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Mount Kilimanjaro Trek

Tanzania
15

Mount Kilimanjaro Trek

10 Days
$3,800.00
10
Kilimanjaro International Airport, Tanzania
18+ +
10/20
English

Date Expired !

Overview

Standing at 5,895 meters (19,341 feet) above sea level, Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest free-standing mountain in the world and the ultimate trekking challenge in Africa. This 10-day adventure is more than just a climb—it’s a journey through dramatic landscapes, diverse ecosystems, and extreme altitudes, culminating in an awe-inspiring sunrise at Uhuru Peak, the highest point on the continent.

Following the Lemosho Route, one of the most scenic and well-paced trails, you’ll traverse lush rainforests, alpine deserts, and glacial ridges, allowing for better acclimatization and a higher success rate. Along the way, experience the thrill of trekking through Kilimanjaro’s volcanic past, cross the breathtaking Shira Plateau, and push beyond your limits as you ascend through the ice fields to the summit.

This isn’t just a hike—it’s an epic personal achievement, a test of endurance, and a chance to witness the beauty of Africa’s most iconic peak in all its glory. With expert guides, premium support, and carefully timed acclimatization, this climb is designed for those seeking a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

💎 All-Inclusive (except flights) | Local guides and porters for the duration of the trek

 


🛎 What’s Included?

✅ 9 nights’ accommodation
✅ 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 8 dinners
✅ Experienced local guides and porters for the duration of the trek
✅ Industry leading Guest-to-Guide ratio (averaging 6:1)
✅ Our knowledgeable Customer Service Team to answer your queries – just a phone call, email or chat away
✅ Customer Service pre-trip phone calls to ensure you’re ‘trip ready’
✅ Nutritious snacks to keep you fueled
✅ All activities outlined in the itinerary
✅ Sleeping bag and hiking poles for the duration of the trek
✅ All necessary equipment (well-maintained and safe) for activities
✅ Transportation in our air-conditioned vans – safe, clean, modern and comfortable!

❌ Not Included: International flights, personal expenses, optional safari day


Conquer the Roof of Africa: A Mount Kilimanjaro Summit Expedition

Embark on the ultimate trekking adventure in Africa, where each step takes you closer to the legendary Uhuru Peak, the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro. This 10-day expedition promises an unforgettable journey through dramatic landscapes, fiery sunrises above the clouds, and night skies untouched by light pollution—all culminating in one of the most rewarding personal achievements imaginable.

Following the Lemosho Route, you’ll traverse some of Kilimanjaro’s most stunning and diverse terrain, allowing for better acclimatization and a higher summit success rate. This scenic trail begins in the lush Lemosho Glades, where sightings of buffalo, elephants, and other wildlife are possible, before ascending through the Shira Plateau’s volcanic landscapes and onto the breathtaking alpine desert. Designed for adventurous trekkers seeking a longer, more immersive experience, this route ensures awe-inspiring views, challenging yet manageable ascents, and an unparalleled sense of accomplishment as you stand atop Africa’s highest peak. Are you ready for the challenge?

 

Schedule Details

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Moshi

Your trip will begin at Kilimanjaro International Airport, near to Moshi – the town located on the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro and Tanzania’s gateway to the mountain! You’ll be met in the airport by a friendly face our local Tanzanian team. They’ll take you to your accommodation where you will have some time to settle in.

This evening your guide will meet you at the lodge to run through the days to come, making sure you’re all set to begin your hike with a thorough personal equipment and gear check before dinner together.
Accommodation: Chanya Lodge
Meals: Dinner

Day 2: Start the Lemosho Trail, hike the Afromontane Forest

Today the hike begins! We’ll set out from the Lodge in vehicles over 3 hours of driving to Lemosho Gate at an elevation of 6,890 feet (2,100 meters) - one of the starting points of the Lemosho Trail. Here you’ll meet the rest of the hiking crew and set off at a leisurely pace into the beautiful Afromontane Forest through windy trails. At these lower elevations the trail can be muddy and quite slippery. We highly recommend gaiters and trekking poles here. Look out for colobus and blue monkeys whilst you walk, and if you don’t see them on the trail, you’ll probably hear them this evening.

