You will be picked up from airport. From there you will go to the hotel in Moshi for an orientation on your trek. Your guides will be there to provide you with details on your trek and will also check your trekking gears.
Dinner and overnight at hotel/Lodge in Moshi
After breakfast and briefing, drive to Londorossi Park Gate (3-hour drive). From here 4WD vehicle leads will pick you to Lemosho Glades. Walk along forest trails to Mti Mkubwa (big tree) campsite.
After breakfast, we continue as the trail gradually steepens and enters the giant heather moorland zone.
After several streams are crossed we continue over the Shira Ridge then gently downwards to Shira 1 camp located by a stream on the Shira Plateau.
After breakfast, a gentle hike across the plateau leads to Shira 2 camp on moorland meadows by a stream. A variety of hikes are available on the Plateau, making this an excellent acclimatization day.
From the Shira Plateau we continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue, our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower, called the “Shark’s Tooth” (elevation 4650m/15,250ft). Shortly after the tower we come to the second junction, which goes to the Arrow Glacier. We now continue down to the Barranco Camp.
Although you end the day around the same elevation, as when you began, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.
After breakfast, we will leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge up the Barranco Wall to the Karanga Valley and to the junction, which connects the Mweka Trail.
We continue up to the Barafu Camp. South Circuit will be completed, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day.
Very early in the morning, we will continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim.
This is the most challenging portion of the trek. At Stella Point you will have a short rest and rewarded most magnificent sunrise ever seen. From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit (Uhuru Peak) highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro.
From the summit we begin to descent by continuing straight down to the Mweka Camp, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You may want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. We arrive at Mweka Camp and enjoy our last evening on the mountain.
After breakfast we continue to descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy).
A vehicle will pick you at Mweka Gate to drive you back to your hotel in Arusha/Moshi (about 30 minutes).
