Welcome to Tanzania! Upon arrival at the Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met by a Safari Lenka’s representative and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town. Depending on your arrival time, you will have a pre-trek briefing with your Kilimanjaro guide either this afternoon/evening or the following morning.

Transfer Time: 1 Hour
Meals: None

A one-hour drive from Moshi lays the gate to the Machame route, where you will complete park formalities, meet your crew of porters and start to climb! The first section of the route climbs steadily and involves real jungle-bashing through magnificent forest. This path is less well-trodden and is often wet and muddy underfoot. Upon reaching the Machame Hut camp, you will settle in for your first night on the mountain and enjoy some hot tea and snacks before dinner.

Trekking Time: 4-6 hours
Distance: 10.75 km / 6.7 mi
Altitude Change: +1210 m / +3,969 ft

Overnight: Machame Hut
Transfer Time: 1 hour
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The route continues on up through the forest until reaching the steep ascent on the Shira Plateau, where there are rewarding views of the mountain. Looking back, you will be able to see Mt. Meru rising high above Arusha town.

Trekking Time: 4-6 hours
Distance: 5 km / 3.1 mi
Altitude Change: +818 m / +2,684 ft

Overnight: Shira Caves
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Walking now on high moorland, the landscape changes the entire character of the trek. You will traverse the southwest side of Kilimanjaro, passing underneath the Lava Tower and the final section of the Western Breach, finally reaching Barranco Camp. The day has been spent at altitude, but you will have followed the mountaineering code of ‘walk high, sleep low’ to avoid altitude sickness by aiding your bodies in acclimatization.

Trekking Time: 6-7 hours
Distance: 10.2 km / 6.3 mi
Altitude Change: +788 m / +2,585 ft; -641 m / -2,103 ft

Overnight: Barranco Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Start the day by descending into the start of the Great Barranco, a huge ravine. Then exit steeply, up what has been termed the Breakfast Wall, which divides you from the southeastern slopes of Kibo. It is a climb over rocks, although not technical. Passing underneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers, head towards the Karanga Valley for overnight.

Trekking Time: 4-5 hours
Distance: 5 km / 3.1 mi
Altitude Change: +48 m / +158 ft

Overnight: Karanga Valley
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The day is characterized by a short hike on terrain formed by scree. Walk through arid, lunar land towards Barafu Camp where you have the entire afternoon to rest before your assault on the summit begins at midnight.

Trekking Time: 2-4 hours
Distance: 3.5 km / 2.2 mi
Altitude Change: +628 m / +2,060 ft

Overnight: Barafu Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We avoid walking too long in the heat of the sun today by starting around midnight, walking steeply upwards to the summit glaciers. You will be climbing scree for 5 to 6 hours but you gain incredible height over a short distance. The views are spectacular. You should be on the crater rim at Stella Point (5745 m) as the first rays of the sun emerge. Spectacular ice cliffs within the crater surround you and the views to Mawenzi peak and beyond are breathtaking. Another hour’s walk takes you to your goal, the summit of Uhuru, the highest point in Africa. You made it!

Trekking Time: 6-8 hours
Distance: 5 km / 3.1 mi
Altitude Change: +1233 m / +4,046 ft

Overnight: Barafu Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a quick celebration and photos at the top, you will begin the descent by returning to Stella Point and then descending on scree slope back to Barafu Camp for breakfast and a short rest before finally heading down to Mweka Hut for a well-earned rest. On the descent, you will have fabulous views of the plains and Mawenzi peak.

Trekking Time: 6-8 hours
Distance: 11.5 km / 7.1 mi
Altitude Change: -2789 m / -9,151 ft

Overnight: Mweka Hut
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A gentle trek takes you down through the rainforest to the Mweka Gate, where park formalities will be completed and you will be met by our vehicles to return you to the Pristine Trails office. Here you will receive your certificate of ascent courtesy of the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority, have the tipping ceremony for your mountain crew and collect any luggage you stored. Thereafter, you will be driven back to your hotel where you can treat yourself to a well-earned shower and a good night’s sleep.

Trekking Time: 2-4 hours
Distance: 9 km / 5.6 mi
Altitude Change: -1473 m / -4,832 ft

Overnight: Kilimanjaro Wonders Hotel
Transfer Time: 45 mins
Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, you will begin the next leg of your journey either onto your wildlife safari or you will be transferred to the Kilimanjaro International Airport for your departure flight.

Trekking Time: 2-4 hours
Distance: 9 km / 5.6 mi
Altitude Change: -1473 m / -4,832 ft

Transfer Time: 1 hour to airport
Meals: Breakfast