We’ll stop for lunch and have a bite to eat along the way, aiming to be at Mti Mkumbwa Camp 9,500 feet (2,895 meters) by mid-afternoon. We’ll take things nice and slow today to ease us into the days ahead.
Accommodation: Mti Mkumbwa Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 4 miles (7 kilometers), 4-6 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 2,610 feet (795 meters) ascent 

Day 3: Hike the Giant Heather Moorland, arrive at Shira Volcanic Plateau

After some breakfast at camp, we’ll head off again, getting another step closer to reaching the summit. From the forested slopes of Lemosho we’ll ascend through Podocarps and Juniper forest and break out of the tree line. We’ll enter the Giant Heather Moorland Zone and from here we’ll soon ascend to the extinct volcanic crater known as the Shira Plateau. This World Heritage site boasts deep valleys and the remains of weathered lava flows. Enjoy the dramatic views of the plateau whilst appreciating the distant views of Mount Meru, another extinct volcanic mountain.

We’ll take lunch on the trail and arrive in Shira I Camp  11,500 feet (3,505 meters) around mid-afternoon. Temperatures begin to drop here, so get those layers on!
Accommodation: Shira I Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 4 miles (7 kilometers), 5-6 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 2,000 feet (610 meters) ascent 

Day 4: Hike the Shira Plateau

Today we’ll be crossing the Shira Plateau, this is one of the most scenic parts of the trip! Slowly and gently, you’ll walk eastwards toward Kibo’s glacier peak. Be sure to look out for the giant lobelia, growing amongst the Erica shrubs.

We’ll hike for around 3-4 hours before arriving at Moir Camp 13,800 feet (4,205 meters) for lunch. Altitude may start to play a role from here on out and everyone reacts differently, so easing into our new environment is important.

For those with the energy, we’ll do an optional acclimatization hike in the late afternoon to an epic viewpoint. This will keep your blood flowing and it’s great for acclimatizing in preparation for the rest of your trip.
Accommodation: Moir Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 6.5 miles (10.5 kilometers), 5-6 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 2,000 feet (610 meters) ascent 
Optional Acclimatization Hike: 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers), 1-2 hrs
Elevation Gain/Loss: 820 feet (250 meters) ascent, 820 feet (250 meters) descent

Day 5: Hike semi-desert area, lunch at Lava Tower

From our camp, we’ll traverse across the slopes of Kibo, one of the three volcanic cones that make up Kilimanjaro. You’ll notice the terrain changing into a semi-desert with a rocky landscape. Throughout the year the extreme temperature ranges and conditions in this zone make it hard for flora or fauna to survive.

We’ll stop for our lunch near to Lava tower, at an impressive 15,090 feet (4,630 meters)  above sea level, before descending to camp. As we descend we’ll make the most of the opportunity to take breathtaking photos of the Western Breach and Breach Wall.

Although you’ll begin and end the day at the same elevation, the time spent in between at a higher elevation is great for acclimatization. Barranco Camp 12,795 feet (3,900 meters) is incredibly scenic with epic sunsets to finish up another top-notch day on the trails.
Accommodation: Barranco Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 7 miles (11 kilometers), 7-9 hours, including lunch stop
Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,395 feet (425 meters) ascent, 2,395 feet (730 meters) descent

Day 6: Hike the Barranco Wall, Sunset Views at Karanga Camp #160416

As summit day creeps closer we’ll start preparing, with an early start to the day crossing the floor of the Great Barranco Valley to hike the Barranco Wall 13,780 feet (4,200 meters). This is one of the most impressive days to see the power, agility, and strength of your mountain crew as they zip over this wall with what appears such ease.

After 2 hours of ascending we’ll reach the top and then hike over spectacular glacial valleys to our next camp – Karanga Camp 13,105 feet (3,955 meters). We’ve been to some incredible spots for sunsets so far, but this spot is particularly famous for them – with views of the southern glacial valleys and ice fields which tower 3,000 feet (over 1,000 meters) above us!

We’ll be hiking for around 5 hours today and we’ll get to experience the very best that the alpine desert landscape of Mount Kilimanjaro has to offer.
Accommodation: Karanga Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 4 miles (6 kilometers), 4-5 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 985 feet (300 meters) ascent, 800 feet (245 meters) descent

 
Day 7: Hiking the Southern Circuit to Kosovo Camp

We won’t be walking very far today as we near the mountain peak; we’ll save that for the final summit! We’ll spend 4-5 hours of the day completing the Southern Circuit, hiking past Barafu Camp. The scenic climb to Barafu Camp is mostly on a moraine with breath-taking views of Mawenzi Peak towering to the right, and Kibo Peak overhead. We’ll continue hiking to Kosovo Camp  15,750 feet (4,800 meters), a special, high campsite on the Arctic Zone of the mountain located on the southwest of Kibo Peak.

