Considered as one of the best ways to ascend Kilimanjaro, the Northern Circuit Route is also the longest one and one of the most scenic ones. This 10-day trek provides ample climbing time and opportunities for acclimatization, making it ideal for those seeking a higher chance of summit success. As a result, it is among the routes with the highest success rates for reaching the mighty Uhuru Peak, the Roof of Africa. In addition to its success rate, this route is renowned for its diverse and breathtaking scenery, with relatively fewer visitors compared to other routes.
Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, our guide will take you to your hotel in Arusha city. Here you can recover from the flight and get used to the Tanzania environment. Our mountain guide will meet you at the hotel for briefing and gear checkup.
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel
After breakfast, our driver will pick us up and transfer to Lemosho Gate (2300 m / 7545 ft) on the Western side of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Enjoy the landscape and farms as you drive for 3 hours. After arrival at the Gate, we will register and go through the permit procedure while you can have lunch. We will hike for about 4 hours to the Big Tree Camp (2650 m / 8694 ft). As you walk through the forest, enjoy the views of exotic moss and flowers and the sound of bird call. You may even see black-and-white colobus monkeys as well as signs of elephants that travel in this area.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Big Tree Camp (2,650 m / 8,694 ft)
Driving: 3 hours
Hiking: 3-4 hours
Elevation gain: 350 m / 1,149 ft
Distance: 7 km / 4.4 mi
After breakfast at the camp, we will hike for an hour before we leave the forest behind and enter the moorland and volcanic rock area. Just coming out of the forest, you will have a beautiful view of the farms and Mount Meru in the distance. It is a day of many ascents and descents through the lush hills below the Shira Plateau. Shira is the third of Kilimanjaro’s volcanic peaks. The summit is covered with lava from the Kibo summit. At the end of the day, we’ll reach the edge of the plateau and the trail will become easier. We will arrive at Shira 1 Camp (3610 m / 11871ft) and stay there for the night. Enjoy an incredibly beautiful view of the Kibo summit during the sunset.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Shira 1 Camp (3,610 m / 11,871ft)
Hiking: 5-6 hours
Elevation gain: 960 m / 3,177 ft
Distance: 8 km / 5 mi
Today we will traverse the Shira Plateau and begin climbing the western slope of the Kibo Massif. Our hike will pass through Scott Fisher’s Memorial Camp and we will continue on to the upper heath zone and Moir Camp (4024 m / 13,200 ft) for a hot lunch and overnight. Depending on the weather, acclimatization hikes can be arranged in the late afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Moir Huts (4,024 m / 13,200 ft)
Hiking: 5-6 hours
Elevation gain: 410 m / 1,329 ft
Distance: 10 km / 6 mi
Today will be a long day. Our hike starts with a very steep uphill, so it’s best to start out very slowly until we crest the ridge. This day has many ascents and descents. While hiking, we will see a nice view of the Kibo Peak. Also, if lucky, we might even see wildlife like antelopes. This is a great day for acclimatization. After arriving at Pofu Camp (4139 m / 13580 ft), we will have a hot lunch to regain energy. Dinner and overnight at Pofu Camp.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, evening tea, dinner
Accommodation: Pofu Camp (4,139 m / 13,580 ft)
Hiking: 4-5 hours
Elevation gain: 115 m / 380 ft
Distance: 10 km / 5 mi
Our hike today will pass through many different landscapes, from valleys to alpine trails. The Northern Circuit route continues eastward. The path is not much frequented and gives you the opportunity to contemplate the landscape, wilderness and beautiful mountains in peace. We’ll arrive at Third Cave Camp (3800 m / 12464 ft), where we’ll spend the night and prepare for one of the most challenging days.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, evening tea, and dinner
Accommodation: Third Cave Camp (3,800 m / 12,464 ft)
Hiking: 3-4 hours
Elevation loss: 339 m / 1,116 ft
Distance: 7 km / 4 mi
On our hike today, we’ll get to our highest elevation camp. It is crucial to keep hydrated along the way, so drink plenty of water upon arrival at school huts! This is especially important as you prepare your body for the high altitude you will encounter during your midnight ascent to the summit. After lunch, we advise our clients to take ample time to rest and prepare for the final push, which commences around midnight. After an early dinner, it is best to get to bed early for some rest before you start your night-time summit ascent.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, evening tea, and dinner
Accommodation: School Huts (4,750m / 15,583 ft)
Hiking: 4-5 hours
Elevation loss: 952 m / 3.119 ft
Distance: 5 km / 3 mi
Summit day! We’ll wake up and have a cup of tea and some biscuits, preparing for the most challenging part of the trek. We start this part of the route at midnight with a climb up along the slopes. It will take approximately 2 hours to reach Hans Meyer’s Cave which serves as an excellent pit-stop to hydrate before pushing on. From here, the gradient gets steeper and the trail ascends sharply in a zigzag fashion. The climb continues for another 3 hours to Gillman’s Point (5681 m/18,640 ft). This section is highly demanding, with a lot of loose stone, necessitating significant physical and mental exertion. It is highly recommended to take it slow. From Gillman’s Point, we’ll typically see the glaciers of Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru as well as beautiful lands of Tanzania and parts of Kenya. After we reach the summit, Uhuru Peak (5,895 m / 19,340 ft), we’ll take a moment for celebration and photos, descend to Barafu camp for lunch, and then to Millennium camp for the night (3720 m / 12,205 ft).
