 3 meals daily while on the mountain
- Filtered water throughout the trek
- Pre & Post Trek accommodation at the Parkview Inn
- Fair wages for the mountain crew as approved by the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority (KINAPA), Kilimanjaro Association of Tour Operators (KIATO)
- 2- way private airport transfers
- Oxygen cylinder
- Oximeter
Excluded
- Flights
- Tips to mountain crew
- Items of a personal nature
- Laundry Services
- Travel Insurance