Kilimanjaro Routes

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 – Machame Gate – Machame Hut

A one-hour drive from Moshi lays the gate to the Machame route, where you will complete park formalities, meet your crew of porters and start to climb! The first section of the route climbs steadily and involves real jungle-bashing through magnificent forest. This path is less well-trodden and is often wet and muddy underfoot. Upon reaching the Machame Hut camp, you will settle in for your first night on the mountain and enjoy some hot tea and snacks before dinner.

Trekking Time: 4-6 hours • Distance: 10.75 km / 6.7 mi • Altitude Change: +1210 m / +3,969 ft

Overnight: Machame Hut
Transfer Time: 1 hour
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Machame Hut – Shira Caves

The route continues on up through the forest until reaching the steep ascent on the Shira Plateau, where there are rewarding views of the mountain. Looking back, you will be able to see Mt. Meru rising high above Arusha town.

Trekking Time: 4-6 hours • Distance: 5 km / 3.1 mi • Altitude Change: +818 m / +2,684 ft

Overnight: Shira Caves
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Shira Caves – Lava Tower – Barranco Camp

Walking now on high moorland, the landscape changes the entire character of the trek. You will traverse the southwest side of Kilimanjaro, passing underneath the Lava Tower and the final section of the Western Breach, finally reaching 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: 10.2 km / 6.3 mi • Altitude Change: +788 m / +2,585 ft; -641 m / -2,103 ft

Overnight: Barranco Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: 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 6: 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 to rest before your assault on the summit begins at midnight.

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 7: Barafu Camp – Uhuru Peak – Mweka Hut

We avoid walking too long in the heat of the sun today by starting around midnight, 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. You should be on the crater rim at Stella Point (5745 m) as the first rays of the sun emerge. Spectacular ice cliffs within the crater surround you and the views to Mawenzi peak and beyond are breathtaking. Another hour’s walk takes you to your goal, the summit of Uhuru, the highest point in Africa. You made it!

Trekking Time: 6-8 hours • Distance: 5 km / 3.1 mi • Altitude Change: +1233 m / +4,046 ft

Overnight: Barafu Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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 8: 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 9: 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.

Trekking Time: 2-4 hours • Distance: 9 km / 5.6 mi • Altitude Change: -1473 m / -4,832 ft

Transfer Time: 1 hour to airport
Meals: Breakfast

Valid through December 31, 2023

The details are outlined below. We will take the utmost care to ensure your trek is safe and the experience of a lifetime.

Price Inclusions:

Tipping is customary on Mount Kilimanjaro for all members of your mountain crew.

Although they receive a fair wage, they rely on tips for a total fair compensation as set by the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project Partners for Responsible Travel.

The standard guide to client ratio on your trek is 1 lead guide and 1 assistant guide for every up to 4 clients, 1 cook, 2-3 special porters and an average of 4-6 porters per client. Therefore, the total recommended tipping amount per client for this trek ranges from $250-400, depending on the trekking package and total number of people in the trekking group.

To ensure fair and transparent tipping for each crew member, there will be a tipping ceremony at the Pristine Trails office following your descent from the mountain. Envelopes will be provided to divide your tips for each member of the crew.