MOSHI

After arriving in Moshi, we check into our hotel, and prepare for our great climb. We spend 2 nights here.  On your second day you will meet your professional Tusker guide for a climb orientation and equipment check.
(Dinner)

LONDOROSSI GATE to MTI  MKUBWA (9,170 ft.)

A three-hour drive from our Moshi Hotel brings us to the Londorossi Park Gate located on the western side of Kilimanjaro. At the gate we check in. We then drive to the trailhead at Lemosho Glades and start our trek through the rain forest. In places the vegetation is so untouched that it grows right across the narrow track. The flora and fauna are richer here than on the other more popular routes through the rain forest.  In about 4 hours we reach our camp in the rain forest at Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree).
(All Meals)

MTI MKUBWA to SHIRA  CAMP (11,500 ft.)

After breakfast, we start the climb cross the remaining rain forest towards the giant moorland zone. Today is a 6-7 hour trek with an altitude gain of 2,400 ft. After lunch, in a beautiful valley just outside the Shira Crater, we cross into the Shira Caldera, a high altitude desert plateau which is rarely visited. Shira is the third of Kilimanjaro's volcanic cones, and is filled with lava flow from Kibo Peak. The crater rim has been decimated by weather and volcanic action. Today you'll get your first close views of Kibo - the dramatic summit of Kilimanjaro.
(All Meals)

SHIRA CAMP to MOIR CAMP (13,650 ft.)

After breakfast we continue our trek east across the Shira Plateau past the Shira Cathedral towards Moir camp.  The views of the plateau are nothing less than spectacular. It's about a 6 hour hike to camp. On the way we pass the first of many Giant Senecios, some of Kilimanjaro's other-worldly massive plants. Moir Camp resembles an amphitheater as it sits below a massive lava flow.
(All Meals)

MOIR CAMP to LAVA TOWER   (14,950 ft.)

In this Alpine Moorland Zone, the plants are extremely hardy, and consist of lichens, grasses, and heather among others. Today's hike is about 3-4 hours.

We spend two nights here, as part of our acclimatization process. We will camp near Lava Tower, a unique formation of erosion resistant basalt that rises out of Kili's shoulder. On our second day here we will take 4 hour round trip acclimatization hike to Arrow Glacier Camp, at 15,925 ft.
(All Meals)

LAVA TOWER to KARANGA CAMP  (13,000 ft.)

From Lava Tower, we are trekking mostly downhill today, around Kibo's spectacular south-facing glaciers. The view of the towering peak are spectacular. After descending through the heather and lobelias to 12,800 ft., we climb the Barranco Wall, a massive "rock" 500 feet high. We then descend through the Karanga Valley to our camp up the other side of the valley.
(All Meals)

KARANGA to BARAFU CAMP (14,950 ft.)

The air starts getting quite thin, and you will be running short of breath. It's a tough, but a rewarding uphill climb to the rocky, craggy slopes at the camp.  "Barafu" means, "ice" in Swahili, and it is extremely cold at this altitude. We arrive here fairly early. This is an important part of our plan, as we need to hike up a thousand feet, so we can acclimatize at around 16,000 ft. before we climb to the crater the next day.
(All Meals)

CAMP to CRATER CAMP (18,370 ft.)

Unlike most companies, who climb this route at night, we climb in the daylight. We slowly wind our way from Barafu for around 7 hours until we reach the edge of the crater floor. You'll be running short of breath here, so we'll give you oxygen, if you need it. There might be snow along this part of the climb, and it's extremely cold, so we dress warmly.

The views of the Kibo saddle below Mawenzi Peak are what we came here for. We trek along the inner crater floor to our camp a thousand feet below the summit, and relax after our hard trek.
(All Meals)

THE SUMMIT ! to  MILLENIUM CAMP (19,340 ft. - 12,500 ft.)

We spend about 2 hours hiking up to Uhuru Peak, the summit. Euphoria, relief, ecstatic, powerful, are just a few words that describe what you're feeling at the top. After the celebration, we head down to our last camp on the mountain, "high" in more ways than one.   We hike  down to Millennium Camp, (about 8 hours) and your lungs will thank you as you as you breathe the oxygen-rich air. We enjoy a celebration meal, prepared by the our cook at camp, and enjoy our last night on Kilimanjaro.
(All Meals)

MILLENNIUM CAMP to MOSHI

In the morning we have a four-hour walk down to the road, where we meet our vehicle, and drive a short way back to our hotel. A hot shower and a cold beer await you, before you head off to a well deserved rest in a real bed.
(All Meals)

Fly home, or head out on a Great Game Safari!
(Breakfast & Lunch)
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