After breakfast, you’ll depart for Lemosho Gate (2,100 meters) in the western part of Kilimanjaro National Park. This is the starting point of your trek. From the gate, you’ll begin your hike through a lush rainforest filled with giant ferns and tropical flora. The day’s hike will take around 4-5 hours as you ascend to Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,750 meters). The camp offers stunning views and a peaceful atmosphere, making it the perfect place to rest.

• Distance: 6 km
• Elevation Gain: 650 meters

Today’s trek takes you from Mti Mkubwa Camp to Shira 1 Camp (3,500 meters). You’ll be hiking for about 5-6 hours through the scenic heathland zone, with views of Mount Kilimanjaro’s glaciers. The landscape becomes more rugged as you ascend, and you will have

the opportunity to see the first of the alpine desert flora. Shira 1 Camp is located on the Shira Plateau, and the evening views of the mountain are unforgettable.

• Distance: 8 km
• Elevation Gain: 750 meters

This will be a short but important day for acclimatization. You will trek from Shira 1 Camp to Shira 2 Camp (3,900 meters), passing through the Shira Plateau with its diverse terrain of volcanic rocks and plants. The hike will take approximately 3-4 hours, providing a relaxed pace to allow your body to adjust to the increasing altitude. Shira 2 Camp offers spectacular panoramic views of the mountain and the surrounding valleys.

• Distance: 5 km
• Elevation Gain: 400 meters

On this day, you’ll trek from Shira 2 Camp to Barranco Camp (3,950 meters), which will take about 6-7 hours. The route passes through Lava Tower (4,630 meters), a striking rock formation that offers great photo opportunities. From Lava Tower, you’ll descend slightly to Barranco Camp, which is situated beneath the famous Barranco Wall. This descent helps with acclimatization by allowing your body to adjust to the higher altitude.

• Distance: 10 km
• Elevation Gain: 150 meters

Today, you’ll tackle the Barranco Wall, a steep but rewarding climb that takes about 1-2 hours. After scaling the wall, you’ll continue on a gentle ascent to Karanga Camp (4,000 meters), which takes about 4-5 hours in total. Karanga Camp is located in a valley beneath the towering summit, offering stunning views of the surrounding glaciers. This is a short day, allowing for further acclimatization and rest.

• Distance: 5 km
• Elevation Gain: 500 meters

From Karanga Camp, you’ll continue your journey to Barafu Camp (4,600 meters), the final camp before your summit attempt. The hike will take approximately 4-5 hours through a barren, alpine desert landscape. Once at Barafu Camp, you’ll rest and have an early dinner to prepare for the summit attempt that will begin at midnight. This camp offers incredible views of the glaciers and the summit of Kilimanjaro.

• Distance: 4 km
• Elevation Gain: 600 meters

Summit day begins early in the morning (around midnight), when you’ll start the final ascent from Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak (5,895 meters). The climb is steep and challenging, taking about 6-8 hours. You’ll pass Gilman’s Point (5,681 meters) before reaching the summit, where you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. After celebrating at Uhuru Peak, you’ll begin your descent to Mweka Camp (3,100 meters), which takes about 5-6 hours.

• Distance: 6 km (to Gilman’s Point) + 2 km (to Uhuru Peak)
• Elevation Gain: 1,295 meters
• Descent: 5-6 hours

After a restful night at Mweka Camp, you’ll make the final descent to Mweka Gate (1,640 meters). The descent takes about 3-4 hours and passes through lush rainforest. Upon reaching the gate, you’ll receive your summit certificate and be transferred back to Arusha to celebrate your accomplishment and enjoy a well-earned rest.

• Distance: 10 km
• Elevation Loss: 1,460 meters