Day 1: Kilimanjaro International Airport – Moshi
Welcome to Tanzania! Upon arrival at the Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met by a Pristine Trails representative and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town. Depending on your arrival time, you will have a pre-trek briefing with your Kilimanjaro guide either this afternoon/evening or the following morning.
Overnight: Kilimanjaro Wonders Hotel
Transfer Time: 1 Hour
Meals: None
Day 2: Moshi – Lemosho Glades – Big Tree Camp
The day begins with a three-hour drive from Moshi to Londrossi Park Gate for registration. Once formalities are completed, you will get back into the car, pass through village communities and arrive at the trailhead at Lemosho Glades to start hiking. You will spend this day in some of the most beautiful forest found on the mountain, with wildlife sightings possible. After a short 2-3 hours you will arrive at Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree) campsite. Here, like all days, you’ll have an afternoon snack and delicious hot dinner.
Trekking Time: 2-3 hours • Distance: 5 km / 3.1 mi • Altitude Change: +396 m / +1,299 ft
Overnight: Big Tree Camp
Transfer Time: 3 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Big Tree Camp – Shira Hut 1
Leaving the forest early in the day, the trail gets steeper as it enters the grasses and wildflowers of the heath and moorland zone towards the valley. A gentle grade walk takes you across the high-altitude Shira Caldera past Shira Cave (views of Arrow glacier) and then gently downwards to Shira Hut 1 located near a stream on the Shira Plateau.
Trekking Time: 3 hours • Distance: 7 km / 4.3 mi • Altitude Change: +719 m / +2,359 ft
Overnight: Shira Hut 1
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Shira Hut 1 – Shira Hut 2
A gentle hike across the plateau within the moorland meadow takes you to Shira Hut 2 for the afternoon and overnight. Many short hikes are available on the Plateau, making this a great day for acclimatization.
Trekking Time: 3 hours • Distance: 7 km / 4.3 mi • Altitude Change: +391 m / +1,283 ft
Overnight: Shira Hut 2
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Shira Hut 2 – Lava Tower – Barranco Camp
Walking now on high moorland, the landscape changes the entire character of the trek. Traverse the southwest side of Kilimanjaro, passing underneath the Lava Tower and the final section of the Western Breach to reach Barranco camp. The day has been spent at altitude, but you will have followed the mountaineering code of ‘walk high, sleep low’ to avoid altitude sickness by aiding your bodies in acclimatization.
Trekking Time: 6-7 hours • Distance: 10 km / 6.2 mi • Altitude Change: +732 m / +2,401 ft; -641 m / -2,103 ft
Overnight: Barranco Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Barranco Camp – Karanga Valley
Start the day by descending into the start of the Great Barranco, a huge ravine. Then exit steeply, up what has been termed the Breakfast Wall, which divides you from the southeastern slopes of Kibo. It is a climb over rocks, although not technical. Passing underneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers, head towards the Karanga Valley for overnight.
Trekking Time: 4-5 hours • Distance: 5 km / 3.1 mi • Altitude Change: +48 m / +158 ft
Overnight: Karanga Valley
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Karanga Valley – Barafu Camp
The day is characterized by a short hike on terrain formed by scree. Walk through arid, lunar land towards Barafu Camp where you have the entire afternoon and evening to rest before ascending towards the crater the following morning.
Trekking Time: 2-4 hours • Distance: 3.5 km / 2.2 mi • Altitude Change: +628 m / +2,060 ft
Overnight: Barafu Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Barafu Camp – Crater Camp
After breakfast, this hike has you walking steeply upwards to the summit glaciers. You will be climbing scree for 5 to 6 hours but you gain incredible height over a short distance. The views are spectacular. Once reaching the crater rim, you will descend into Crater Camp, the highest camp on Kilimanjaro, located inside the Kibo Crater. You will have stunning views here of the surrounding Furtwangler Glacier.
Trekking Time: 6-7 hours • Distance: 6 km / 3.7 mi • Altitude Change: +1088 m / +3,570 ft
Overnight: Crater Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: Crater Camp – Uhuru Peak – Mweka Hut
Depart in the morning from the barren crater floor for the switchbacks that will take you up the crater’s southern rim. Once reaching the rim, a short walk takes you to your goal, Uhuru Peak, the Roof of Africa. You made it!
Trekking Time: 0.5-1 hours • Distance: 1 km / 0.6 mi • Altitude Change: +145 m / +476 ft
After a quick celebration and photos at the top, you will begin the descent by returning to Stella Point and then descending on scree slope back to Barafu Camp for breakfast and a short rest before finally heading down to Mweka Hut for a well-earned rest. On the descent, you will have fabulous views of the plains and Mawenzi peak.
Trekking Time: 6-8 hours • Distance: 11.5 km / 7.1 mi • Altitude Change: -2789 m / -9,151 ft
Overnight: Mweka Hut
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10: Mweka Hut – Mweka Gate – Moshi
A gentle trek takes you down through the rainforest to the Mweka Gate, where park formalities will be completed and you will be met by our vehicles to return you to the Pristine Trails office. Here you will receive your certificate of ascent courtesy of the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority, have the tipping ceremony for your mountain crew and collect any luggage you stored. Thereafter, you will be driven back to your hotel where you can treat yourself to a well-earned shower and a good night’s sleep.
Trekking Time: 2-4 hours • Distance: 9 km / 5.6 mi • Altitude Change: -1473 m / -4,832 ft
Overnight: Kilimanjaro Wonders Hotel
Transfer Time: 45 mins
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11: Continuation of Your Journey or Departure
After breakfast, you will begin the next leg of your journey either onto your wildlife safari or you will be transferred to the Kilimanjaro International Airport for your departure flight.
Transfer Time: 1 hour to airport
Meals: Breakfast
