Northern Circuit Route (9 Days)

The Northern Circuit Route begins at Londorossi Gate (2,100 meters) in the West, the same start point as the Lemosho Route. The drive to Londorossi Gate takes approximately two hours from Moshi and considerably longer from Arusha. Registration with the Kilimanjaro National Park authorities occurs at the gate and then you will be driven further up the mountain to the trailhead starting point. Most tour operators serve lunch here before the short first day trek to Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,820 meters) begins. You may get lucky and spot large wildlife like elephant and buffalo that sometimes emerge from the rainforest onto the path as you trek towards your first camp. Dinner will be served when you reach Mti Mkubwa Camp.

	Mti Mkubwa Camp
	Distance:	| 5.5km / 3 miles
	Approx. trekking time:	| 3 – 4 hours
	Zone:	| Rainforest
	Meals:	| Breakfast
		| Lunch
		| Dinner

On day two you will spend the first hour trekking through the last section of rainforest path before entering the low alpine moorland zone which follows up onto the Shira Plateau. The trek is relatively short and gradual, ending at Shira Camp 1 (3,610 meters).

	Shira 1 Camp
	Distance:	| 8km / 5 miles
	Approx. trekking time:	| 5 – 6 hours
	Zone:	| Rainforest
	Meals:	| Breakfast
		| Lunch
		| Dinner

Day three is a long trek heading east which passes through the ‘Garden of the Senecios’ and then enters the high alpine desert zone. The morning is spent trekking up to Lava Tower and the iconic Shark’s Tooth rock formation at 4,600 meters, where you will have lunch. After lunch you will join the northern circuit heading down to Moir Camp at 4,200 meters. This is an important day in your trek as you will get to experience high altitude and then sleep low, which is good for the acclimatization process. 

	Moir Camp
	Distance:	| 15km / 8 miles
	Approx. trekking time:	| 5 – 7 hours
	Zone:	| Low alpine zone / High alpine zone
	Meals:	| Breakfast
		| Lunch
		| Dinner

Day four involves a moderately steep climb out of Moir Valley. Trekkers can take a small detour here to climb the summit of Little Lent Hill at 4,375 meters before returning to the Northern Circuit trail. From here the route follows a series of inclines and declines, skirting around the northern slopes of Kibo to Buffalo Camp (4,020 meters).The trek gives great vistas out across the plains that lie north of Kilimanjaro and stretch out to the Kenyan / Tanzanian border. You will arrive at Buffalo Camp just after midday, where you will have lunch and have time to rest after a long day hiking. 

	Buffalo Camp
	Distance:	| 12km / 7 miles
	Approx. trekking time:	| 5 – 7 hours
	Zone:	| High alpine zone
	Meals:	| Breakfast
		| Lunch
		| Dinner

Day five starts with a climb up the Buffalo ridge and down into Porfu Camp where lunch is usually served. The route then continues east around the northern slopes to the Rongai Third Cave at 3,800 meters. The trek is shorter than the day before and by now you should be feeling well acclimatized to the altitude. You will arrive at the Third Cave just around mid-afternoon. 

	Rongai Third Cave
	Distance:	| 8km / 5 miles
	Approx. trekking time:	| 5 – 7 hours
	Zone:	| High alpine zone and low alpine zone
	Meals:	| Breakfast
		| Lunch
		| Dinner

On day six after breakfast you begin your way to Barafu Summit Camp (4,640 m), the starting point for a night summiting Uhuru Peak (5,895 m). The climb will take us across desolate scree slopes with no vegetation around us at all. It’s a tough steep walk made more difficult by the altitude. Our team will set up a camp for you ahead of time, including tents and sleeping bags, so you can relax. After regaining strength, you have to complete an acclimatization hike towards the intermediate Kosovo Summit Camp (4,800 m) and then back to Barafu Camp, where you will be served a hot dinner. It is better to spend the remainder of the day resting and sleeping before night summiting.

	School Hut
	Distance:	| 15km / 8 miles
	Approx. trekking time:	| 4 – 5 hours
	Zone:	| High alpine zone and glacial zone
	Meals:	| Breakfast
		| Lunch
		| Dinner

Wake before dawn to start your summit approach. You’ll reach Uhuru Peak in the early afternoon, when few groups are around. A short descent brings you to Crater Camp, set in soft sands near the famed Furtwangler Glacier. Crater camp is not a route in it’s own right but a challenging extension which in principle can be added to any route. It involves sleeping overnight in the bowl of the crater. An amazing experience enjoyed by only a few of the most adventurous climbers.

	Crater Camp
	Distance:	| 6km / 3.5 miles
	Approx. trekking time:	| 6 – 8 hours
	Zone:	| Glacial zone
	Meals:	| Breakfast
		| Lunch
		| Dinner

Wake before dawn to start your summit approach. You’ll reach Uhuru Peak in the early afternoon, when few groups are around. A short descent brings you to Crater Camp, set in soft sands near the famed Furtwangler Glacier. Crater camp is not a route in it’s own right but a challenging extension which in principle can be added to any route. It involves sleeping overnight in the bowl of the crater. An amazing experience enjoyed by only a few of the most adventurous climbers.

	Millennium Camp
	Distance:	| 13.4km / 8.3 miles
	Approx. trekking time:	| 12 – 15 hours
	Zone:	| Rainforest
	Meals:	| Breakfast
		| Lunch
		| Dinner

In the morning after early breakfast, we begin our descent by returning to Stella Point and then descending on scree slope passing Barafu camp for a short break before heading down to Millennium Camp for a long well-earned rest. 

	Mweka Gate
	Distance:	| 12.1km / 7.5 miles
	Approx. trekking time:	| 6 hours
	Zone:	| Rainforest
	Meals:	| Breakfast
		| Lunch

This day left for your next destination. A vehicle will take you back to the Hotel in Moshi, where it is definitely time for celebration. Depart for the airport or other destinations in Tanzania. If you have safari, then might be used to beginning your safari or fly to beaches in Zanzibar so as we can arrange many reasonably priced trips and safaris around Moshi and the Kilimanjaro region. If you fly back home our vehicle will be ready to take you to the airport at your time.

	Moshi
	Meals	| Breakfast