Today's walk will be through an increasingly inhospitable landscape with the Southern Glaciers looming to our left. Arriving early to our next camping spot will give us plenty of time to relax before our early start. We’ll be based in the desolate alpine desert with its few scatterings of lichens and mosses for the night, the feeling here is otherworldly, and in the evenings, incredible views of Mawenzi Volcano are the norm.

We’ll get an early night in preparation for our summit push to begin around midnight, only one final climb to go!
Accommodation: Kosovo Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 3 miles (5 kilometers), 4-5 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 2,770 feet (845 meters) ascent 

Day 8: Summit Day!

We’ll be departing just before midnight for the final stretch to the summit – yes, you read that right, just before midnight! It is going to be a hard wake-up call, but your guides will have some hot drinks on hand to get you going. Kosovo Camp being a high camp, we’ll have a head start over other tekkers and be able to avoid crowds on the summit night, allowing for a better experience on the summit night. This is the most physically and mentally challenging part of the trek, and patience and persistence are the names of the game here as you trek through heavy scree, with our aim to reach Stella Point on the crater rim by dawn. As the first rays of light start to appear and the sun peeks over the horizon, we’ll be rewarded with one of the most magnificent sunrises we’ve ever seen.

The break of dawn will give us a much-needed energy boost and with the sun on our faces, we’ll make our way along the final 1 hour stretch of our summit attempt to Uhuru Peak. After a moment to take it all in we can begin to celebrate, we’ve made it to the top of the highest free-standing mountain in the world, 19,340 feet (5,895 meters) above sea level! What an incredible achievement!

What goes up must come down and our goal after celebrating at the summit is to begin a steep descent to Millennium Camp in time for dinner, with a short stopover at Millenium Camp 12,530 feet (2,075 meters) for lunch and a brief rest. Congratulations!
Accommodation: Millenium Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Kosovo Camp to Uhuru Peak: 2.5 miles (4 kilometers), 6-7 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 3,590 feet (1,095 meters) ascent 
Uhuru Peak to Millenium Camp: 5.5 miles (9 kilometers), 6-7 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 6,810 feet (2,075 meters) descent

Day 9: Descent through Afromontane Forest, Transfer to Moshi

We’ll start the day with some breakfast at the camp and then begin our descent through the Afromontane forest. We’ll stop for some lunch on the way down and when at the bottom, we’ll appreciate and say goodbye to the crew that helped us on our journey, collect our certificates and make a celebratory toast with some bubbly.

Once we get back to the national park gate and our transport, we’ll be bound for Chanya Lodge 4,500 feet (1,370 meters). As soon as we get back, we’ll all head to our rooms for a well-deserved shower.

We’ll meet again for dinner and reflect on our epic adventure together to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro! The highs, the lows, and all of the laughs in between (and we’ll enjoy a sundowner or two).
Accommodation: Chanya Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 8.5 miles (13.5 kilometers), 4-5 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss:  7,020 feet (2,140 meters) descent

Day 10: Goodbye!

After breakfast at the lodge, it’s time to leave Moshi and Mount Kilimanjaro behind us. We’ll transfer you back to Kilimanjaro International Airport in time for your flights (or your joining hotel if you’re staying in Usa River and joining our safari). We’ll say our emotional goodbyes after bonding on our Mount Kilimanjaro adventure and head off on our separate journeys.

For those of you that have opted to add-on our Serengeti Safari trip, your guide will meet you this evening and run through your safari briefing.
Accommodation: Not applicable
Meals: Breakfast

F.A.Q

Where does the trip start?

On the first day of the trip our two pick-up locations are the arrivals hall at Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) on day one, or we’ll meet you at Chanya Lodge in the hotel foyer at 5pm. You are welcome to book your pre-trip stay at this hotel directly or any other hotel in area, though you must make your own way to one of the two pick-up points at the predesignated times.

