Overview
This route starts on the western side of the mountain then the eastern side before ascending to Uhuru Peak from the east. Climbers have a great chance to experience lots of things. The descent is down the Mweka Route. It can be done from 8+ and spend an overnight at Kosovo camp (4,800 m). This route is becoming increasingly popular because of the good acclimatization, and it is quite scenic. Staying at Kosovo camp helps to serve 1 hour for the summit night.
Arrive in Tanzania
Pickup at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town, afterward your guide will come to brief you about the trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear. Then dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 1 - Lemosho Gate (2100m) to Mti Mkubwa Camp (2650m)
Distance covered: 7 km
Approximate time taken: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Rainforest
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Your day starts early with breakfast from the hotel, followed by a 2-hour drive from the hotel (910m) to Londorossi Park Gate (2100m). The guides and porters prepare and pack the supplies and your equipment at the park's gate and registration. You will start trekking through the rainforest until completes this day by entering to our first camp where your tent is setup with your personal belongings inside. Overnight at Mti Mkubwa Camp (2650m).
Day 2 - Mti Mkubwa Camp (2650m) to Shira I Camp (3600m)
Distance covered: 7 km
Approximate time taken: 4 hours
Habitat: Rainforest/Moorland
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
After breakfast you will start your trek across a plateau of grassy Mooland and heather scattered with volcanic rock formalities. Today some parts of the route are fairly steep, and you will have a good view of KIBO and Shira plateau. Then overnight at Shira I Camp (3600m).
Day 3 - Shira I Camp (3600m) to Shira II Camp (3900m)
Distance covered: 10 km
Approximate time taken: 4 hours
Habitat: Moorland
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Today is one of shortest days and it is not as steep as other days. You will have a chance to view the northern ice fields from the western side of the mountain with some good views of Kibo. You will have a hot lunch at the camp and around 4:00 pm you will take some tea followed by an acclimatization walk; then head back to camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 4 - Shira II Camp (3900m) to Barranco Camp (3900m)
Distance covered: 10 km
Approximate time taken: 6 hours
Habitat: Alpine desert
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
The moorlands soon come to an end. The trek will take us into the alpine desert up to lava tower (4600m) before descending to Baranco Camp (3900m). This descent to Barranco Camp takes about 3 hours and offers great opportunities to take some beautiful photos of the Western Breach and Barranco wall. The campsite is situated in a valley below the Barranco wall which should provide you a memorable sunset while waiting for dinner and overnight at Barranco Camp (3900m).
Day 5 - Barranco Camp (3900m) to Karanga Camp (4000m)
Distance covered: 6 km
Approximate time taken: 4 hours
Habitat: Alpine desert
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
This is another favorite day whereby after breakfast you will leave the campsite, walk up the Barranco wall (4200m) that ends up at the fort of the Hein glacier. It will take you 4 hours to reach Karanga Camp (4000m).
Day 6 - Karanga Camp (4000m) to Kossovo Camp (4800m)
Distance covered: 4 km
Approximate time taken:4-6 hours
Habitat: Alpine desert
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
After breakfast you will start hiking to Kossovo Camp (4800m) and on the way you will have a good view of Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. After arriving at the campsite, we have lunch and a long rest waiting for the long night and day ahead. Dinner will be early and then try to get some sleep as we will be getting up around midnight to start climbing to the summit.
Day 7 - Kossovo Camp (4800m) to UHURU PEAK (5895m) then down to Millennium Camp (3950m)
Distance covered: 11 km
Approximate time taken: 10 hours
Habitat: Glacier/Moorland
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
We will wake up very early, at around 00:00, some light tea with cookies will be ready for you. We will climb scree for 4 to 5 hours but gain incredible height over a short distance. The view is spectacular. We should be on the crater rim at Stella point (5756m) as the first rays of the sun hit us. Then it will take us 1-hour form Stella point to Uhuru peak (5895m) were you take some photos for a few minutes before we start descending to Kossovo Camp for lunch and some rest, and then walk down to Millennium Camp (3950m) for dinner and overnight.
Day 8 - Millenium Camp (3900m) to Mweka Gate (1630m)
Distance covered: 10 km
Approximate time taken: 3 hours
Meal: Breakfast, and lunch included
Walk down the Mweka montane forest to Mweka Gate for 3 hours, where we complete park formalities and receive certificates, which you can hang up with pride. The vehicle will be ready to drive you back to the hotel for a warm shower at Moshi. It’s definitely time to celebrate!
Then - Depart Tanzania/ other destination in Tanzania.
Later in the evening or the next day you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport to board your home-bound flight. Also, Habari Adventure can organize an affordable safari trip to one of the best wildlife parks in Tanzania such as Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater or Serengeti National Park.