Phone:
+255 755 879 484

Email:
info@tz.kilitwende.co.tz

Address:
P.O.Box 2122 Moshi - Tanzania

  • KiliTwende
  • KiliTwende

Kilimanjaro Trek 8 Days Northern Circuit Route

Special Tour 8 days
Northern Circuit Route, Tanzania Tour Guide: KiliTwende

Trek Overview:

The Northern Circuit route is one of the best routes on Kilimanjaro, offering nearly 360 degrees of beautiful scenery, including the quiet, rarely visited northern slopes. As the longest route on Kilimanjaro, the Northern Circuit also has the most acclimatization time and the highest summit success rate. Thus, the Northern Circuit route is highly recommended.

(And by rule of thumb, the longer the route, the better the chances of making it to the top).

The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the west, beginning with a long drive from Moshi to Lemosho Gate. From there, the first two days are spent trekking through the rainforest to Shira Ridge, before crossing the Shira Plateau. The route then heads north and circles clockwise from Moir Hut to Buffalo Camp to School Hut, before summiting from the east at Gilman’s Point. Descend via the Mweka route, where you will most likely encounter other trekkers who ascended via the Lemosho, Shira, Umbwe, or Machame routes.

If you have both time and enough budget, consider taking the northern circuit route, which is certainly one of the most enjoyable ways to do Kilimanjaro.

Trek Highlights

  • Arrival
  • Day 1: Lemosho Gate (2,100m/6,890ft) – Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,650m/8,695)
  • Day 2: Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,650m/8,695ft) – Shira 1 Camp (3,500m11, 500ft)
  • Day 3: Shira 1 Camp (3,500m11, 500ft) – Moir hut Camp (4,200m/13,800ft)
  • Day 4: Moir hut Camp (4,200m/13,800ft) – Pofu Camp (4,020m/13,200ft)
  • Day 5: Pofu Camp (4,020m/13,200ft) –Third Cave Camp (3,960m/12,800ft)
  • Day 6: Third Cave Camp (3,960m/12,800ft) – School hut Camp (4790m/15,700ft)
  • Day 7: School hut Camp (4,790m/15,700) – Uhuru Peak (5,895m/19,350ft) – Millennium Camp (3,950m/12,950ft) –Mweka Camp (3,100m/10,200ft)
  • Day 8: Mweka Camp (3,100m/10,200ft) – Mweka Gate (1,650m/54,200ft) – Moshi (900m/2,950ft)
  • End

Inclusions

  • Pick up and drop off at Kilimanjaro International Airport
  • Pre & Post Trek accommodation at the standard hotel in Moshi
  • Park fees, camp fee, rescue fees with newly government enforced 18% VAT from July 1st 2016
  • Transfers to/from the mountain gates
  • Expert guides, cook, assistant guides, and porters
  • Three meals a day during the climb
  • Bottled water on the first day of the climb boiled and filtered on the mountain
  • Entry fees, Camping fees, rescue fees and crew fees
  • Mountains 4 Season sleeping tents double occupancy
  • Sleeping mattress, foam, 1.5 inches thick
  • Mess tent, table, chairs and lanterns
  • Oxygen tank in case of emergency
  • Portable flush toilet with a toilet tent
  • Crew salaries (Guides, cook and porters)

Exclusions

  • Airfare
  • Beverages and food at hotel
  • Personal trekking gear
  • Laundry Services
  • A doctor for the group
  • Tips for porters, guides, cook and assistant guides

Day 0: Arrive Moshi/Tanzania

Upon arrival, you will meet and picked at Kilimanjaro International Airport with a KiliTwende Adventures representative followed by transferred to a hotel in Moshi, where you will meet with a Kilimanjaro Trekking guide for the Pre trekking briefing and equipment check up, then rest until the next morning for the starting trek.

Day 1: Lemosho Gate (2,100m/6,890ft) – Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,650m/8,695)

Distance: 4km
Environment: Montane forest
Time: 3 to 4 hours

Start in the morning from the lodge in Moshi; you will make a way to the Lemosho gate on the Western side of Mt. Kilimanjaro (the drive takes 3 hours). Arrive at the gate then complete all the park entry formalities.  Enjoy lunch which will be served before you begin the trek through the rainforest.

In the forest, exotic moss and flowers delight the eye while bird calls entertain the ear. You may see Black and White Colobus monkeys as well as signs of the elephants that travel in this area.

The walk on this day is going to be quite short compared to the forthcoming days and will take about 3 to 4 hours.

