8-Day Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hike to Uhuru Peak

• After breakfast, you will be picked up at the lodge and taken to the Londorossi Gate at a height of 2,250 m. After completing the necessary registration, a bumpy drive will take you into the dense rainforest, from where your adventure commences. The moderately steep track goes through an unspoilt natural forest to the Big Tree Camp (2,780 m). An armed ranger will accompany you for the first two days of your trek, as the wild game can be found in the area. You will spend the night in tents at Big Tree Camp.

Elevation (ft): 7,800ft to 9,500ft

Distance: 6 km

Hiking Time: 3-4 hours

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Mti Mkubwa Camp

Habitat: Rain Forest

• We continue on the trail leading out of the rainforest and into a savannah of tall grasses, heather and volcanic rock draped with lichen beards. As we ascend through the lush rolling hills and cross several streams, we reach the Shira Ridge before dropping gently down to Shira 1 Camp. Here we catch our first glimpse of Kibo across the plateau.

Elevation (ft): 9,498ft to 11,500ft

Distance: 8 km/ 5miles

Hiking Time: 5-6 hours

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Shira 1 Camp

Habitat: Health

• A long trek heading east 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, where you will have lunch. After lunch, you will join the northern circuit heading down to Moir Camp at 4,161 meters (see map above). This is an important day in your trek as you will get to experience high altitude and then sleep low, which is good for the acclimatization process.

Elevation: 3504M/11296ft to 4161M/1365ft

Distance: 9.8 km/6.1 miles

Hiking Time: 5-7hours

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Moir Hut Camp

Habitat: Alpine Zone

• You climb out of the Moir Valley and take a short detour to reach the summit of Lent Hills (4,375 m).

Elevation: 13,580 ft to 13,200 ft

Distance: 12 km/7 miles

Hiking Time: 5-7 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Buffalo Camp

• From Buffalo Camp, you climb to ‘Buffalo Ridge’ and cross numerous ridges and gullies. The trail continues eastwards through a landscape with increasingly sparse vegetation to reach Third Cave Camp (3,800 m) eventually—Buffalo Camp to Third Cave.

Elevation: 13,200 ft to 12,700 ft

Distance: 8 km/5 miles

Hiking Time: 5-7 hours

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Third Cave Camp

Habitat: Heath

• On a relatively easy path, today’s leg takes you over the so-called “saddle”. This piece of rock is a lava flow formed when Mount Kilimanjaro erupted. It has now solidified and connects two of Mount Kilimanjaro’s three peaks, Mawenzi and Kibo. You will arrive at the School Hut in about 4.5 to 5 hours and go to bed after dinner as the summit calls for an early start at approximately 11 p.m.

Third Cave to School Hut

Elevation: 12,700 ft to 15,600 ft

Distance: 5 km/3 miles

Hiking Time: 4-5 hours 

Habitat: Alpine Desert

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

• After very early in the morning (around midnight), we begin our push to the summit. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. The wind and cold at this elevation and time of day can be extreme. We ascend in the darkness for several hours while taking frequent, but short, breaks. At Gilman’s point (18,600 ft), you will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see coming over Mawenzi Peak. Finally, we arrive at Uhuru Peak- the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa.From the summit, we descend, stopping for lunch and a rest at Kibo before continuing on to the Horombo encampment. You will want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep at Horombo Hut.

Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak

Uhuru Peak to Horombo Hut

Elevation: 15,331 ft to 19,341 ft

Altitude: 5895 ft to 3700 ft

Distance: 5 km/3 miles

Distance: 14 km down Altitude: 4,640 m to 5,895 m

Habitat: Arctic | Alpine desert

Hiking Time: 7-8 hours

Hiking Time: 4-6 hours

Habitat: Arctic

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

• The final leg of your amazing adventure begins after breakfast with a traditional farewell ceremony from the mountain crew. Then a gentle 2 to 3 hours descent through the rainforest continues to Mweka Gate, where your driver will be waiting for you. He will take you back and after a warm shower, the rest of the day is free to relax, relax at the pool or celebrate your achievement. Don’t forget to tip your guides and porters. It is time for celebration.

Altitude: 3,080 m to 1,630m

Distance Covered: 9.3km down

Time to be used: 2 - 3 hrs

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Habitat: Rain Forest