The lead guides from the climb crew will meet you at the lodge for a briefing and sorting out all of the equipment to ensure everybody is ready to start the climb the next day. Please have all your gear ready for your guides to check over.

Where does the trip end?

Your trip ends with a drop-off at the Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) in time for flights departing at any time, or anywhere in Central Moshi.

What flights would you recommend?

Arrival: If you’re flying in on the first day of the trip, we recommend arriving into Kilimanjaro Airport before 2pm.

Departure: Flying out on the last day of the trip, we can provide transport to meet your departing flight at any time after breakfast.

How fit do I need to be for this trip?

You’ll need a solid level of fitness for the Kilimanjaro trek. Hiking in altitude is hard work and so the more preparation you do the better – but not to the point of over exerting yourself or stressing your body especially a few days before the climb. Therefore, the best bet is to work exercise into your daily routine and where possible try to have extended walks where you can wear in your boots, carry your rucksack and get used to some light weight on your shoulders and increase your aerobic ability. Advance preparation means you’ll enjoy the active and outdoor nature of your trip all the more.

Who will be guiding me on this trek?

While in Tanzania you’ll be accompanied by your experienced trekking trip leader, who’s there to keep you informed about Tanzania and make sure that everything runs smoothly; a qualified head mountain guide who is certified in Wilderness First Responder, whose experience of Kilimanjaro will guide you safely and comfortably up and down the mountain, and who’ll provide local knowledge of the flora and fauna. They will be supported by a team of qualified assistant mountain guides and porters! Each Camp you stay at will also have a team of cooks and porters ensuring you are well fed, catered to and cared for.

Established in 2003, the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) is a legally registered Tanzanian not-for-profit organization. Their mission is to improve the working conditions of the porters on Kilimanjaro. Active Adventures fully supports this project and adhere to their guidelines and values and is a partner of KPAP.

What accommodations do we stay at on this trek?

The lodge on the first night will provide private twin-share rooms with ensuites and every other night you will be in a Twin-share walk-in tent with a cot bed, a sleeping pad & pillow provided. Each campsite will have a mess tent and toilet tent as well.

We recommend bringing enough clothing to only have to do laundry where necessary during your trek. Fast drying clothing is recommended while walking (see our recommended packing list), and the cold mountain air makes it hard for things to dry. There will only be opportunities to do laundry at the lodge in Moshi so we recommend hand-washing only the vital items you need while on trail.

Do you provide porters on this trip?

Yes included in your trip fare are the services of our group porters who carry your overnight gear, including your sleeping bag, leaving you to walk at your own pace with your day gear in your daypack. Porters will carry a maximum of 20 kilograms (44 pounds) per person, equivalent to around 50 liters of space - this does not include your sleeping bag.

We’ll give you an Active Africa porter bag to put your gear into to give to your porter (in Moshi).

Will altitude affect me on this trek?

Your trek begins at an altitude of 900 meters (2,950 feet) in Moshi, and will take you up to 5,895 metres (19,340 feet) at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Unless you’ve travelled to and slept around this altitude in the past there’s no reliable way to predict how well you’re going to cope. While most people experience some mild symptoms, these are usually limited to a few days while your body adjusts and acclimatises.
Generally, very few people on our trips are badly affected by altitude, as we make sure everyone takes it easy in the beginning and gets into the swing of things slowly.
There are some things you can do when you arrive like avoiding dehydration, eating light meals, get plenty of rest and don’t over exert yourself -all these things might assist with your acclimatisation. There’s also a medication, acetazolamide (Diamox®) which you can take to help speed up acclimatisation, we strongly recommend that you discuss this with your doctor (see “Suggested Contents of Medical Kit” below).
While on the trek, if you do feel any adverse effects (headache, nausea or loss of appetite, dizziness/light headedness), please be sure to let your guide know so they can help take care of you. Often - paracetamol (acetaminophen), having something to eat and drink and resting up is all you need to do to alleviate the symptoms. along with drinking water and taking it easy.

Health check & regular medication

We strongly recommend seeing your local travel doctor for a full medical checkup prior to travelling to Tanzania for the Kilimanjaro trek. Trekking in general, especially at altitude can expose you to health risks and pre-existing medical conditions might get worse at altitude.
If you’re taking any regular medication, it’s essential you see your regular doctor well before the trek and get adequate
supplies for the trip. It’s also recommended that you get a letter from your doctor listing your regular medications and stating you’re carrying them for your personal use. This is also useful if you need to get replacement medications if you’re unlucky enough to lose your medication.

