Today we make our way to Tanzania! 

After meeting at Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA/JRO), we drive through the beautiful grass plains of Arusha for about an hour until we reach the hotel.

We will spend the remainder of the day preparing for our trek with an extensive kit check & group-climbing brief, before enjoying a traditional Tanzanian dinner and a good night’s rest.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will meet our whole support team including our guides, cooks & porters who will spend then next week with us on the mountain. 

We will drive from the hotel to the Londorossi Park entrance at 2,385m and onto the Lemosho Glades. Here we commence our expedition with a 3-4 hour hike, ascending steeply through the forest, until we reach a forest clearing, known as ‘Big Tree’ or Mti Mkubwa Camp.

Sleeping: In luxury tents at Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,700m)

Trekking time: 3-4 hours

Max altitude: 2,700m

Today is a big trekking day as we leave the rainforest and head towards the Shira Plateau, a volcanic spill-off from it’s last explosion about 100,000 years ago.

The terrain here is open with smaller, more fragile plants. We emerge onto the moorland above the forest after about an hour, then we detour northwards around the Shira ridge, through beautiful and rugged moorland with views of the plains below the mountain.

We stop at Shira 1 Camp for lunch and a rest before we continue across the plateau towards the Kibo crater. After 2-3 hours, the edge of the plateau is reached and the path ascends gradually for about 40 minutes to Shira 2 Camp at 3,700m, where we will stay overnight.

Sleeping: In luxury tents at Shira 2 Camp (3,700m)

Trekking time: 8-9 hours

Max altitude: 3,700m

Today we walk to Barranco Camp at 3,950m, whilst using the trek up to Lava Tower (4,500m) to acclimatise on the way.

From camp, the path continues through high altitude desert directly up the ridge towards Kibo. After about 4 hours, we will reach Lava Tower where we have lunch.

After the lunch, we descend for around 2 hours into the Barranco Valley and Baranco Camp, where we will stay overnight.

This is known as an acclimatisation day, since we ascend to 4,500m at lunchtime, but then descend to a camp which is only slightly higher than where we were in the morning.

Sleeping: In luxury tents at Barranco Camp 3,985m

Trekking time :7 hours

Max altitude: 4,500m

The path climbs out of the Barranco Valley via the Barranco wall. This is a steep 1 to 2 hour scramble ascending about 300 metres. The path then follows the gently undulating Kibo South Circuit. 

After about 3 hours we reach the Karanga Camp where we have lunch and the rest of the day to relax.

Overnight: In luxury tents at Karanga Camp (4,000)

Trekking time: 4-5 hours

Max Altitude: 4,100m

Today is another relatively short but challenging day, as we ascend from Karanga Camp up to Kosovo Camp (4,850m).

This is the final day to practice our summit night strategy, remembering to move ‘Pole Pole’ (slowly, slowly) and take short breaks.

After 3 hours we will reach Barafu Camp and then it’s a further 200m ascent up to Kosovo Camp, where we hope to arrive around lunch time.

We will have the rest of the afternoon to relax before we have an early dinner and briefing for the summit night.

Overnight: In luxury tents at Kosovo Camp (4,850m)

Trekking time: 4-5 hours

Max Altitude: 4,850m

We will set off from Kosovo Camp between 11pm and 1am, depending on the speed of the group. We will be woken one hour before the start time and after some light food & hot drinks and a final briefing and, we set off. 

We will discuss in detail what to expect during the summit night ascent during our pre-travel briefings and during the trek. The most important factor to note is that it will be difficult but it is very achievable, and requires no technical skills – it’s essentially just a steep walk!

It takes an average of 6 hours to reach Stella Point on the crater rim at 5,750m. From here, the path goes around the crater rim for a further hour to the summit at Uhuru Peak, 5,896m.

Depending on the state of each person at the summit, we might stay anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes, which is enough time for plenty of photos, videos, hugs and tears. Getting to the summit is an incredible experience and one that should celebrated and remembered.

Once we have finished at the summit we will descend back to Kosovo Camp, which can take 2-3 hours. After a rest and a meal, the descent continues to Millennium Camp will take another 3 hours.

Overnight: In luxury tents at Millennium Camp (3,900m)

Trekking time: 14-16 hours

Max altitude: 5,895m

The path descends for around 3 hours through the forest to Mweka gate.  Vehicles will be waiting to transport our group & crew back to our hotel .

That night, we will have a celebratory dinner and a good night’s sleep in a proper bed.

Today we say goodbye to Kilimanjaro and depart home.

Transfers will be arranged from the hotel back to Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA/JRO), where we will say goodbye. . . at least until the next expedition!