Meals: Breakfast, evening tea, and dinner
Accommodation: Mobile tent
Hiking: 12-14 hours
Elevation gain: 1,145 m / 3,757 ft
Elevation loss: 2,785 m / 9,137 ft
Distance: 16 km / 10 mi
Millennium Camp: 3720 m/ 12,205 ft
Mweka Gate:1,830m / 6000 ft
When you wake up today, you will feel the comfort of the decrease in altitude and the satisfaction of having reached the summit. After breakfast, we’ll begin our descent through the moorlands, passing by the Mweka Gate (1,830m / 6000 ft) and traversing the mountain forest. Around noon, upon arrival at the gate, your mountain crew will celebrate your achievement with singing and dancing, hailing you as heroes who successfully summited Uhuru Peak, the roof of Africa! You will also be presented with mountain certificates, an acknowledgement to those who reached the summit. After tipping the mountain crew, you’ll be transported to the town of Moshi for lunch. Following lunch, you’ll be transferred to a hotel for the night .
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Moshi
Hiking: 4-6 hours
Elevation loss: 1,890 m / 6,209 ft
Distance: 12 km / 7.5 mi
On this day, you have the option to be transferred to the airport for your home-bound flight or connect to another destination, such as a day trip safari with Rashad Adventure, or a beach holiday in Zanzibar. Let us know if you would like to spend more time on guided adventures and we will make all arrangements!
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
The Northern Circuit route is considered one of the easiest ones—compared to some other Kilimanjaro routes, its longer itinerary allows for better acclimatization. However, keep in mind that a reasonable fitness level is required as you’ll be hiking for longer periods of time every day. Summit day could last 12 to 14 hours! Apart from that, there are also some steep parts of the route with loose stones. Still, this trek does not require technical skills or mountaineering equipment such as ice axes, crampons, harnesses, and ropes. Therefore, even if you’re a first-time trekker with excellent fitness and a desire to push yourself in a mountain environment, this 10-day climbing tour in Kilimanjaro might be for you.
Here’s a list of the equipment and clothes you need to bring:
Here’s a list of other things you need to bring:
Here’s a list of documents you’ll need:
Note that your guide will carry a more comprehensive medical kit containing additional Acetazolamide, Ibuprofen, Anti-inflammatory gel, bandages, Loperamide, Amoxicillin, Oral Dexamethasone, and several other items.
Your cook will serve large, healthy meals to keep you happy and well-fed. You will have fresh meals at breakfast and dinner, freshly prepared with locally-sourced ingredients. Lunch will mostly be in the form of a lunch box, depending on the day. All food is prepared to strict hygiene standards. Menus are designed to be nutritionally-dense, with plenty of variety to cater to the energy demands of the trek. Let us know if you have any dietary requirements.
Group sizes and pricing
Min. age requirements
To get to your tour meeting point, most people fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). You and the rest of the group will be picked up by the guides at an arranged time. If you’re not joining the group at that time, you’ll need to get a taxi ride, rent a car or take a shuttle to Moshi where your guides will meet you at the arranged accommodation on Day 1.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both medical and travel protection. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, simply choose Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!
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Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s protection. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!