Arrival: Kilimanjaro International Airport – Arusha

Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, our driver will be waiting for you. He will take you to Meru View Lodge in the USA River close to Arusha. The rest of the day is for you to relax and prepare for your upcoming trip. You can also visit the town of Arusha (tax is required). In the late afternoon, our Kilimanjaro team will meet you at the lodge to brief you on your upcoming trek and check your equipment.

Meals Plan: Breakfast

Day 1: Arusha – Starting Point Lemosho (2,385m) – Big Tree Camp (2,780m)

In the morning you will be taken to Londorossi Gate (2,250m). Upon completion of 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 you set out on the trail through the rainforest. Today’s walk is quite short, thus giving you time to enjoy the lush scenery which 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 await you at the beautiful Big Tree Camp.

Meals Plan: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 2: Big Tree Camp (2,780m) – Shira Camp 1 (3,500m)

As you walk along the thin trail through the rainforest, you will notice the vegetation becoming scarcer and scarcer until you finally reach a moorland filled with lobelia and erica plants. Ascending through rolling hills, you will reach Shira Camp 1 in about 3 to 4 hours. Looking over the Shira Plateau from your camp you will be able to 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 Plan: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 3: Shira Camp 1 (3,500m) – Shira Camp 2 (3,900m)

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 seem more leisurely and you will enjoy fantastic views of the Great Rift Valley and Mount Meru. Beautiful and distinctive giant lobelias still dot the moor landscape. Walking on the ground where lava used to flow you will reach Shira Camp 2, where you will have your evening meal and overnight stay.

Meals Pan: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 4: Shira Camp 2 (3,900m) – Lava Tower (4,640m) – Barranco Camp (3,960m)

After breakfast, you will start your ascent to Lava Tower through a boulder-strewn terrain. In the distance, you will see Kibo encouraging you to continue uphill. Reaching Lava Tower, you will rest and allow your body to get used to the higher altitude, after which you continue downwards to Barranco Camp. This method of climbing high but sleeping low allows your body to acclimatize to the differing altitudes and gives you a good idea of how your body reacts to changes in altitude. Along the way the scenery changes once more and soon you are surrounded by giant senecios and smaller lobelias. After 6 to 7 hours, you will reach the beautiful and green Barranco Camp, which offers great views of the surrounding snow-capped mountains. After dinner, you will settle in for the night.

Meals Plan: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 5: Barranco Camp (3,960m) – Karanga Camp (4,035m)

The famous Barranco wall, which is probably the steepest part of the entire route, awaits you after breakfast. Although no technical climbing is necessary, some spots do require you to use your hands for a better grip and to pull yourself up. Your guide will be close by to help you if necessary. After you have pulled yourself around the Kissing Rock you will make your way along the mountain ridge and through the Karanga Valley. You will also pass the last spot water as you finally reach Karanga Camp. After a well-deserved meal, it is off to bed.

Meals Plan: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 6: Karanga Camp (4,035m) – Barafu Camp (4,640m)

Today you will make your way to Barafu Camp. The landscape is very dry and the ground cracks like glass under your boots. As you make your way through the afro-alpine desert to the rocky Barafu Camp, a sense of excitement sweeps over you as your final stretch is only a few hours away. The Barafu Camp with its rocky scenery allows for a stunning view of Mawenzi Peak and the summit path ahead. After an early dinner and last-minute preparation for tomorrow, you will go to bed.

Meals Plan: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 7: Barafu Camp (4,640m) – Uhuru Peak (5,895m) – Mweka Camp (3,080m)

At around midnight you will be awoken with some hot tea and biscuits to get you ready for today’s ascents. You will ascend in a north-westerly direction through heavy scree toward Stella Point, arriving there in about 5 to 7 hours. At Stella Point (5,730m) you may rest, if necessary, before taking on another 1 to 2-hour stretch along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak – the highlight of your trip. A breathtaking view awaits you as you stand on the highest mountain in Africa. After taking as many pictures as your camera will allow, you will leave behind the glistening glaciers and snowy peaks and make your way back down to Barafu Camp. Here you will have time to catch your breath before heading further down to Mweka Camp, an approximate 3-hour walk. A delightful dinner and a peaceful night’s sleep await you.

Meals Plan: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 8: Mweka Camp (3,080m) – Mweka Gate (1,630m) – Arusha

After eating breakfast, you will begin the easiest part of your adventure on Mount Kilimanjaro via a scenic path through the forest to Mweka Gate. Successful hikers who made it to Stella Point and Uhuru Peak will be awarded their certificates at the gate. Then it’s time to drive back to your hotel to enjoy a shower, dinner, and celebrations with a Kilimanjaro beer!

Departure: Arusha – Kilimanjaro Airport

After breakfast, you will be taken to Kilimanjaro Airport or you can extend your holiday with a safari or beach stay.