Our Routes

Londorossi Gate (2,100m) → Mti Mkubwa / Forest Camp (2,750m)

Transfer from Arusha to Londorossi Gate for registration, then trek through dense montane rainforest alive with colobus monkeys and birdsong. Arrive at Forest Camp for a welcome dinner and your first evening on the mountain.

Mti Mkubwa (2,750m) → Shira 1 Camp (3,500m)

The forest gives way to heath and moorland as you gain elevation. Wide views of the Shira Plateau open up ahead. The pace is deliberately slow to support acclimatization.

Shira 1 (3,500m) → Shira 2 Camp (3,900m)

A shorter day crossing the ancient Shira Plateau caldera. With Kibo's glaciated summit visible ahead, this is a powerful moment of intention. Afternoon is free for rest, reflection, and acclimatization walks.

Shira 2 (3,900m) → Barranco Camp (3,960m)

Climb high, sleep low. Trek up to Lava Tower at 4,630m for lunch and acclimatization, then descend to Barranco Camp. This profile is critical for altitude adaptation. The descent rewards you with views of the dramatic Barranco Wall you'll climb tomorrow.

Barranco Camp (3,960m) → Karanga Camp (4,035m)

The iconic Barranco Wall — a hands-and-feet scramble that looks more intimidating than it is. Guides lead you safely up each step. At the top, sweeping views of the Southern Circuit unfold. A short walk brings you to Karanga for rest.

Karanga Camp (4,035m) → Barafu Base Camp (4,673m)

The alpine desert begins in earnest. Short but significant gain to Barafu — your launch point for the summit. Arrive early afternoon, rest, eat well, and sleep by 6pm. You will wake at midnight.

Barafu (4,673m) → Uhuru Peak (5,895m) → Mweka Camp (3,100m)

Begin at midnight under a ceiling of stars. The final push is demanding — cold, dark, and thin air — but your guides are with you every step. Reach Stella Point (5,739m) at sunrise, then continue to Uhuru Peak (5,895m), the roof of Africa. Summit ritual. Photographs. Tears. Then a long but joyful descent to Mweka Camp for a final night on the mountain.

Rongai Gate (1,950m) → Simba Camp (2,625m)

Enter Kilimanjaro from the north, near the Kenyan border. The landscape is drier and more open than the southern routes — pines, cypress, and wide skies. A gentle introduction to the mountain, arriving at Simba Camp with the summit pyramid visible to the south.

Simba Camp (2,625m) → Second Cave Camp (3,450m)

Steady climb through open moorland. The vegetation becomes sparse and the mountain's true scale becomes apparent. Camp at Second Cave, a natural rock overhang used by climbers for decades.

Second Cave (3,450m) → Kikelewa Camp (3,630m)

A shorter day to allow the body to adjust. The landscape shifts to sparse alpine desert. The silence on the northern slopes is striking — a meditative quality that defines the Rongai experience.

Kikelewa Camp (3,630m) → Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4,330m)

Climb to Mawenzi Tarn — a glacial lake cradled beneath the dramatic jagged peaks of Mawenzi (5,149m). One of the most striking locations on the entire mountain. Afternoon acclimatization hike to 4,600m, then return to camp. Ideal day for reflection and intention-setting before the summit push.

Mawenzi Tarn (4,330m) → Kibo Hut (4,750m)

Cross the famous Saddle — the high plateau that connects Mawenzi and Kibo peaks. Barren, windswept, and lunar in appearance. Arrive at Kibo Hut, the last stop before the summit. Rest, eat, and prepare. Sleep by 6pm.

Kibo Hut (4,750m) → Uhuru Peak (5,895m) → Horombo Hut (3,720m)

Midnight start up the scree slopes toward Gillman's Point (5,685m) on the crater rim, then along the crater rim to Stella Point and Uhuru Peak. Summit at sunrise. The descent follows the Marangu route down to Horombo Hut for a final night — a long but triumphant day.

Horombo Hut (3,720m) → Marangu Gate (1,820m)

Descend the classic Marangu route through montane forest to Marangu Gate. Summit certificates presented. Transfer to Arusha. The post-summit integration session follows in the evening — space to process the experience and carry it home.

Londorossi Gate (2,100m) → Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,750m)

Enter through the quiet western forest, trekking beneath ancient trees to the first camp at Mti Mkubwa.

Mti Mkubwa (2,750m) → Shira 1 Camp (3,500m)

Climb out of the forest into heath and moorland as the vast Shira Plateau and Kibo summit come into view.

Shira 1 (3,500m) → Shira 2 Camp (3,900m)

Cross the volcanic plateau at a measured pace, with time for an afternoon acclimatization walk.

Shira 2 (3,900m) → Moir Hut Camp (4,200m)

Climb toward Lava Tower for high-altitude exposure, then turn north to the secluded Moir Valley beneath Lent Hills.

Moir Hut (4,200m) → Buffalo Camp (4,020m)

Traverse the remote northern slopes, where broad views reach across the Kenyan plains and few other teams are seen.

Buffalo Camp (4,020m) → Third Cave Camp (3,870m)

Continue through high alpine desert, gradually descending to Third Cave for rest and recovery.

Third Cave (3,870m) → School Hut (4,750m)

Make the final steady climb to School Hut. Prepare summit equipment, eat early, and rest before the midnight ascent.

School Hut (4,750m) → Uhuru Peak (5,895m) → Millennium Camp (3,820m)

Ascend to Gilman’s Point and continue around the crater rim to Uhuru Peak. After sunrise celebrations, descend on the southern side to Millennium Camp.

Millennium Camp (3,820m) → Mweka Gate (1,640m)

Descend through lush rainforest to Mweka Gate for certificates, farewells, and the return to Arusha.

Umbwe Gate (1,800m) → Umbwe Cave Camp (2,850m)

Climb sharply through dense rainforest on a narrow ridge. The steep, quiet trail immediately reveals Umbwe’s demanding character.

Umbwe Cave (2,850m) → Barranco Camp (3,960m)

Continue along exposed ridges as the forest gives way to moorland, arriving beneath the imposing Barranco Wall.

Barranco Camp (3,960m) → Lava Tower (~4,630m) → Barranco Camp

Use a dedicated climb-high, sleep-low day toward Lava Tower before returning to Barranco. Guides assess every climber before the route continues.

Barranco Camp (3,960m) → Karanga Camp (4,035m)

Climb the Barranco Wall and traverse the Southern Circuit beneath glaciers to Karanga Camp.

Karanga Camp (4,035m) → Barafu Camp (4,673m)

Reach Barafu Base Camp, rest, hydrate, and prepare equipment for the midnight summit push.

Barafu (4,673m) → Uhuru Peak (5,895m) → Mweka Camp (3,100m)

Climb through the night to Stella Point and Uhuru Peak, then descend to Mweka Camp for a final mountain night.

Mweka Camp (3,100m) → Mweka Gate (1,640m)

Walk through rainforest to Mweka Gate for certificates and transfer to Arusha.