Day 2: Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,650m/8,695ft) – Shira 1 Camp (3,500m11, 500ft)

Distance: 7km
Environment: Moorland
Time: 4 to 5 hours

As you walk along the thin trail through the rainforest, you will notice the vegetation becoming scarcer and scarcer until you finally reach moorland filled with Lobelia and Eric plants. Ascending through rolling hills, you will reach Shira 1 Camp in about 4 – 5 hours.

This is a good acclimatization hike, as you go up and down several ridges along the way to you highest point of the day before descending to the camp.

You’ll be unmistakably able to see the snow-capped summit of Kibo from your campsite looking over the Shira Plateau. After a hearty evening meal you’ll doze off looking at the stars in the night sky which will bring the day to a close.

Day 3: Shira 1 Camp (3,500m11, 500ft) – Moir hut Camp (4,200m/13,800ft)

Distance: 10km
Environment: Moorland
Time: 5 to 6 hours

After breakfast you will start your trek to Moir hut camp. Today hike is much more easy and leisurely as the terrain is comparatively flatter. You’ll enjoy the views of the Great Rift Valley and nearby Mount Meru. The giant Lobelias which are distinctive in this area Lobelias still dot the moor landscape.

You’ll diverge from the main trail and get to Moir Hut Camp which is located beneath the scenic Lent Hills.

Arrive at the camp for lunch then depending on the weather, acclimatization hikes can be arranged in the late afternoon followed by dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Moir hut Camp (4,200m/13,800ft) – Pofu Camp (4,020m/13,200ft)

Distance: 12km
Environment: Semi-desert
Time: 6 to 7 hours

You will take a short but steep hike from Moir Valley to the top of the Lent Hills. Not only is the view worth the effort, proper acclimatization requires you to ‘walk high, sleep low’. This is a great acclimatization day.

Afterwards you will rejoin the trail and cross several valleys on Kilimanjaro’s north side before reaching Pofu Camp.

Day 5: Pofu Camp (4,020m/13,200ft) –Third Cave Camp (3,960m/12,800ft)

Distance: 7km
Environment: Alpine desert
Time: 5 to 6 hours

Today you will continue traverse around the northern side of Mount Kilimanjaro, with expansive views, as you find your way to Third Cave Camp. Leaving Pofu Camp behind, you’ll be circling along the mountain’s north side and get magnificent views of Kenya along the way.

You’ll get to cross more valleys before turning eastwards where the vegetation decreases and the territory becomes drier. Arrive at the camp for lunch, dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Third Cave Camp (3,960m/12,800ft) – School hut Camp (4790m/15,700ft)

Distance: 6 km
Environment: Alpine desert
Time: 6hours

Today you will get to the higher elevation. A long and steady ascent takes us to The Saddle, and a landscape that can only be referred to as ‘lunar’, with the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo rising on either side. You’ll reach School Hut and make camp in the early afternoon, giving you a chance to rest and prepare for the mid night summit.

Day 7: School hut Camp (4,790m/15,700) – Uhuru Peak (5,895m/19,350ft) – Millennium Camp (3,950m/12,950ft) –Mweka Camp (3,100m/10,200ft)

Distance: 18 km
Environment: Alpine desert/stone scree/ice-capped summit/Montane forest
Time: 14 to 16 hours

You will start early, around 11 pm or midnight.  Ascend to the Gilman’s Point which is located at the rim of Kilimanjaro’s crater. From there, you can see the sun rise over the peak of Mawenzi, and after a short break, you’ll ascend further to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa.

Descending from the peak will lead you to Barafu camp before continue to Millennium camp where you’ll meet with the rest of your mountain crew for lunch. After the meal and some rest, then continue down to Mweka camp to sleep overnight.

Depends with how you will be feeling, you will sleep at Millennium camp instead, so less descent today, but means more descent tomorrow.

Day 8: Mweka Camp (3,100m/10,200ft) – Mweka Gate (1,650m/54,200ft) – Moshi (900m/2,950ft)

Distance: 10km
Environment: Montane forest
Time: 3 to 4 hours

The final ascend of your amazing Kilimanjaro trekking adventure begins after your last breakfast on the mountain followed by a traditional farewell ceremony from the mountain crew. Then a gentle 3 to 4 hours’ descent through the rainforest continues to Mweka Gate, where your transferring driver will be waiting for you to drive back to the Hotel accommodation in Moshi and after a warm shower, the rest of the day is free to rest, relax at the pool or celebrate your achievement.

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