Taking this route allows for better acclimatization on the mountain as it is a longer route than more common routes.
Prices from
8 Days
Challenging
5,895m
A personal favourite and well-known as the most scenic route up to the summit, it also has fewer crowds than some of the shorter, more common routes. Taking this route allows for better acclimatization on the mountain. It is longer than common routes and will give you a better chance for a successful summit attempt. So you can enjoy the trek and the breathtaking views of the mountain by taking your time to the summit.
Contact us directly if you want to extend a 9-day trek, will provide an itinerary and price.
1 person | $2589 |
2 persons | $2219/ person |
4 persons | $1985/ person |
6 persons | $1855/ person |
Upon arrival, a Mahiri African Tours representative will pick you up and greet you at Kilimanjaro Airport. You will be transferred to your accommodations for the night in Moshi, where you will have a briefing about the trek and a review of your equipment and trekking gear.
We will drive to the Londorossi gate entrance. Here your guides will finalize registration, and all the bags the porters will be carrying will be weighed. After completed, we will take a quick drive to Lemosho trailhead. Here the trek will start as you walk through the rainforest with curious blue and colobus monkeys around in the trees. We camp at Mti Mkubwa.
Elevation: 2,100m- 2,780m
Distance: 6kms
Hiking Time: 3-4hrs
As the trail heads to Shira 1 camp, you will soon leave the rainforest and be walking through the heather and moorland zone. If the clouds clear, you can get a great view of Kibo, the summit cone of Kilimanjaro. We will hike until reaching camp, where a delicious meal will be set up for you.
Elevation: 2,780m- 3,500m
Distance: 9kms
Hiking Time: 5-6hrs
The trek will continue through the moorland zone with low grasses and shrubs. Various walks are available on the way to camp, making this an excellent acclimatization day where you can climb to a higher elevation and sleep at a lower elevation. This campsite has spectacular views of Mount Meru if the weather permits.
Elevation: 3,500m- 3,900m
Distance: 7kms
Hiking Time: 3-4hrs
Today after breakfast, we start the trek toward the lava tower. Before getting to the lava tower, the route connects with the Machame route, where you notice more crowds appear as the two trails intersect.
You will come across the fascinating lava tower and stop for lunch here. This will allow you time to acclimatize better before descending to a lower elevation to Barranco Camp for the night.
Elevation: 3,900m- 4,640m (lava tower) to 3,950m
Distance: 12kms
Hiking Time: 6-8hrs
The day will begin early with the trek up the famous Barranco Wall, where you will need to use your hands and feet to maneuver the wall for a short time. This makes for an exciting experience. After the wall, this is a great place to stop for photos of Kibo before continuing toward Karanga Camp. This part of the trek has numerous ascents and descents along the way. After reaching the camp, you can participate in a small acclimatization hike toward Barafu Camp if you are up for it.
Elevation: 3,950m to 4,040m
Distance: 5kms
Hiking Time: 4-5hrs
Today you will trek to Barafu camp, the final camp and resting spot before a night summit to Uhuru Peak. Once at Barafu camp, you can choose to hike towards Kosova Camp for acclimatization before returning to Barafu Camp for dinner and early night sleep. This will help your body acclimatize better for summit night. You will sleep right after dinner tonight, as your summit attempt will start at midnight.
Elevation: 4,040m- 4,640m
Distance: 6kms
Hiking Time: 4-5hrs
Today is your summit night, with a very early start to the day. The trek will start at about midnight as you walk towards the summit, making this your most challenging day on the mountain, between the significant elevation gain to the summit and the significant descent after the summit.
The high altitude makes this a very challenging summit night. This will be your most difficult day, but your guides will assist you. The lack of oxygen, the closer you get, will be challenging, and you will need to focus on your breathing. Walking along the crater rim towards Uhuru Peak, you can see the glaciers covering Kibo up close.
After reaching the summit, the amount of time spent here will depend on the weather and your health status at the current time. You will then descend back down to Barafu Camp for lunch and a quick rest. After this, you will pack up your belongings and continue your descent to Mweka Camp. This camp is the final stop of the day, where you will relax for the night and have a delicious dinner as you will be exhausted from the long day.
It is important to go slowly during your descent from the summit and make sure you are watching your footing as you will get tired. The descent is a common place for injuries to occur from falling and losing your footing if moving too fast.
Elevation: 4,640m - 5,895m (Uhuru peak) - 3,100m
Distance: 18kms
Hiking Time: 14-15hrs
Today is your final day on the mountain as you leave camp and head towards Mweka Gate. You will walk through the beautiful forest before arriving at the gate. At the entrance, you will receive your summit certificate if you successfully summited Uhuru Peak. Your driver will be waiting for you here and will drive you back to your accommodations for the night.
Elevation: 3,100m - 1,700m
Distance: 9kms
Hiking Time: 3-4hrs
Today we will have a driver take you to the airport for your departure flight. If you choose to continue on another tour after your climb, we will take care of that for you to ensure a seamless transition to your next tour.
Contact us for all your Tanzania adventures, and our team about any questions regarding planning your Tanzanian trip. We are happy to discuss and tailor any adventure to your needs.