Day 0: Arrival:

Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met with our ground handling team and after greetings and introduction you will be transferred to your delightful accommodation in Arusha/Moshi for evening rest and overnight.

Day 1: Transfer to Machame gate + Trek from Machame gate to Machame Camp:

Wake up early and after breakfast and briefings board a transfer car to the start point of your hike which will take us around 3hrs. The climb starts from Machame Gate (1,800 m.) and follows a ridge through dense montane forest. This is the richest forested area on the mountain, and also the zone from where 96 % of the water on Kilimanjaro originates. On sunny days, and especially in the dry season, this section is very lush and beautiful; it can also be a very muddy experience, particularly if it has rained recently! We have lunch at ‘Halfway Clearing’, a small opening in the trees, and continue climbing steadily. The gradient becomes gentler as the forest slowly merges into giant heather close to the next camp near the ruins of Machame camp (3,000 m.). We may get our first closer look at the glaciated dome of Kibo if the evening clouds permit. [6-8 hours walking]                  

Day 2: Machame Camp to Shira Cave camp

A shorter day that begins by climbing up a steep ridge to reach a small semicircular cliff known as Picnic Rock. There are excellent views of Kibo and the jagged rim of Shira Plateau from here,and it is a good rest point too! The trail continues less steeply to reach the Shira Plateau.  We camp near Shira camp (3,840m.) which has some of the most stunning views on Kilimanjaro; close to the huge volcanic cone of Kibo, the spectacular rock formations of Shira Plateau, and looking across to Mt. Meru floating on the clouds. [4-6 hours walking]                           

Day 3: Shira cave camp to Barranco camp           

A morning of gentle ascent and panoramic views, leaving the moorland plateau behind to walk on lava ridges beneath the glaciers of the Western Breach. After lunch at the Lava Tower (4,600 m.) we descend to the bottom of the Great Barranco valley (3,900 m.), sheltered by towering cliffs and with extensive views of the plains far below. [5-7 hours walking]                          

Day 4: Barranco camp to Barafu camp   

A steep climb up the Barranco Wall leads us to an undulating trail on the south-eastern flank of Kibo, with superb vis5tas of the Southern Icefields. The terrain changes to scree, with pockets of vegetation in sheltered hollows, and there is only a short distance we will have lunch at Karanga (4,000 m), the last water point on the way to the summit. We follow an easy path on compacted scree with wide views that gains altitude unrelentingly to reach the Barafu campsite (4,600 m) (4 – 5 hours walking)                                                           

Day 5: Uhuru peak summit + Descend to Millennium/Mweka camp        

We will start our ascent by torchlight at about 1 a.m. so that we can be up on the Crater rim by sunrise. The steep climb over loose volcanic scree has some well-graded zig-zags and a slow but steady pace will take us to Stella Point (5,735 m), in about five or six hours. We will rest there for a short time to enjoy the sunrise over Mawenzi. Those who are still feeling strong can make the two-hour round trip from here along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,896 m), passing close to the spectacular glaciers and ice cliffs that still occupy most of the summit area. The descent to Barafu is surprisingly fast, and after some refreshment, we continue to descend to reach our final campsite (3,800 m) Millennium. [11-15 hours walking]

Day 6: Descend from Millenium Camp to Mweka gate + Transfer back to hotel   

A sustained descent on a well-constructed path through lovely tropical forest alive with birdsong and boasting lush undergrowth with considerable botanical interest. Our route winds down to the National Park gate at Mweka (1,650 m). Here we sign out from the national park before walking on for a further 15 minutes through coffee and banana farms to Mweka village where our vehicle awaits ready to transfer you back to your hotel. The shower, the beer, and the swimming pool are tantalisingly close! [4-6 hours walking]