Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit & Crater Camp: 10-Day Climb with 2 Hotel Nights

Your guide and crew collect you after breakfast for the drive of three to four hours to Londorossi Gate (2,200 m) on the western side of the mountain. After permits and the rescue registration, you walk through dense rainforest, where heavy showers are common, to Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,780 m). After lunch a short walk of about an hour gains some 300 metres towards Shira 1 before you return for dinner. About 6 km, 3 to 4 hours.

The trail climbs steadily out of the forest into heather and moorland, and at about 3,500 metres you get your first views of the Shira Plateau and Kibo. You reach Shira 1 Camp (3,505 m) for lunch, with the afternoon free to rest or explore nearby. From today, drink three to four litres of water, skip alcohol and caffeine, and tell your guide about any headache. About 5 km, 5 to 6 hours.

An easy walk east across the plateau, with wide views and unusual alpine plants, brings you to Shira 2 Camp for lunch. On a clear day this is the best place on the route to see Mount Meru floating to the west. After a rest you walk about 2 km towards Lava Tower, gaining around 300 metres, then return to camp for dinner. About 7 km, 3 to 4 hours.

You climb through alpine desert to the volcanic plug of Lava Tower (4,630 m) and eat lunch there, giving your body time at altitude. If anyone is struggling, your guide can take a lower path that tops out around 4,400 m. Instead of heading south to Barranco, you then turn north and descend gradually to Moir Hut Camp (4,200 m) in a quiet valley below the Lent Hills. About 14 km, 5 to 7 hours.

A long but easy day. After a short, steep climb out of the Moir Valley, the path contours round the northern slopes of Kilimanjaro, rolling up and down without big gains in height. The trail passes close to the Kenyan border, and on a clear day you look out over the plains towards Amboseli and Tsavo. You camp at Buffalo Camp (4,020 m). About 12 km, 5 to 6 hours.

A shorter walk takes you on round the northern side of the mountain to Third Cave Camp (3,870 m), where the Northern Circuit meets the Rongai trail. By now your body is well used to life at around 4,000 metres, and most climbers feel noticeably stronger. The afternoon is for resting, eating well and drinking plenty ahead of the higher days to come. About 8 km, 4 to 6 hours.

The trail climbs steadily across stony alpine desert towards Kibo, with Mawenzi's spires to the east. You reach School Hut Camp (4,750 m) around lunchtime. The walk is not hard, but keep a gentle pace, because tomorrow you climb to the crater. Spend the afternoon resting, sleeping and drinking as much as you can, and your guide will check how each climber is feeling. About 5 km, 4 to 5 hours.

One of the toughest days of the climb. After a warm breakfast you climb steep scree to the crater rim, then drop into the summit crater, surrounded by snow and the layered ice walls of the glaciers. Crater Camp sits at about 5,730 m. If you feel strong you can walk to the Ash Pit, about 90 minutes away, today or tomorrow. It is very cold here and snow at night is likely, so rest and keep warm. About 5 km, 4 to 6 hours.

You wake around 5.30 am, have a hearty breakfast and set off in the dark, often through snow. Technically the climb is easy, but the altitude is at its most demanding, and one guide looks after every two climbers. Within about two hours you stand on Uhuru Peak (5,895 m), ideally at sunrise. Do not linger in the cold. You then descend past Barafu to Millennium Camp (3,820 m). About 16 km, 6 to 8 hours.

Waking lower down, you will feel the difference in the air. After breakfast you walk down through heath and then rainforest to Mweka Gate (1,650 m). Take the descent carefully, because tired legs and loose ground cause most slips. At the gate you say goodbye to your crew and collect your summit certificate. Then it is a short drive back to Weru Weru River Lodge for a hot shower and a proper bed. About 12 km, 4 to 5 hours.

Enjoy a slow breakfast and a rest before your transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport. Hotel check-out is at 11 am. If your flight leaves in the evening, ask us about a late check-out or an extra night at the lodge, which can be arranged for an additional fee. Many climbers add a safari, a day at Materuni Waterfall or a few days in Zanzibar after the mountain, and your specialist can plan the connection for you.