We carry comprehensive first aid kits and all our guides have received in depth emergency first aid training. However, our guides cannot dispense prescription medication to clients. We expect clients to bring a personal first aid kit with supplies to deal with common problems including blisters, cuts, grazes, aches and pains, travelers diarrhea, coughs and colds and altitude illness. Medications will need to be prescribed by a doctor, taking into account individual allergies and regular medications. We have provided a list of suggested items to discuss with your doctor.

Suggested contents of personal medical kits
Plasters & Dressings
Blister prevention tape, dressings etc
Strapping tape
Small bandage
Iodine swabs/solution or other antiseptic
Cough lozenges
Acetaminiphen/Paracetamol and/or ibuprofen
Acetazolamide (for prevention & treatment of altitude
illness). Suggested dose:125mg twice daily commencing 24
hours before going to altitude > 2500m
Oral rehydration solution (ORS)
Loperamide
Azithromycin (broad spectrum antibiotic, good for travellers
diarrhoea). Suggested dose 500mg once daily for 3 days.
Ondansetron (or other anti-emetic)
Antihistamine
Any regular medication (if required)
Spare prescription glasses (if required)

What important gear should I bring?

Once you've booked your trip, you'll have access to a gear list in your portal on exactly what to bring along. The gear list is carefully thought out to provide you with everything you need to be warm and happy, or cool and relaxed, whatever the weather! So it is best to bring everything we recommend along, if you don't bring everything you need, we can't guarantee your comfort. The most important items are:

A good, comfortable, well worn-in pair of hiking boots for your trek as you’ll use them most days. We recommend boots with good ankle support and a solid tread/sole. We’ll be hiking over rocky and uneven terrain so we want you to be prepared with suitable equipment.

A good quality, custom made, 4 seasons ‘super-down’ jacket, with 800 loft/fill is suitable for conditions on the trail, it will need to be of mountaineering standard as it can get very cold on the trail, especially as you trek further into the mountains.

A waterproof, windproof and breathable rain jacket and rain pants. A jacket that’s not too light (it won’t keep you dry and you’ll get cold), not too heavy (or you’ll get too hot while hiking) and with a decent hood. If you don’t already own a waterproof jacket, we recommend chatting to your local outdoor retailer and adding one to your kit.

*we provide a warm down sleeping bag with an inner sheet included, rated to -10°C (14°F); and a set of hiking poles.

How do rooming arrangements work?

Trip prices are based on shared arrangements (typically two guests per room), unless otherwise stated. For solo travelers, we’ll pair you with another person of the same gender to share rooms and if there’s no one suitable to share with, there’s no forced single supplement. However, if you specifically request your own rooms, you can opt to pay the single supplement. Solo travelers who book within 120 days of departure, where there are no other solo travelers willing to share, will be required to pay the single supplement.

For Family Vacation bookings, families consisting of four guests traveling with children aged 17 and under will be automatically assigned one shared room. However, the following alternative rooming allocations are available:

  • Families consisting of four guests with all children aged 13 and above are welcome to opt for additional rooms as per advertised double occupancy adult rates.
  • Families consisting of four guests with at least one child aged 12 and under are automatically assigned a shared room. However, families can opt to pay the adult rates for all guests in their family to have an additional room.
  • The same principles apply for families consisting of more than four guests.

Rooming preferences are subject to availability and must be communicated in writing at time of booking. Automatic assignments as per this policy will be applied in the absence of any specification provided by guests. Any request for additional rooms during trips will be at guests’ own expense and subject to rates made available by the accommodation provider at the time. All minors (guests aged 17 and under) must be accompanied by at least one adult.

What's Included

  • Accommodation
  • Additional Services
  • Airport Transfer
  • Breakfast
  • Guide
  • Lunch
  • Meals
  • Transport

What's Excluded

  • Flights

Location Map

Why Book With Us?

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  • Every stay is at a 4 5-star luxury retreat, boutique heritage hotel, or secluded mountain sanctuary—because adventure should come with a touch of indulgence.
  • We handle every detail—from private guides to curated dining—so you can focus on the experience, not the logistics.
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Meet our guide

Adam Smith