• Hiking time: 5-7hrs
• Habitat: rain forest

Pick up from the hotel in Arusha after your breakfast, drive to Machame village with enroute brief stopover at the village for picnic lunch. Always if its rainy season the car stops and be parked to this village but if dry season we can continue our drive to the Kilimanjaro National Park headquarter at Machame gate for registration, meet our potters as they are ready to take you higher and higher on this trek. We will start our hike through the rain forest on a winding trail up a ridge, lower down the trail can be a slippery muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles are recommended here. We continue a short distance to Machame camp as the potters already headed pitched and erect tents for you. Dinner and overnight at the Machame camp.

• Elevation: 9,400ft – 12,500ft
• Distance: 5 km
• Hiking time: 4-6hrs
• Habitat: moorland

Rise up early for breakfast at the camp, we leave the glades of the moorland rain forest vegetation and continue on an ascending path, crossing the little valley walking along a steep rocky ridge, covered with heather, until the ridge ends. The route now turns west onto a river gorge.

Have stop for lunch and some rest before we continue to Shira plateau where will have our diner and overnight at the camp.

• Elevation : 12,500ft – 13,000ft
• Distance: 10 km
• Hiking time: 6-8hrs
• Habitat: semi desert

After our morning breakfast, we hike to the eastern up ridge to the semi-arid and rocky landscape, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue, our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower, called the “Shark’s Tooth.”

From the Shira Plateau, Shortly after the tower, we come to the second junction which brings us up to the Arrow Glacier at an altitude of 16,000ft. We now continue down to the Barranco Hut at an altitude of 13,000ft. Here we rest, enjoy dinner, and overnight. Although you end the day at the same elevation as when you started, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.

• Elevation : 13,000ft – 13,100ft
• Distance: 5 km
• Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
• Habitat: Alpine Desert

After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge passing the Barranco Wall, to the Karanga Valley campsite. This is a short day hiking meant for acclimatization.

• Elevation : 13,100ft – 15,300ft
• Distance: 4 km
• Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
• Habitat: Alpine Desert

After breakfast, we leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are to be seen from this position.

• Elevation : 15,300ft – 19,345ft – 10,000ft
• Distance: 5 km ascent / 12 km descent
• Hiking Time: 7-8 hours ascent / 4-6 hours descent
• Habitat: Arctic

Very early in the morning (midnight to 2am), we continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek.

At Stella Point (18,600 ft), you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting). From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit. At Uhuru Peak, you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. Faster hikers will see the sunrise from the summit.

From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You will want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.

• Elevation : 10,000ft – 5,400ft
• Distance: 10 km
• Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
• Habitat: Rain Forest

After breakfast, we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy).

From the gate, you continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet you at Mweka village to drive you back to hotel in Arusha.

Accommodation: Masai Land Safari Lodge