Northern Circuit Route
The Northern Circuit route is one of the best routes on Kilimanjaro. The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the west, beginning with a long drive from Moshi to Londorossi Gate. From there, the first two days are spent trekking through the rainforest to Shira Ridge, before crossing the Shira Plateau. The route then heads north and circles clockwise from Moir Hut to Buffalo Camp to School Hut, before summit from the east. Descend is made via the Mweka route.
CLIFF AFRICA ADVENTURE offers the Northern Circuit as a nine day group climb or private climb. A 10 day variation that includes an overnight at Crater Camp is available as a private climb by special request.
- Arrival
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- You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro international airport and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town, you will meet your guide who will brief you on your upcoming trek
- After breakfast in your hotel you will be given an overall briefing from your guide. At 9am you will be met by our staff, who will drive you several hours to the Western side of Mt. Kilimanjaro and to the Londrossi Gate, where our guides and porters will prepare and pack the equipment and supplies Once at the gate you will be given a packed lunch and after registration with the Kilimanjaro Park office, we will drive for another 45mins to Lemosho Glades where your trek will begin with ascending into the rainforest.
You will ascend for approx. 3 hours in dense rain forest which could be very wet and muddy so be ready with your gaiters and trekking poles. During the trek we will have a break and you can enjoy the rest your packed lunch. We will reach the Mti Mkubwa Camp also known as ‘Big Tree’ Camp in late afternoon. After arrival, you will be taken to your camp and tent which has already been set up by the porters who ran ahead, where you will be greeted with boiled drinking water and hot washing water. Once you have freshened up and settled in, a hot dinner will be served in the mess-tent.. - From the forested slopes of Lemosho you ascend through a podocarpus and juniper forest and then break out on to a zone of heather and lichen-draped volcanic rock and the Shira Plateau, which used to be Kilimanjaro’s third peak before it collapsed. Lunch is taken on the trail and you arrive in camp mid-afternoon. The view of Kibo (the peak of Kilimanjaro) is breathtaking from this vantage point. Overnight at Shira 1 Camp.
- After breakfast you will continue on your hike across and up the Shira plateau to Shira Camp 2 at 3,850 meters. Here you will join trekkers from the Machame Route whilst enjoying stunning view across the valley below and Western Breach of Kilimanjaro above. The plateau is exposed so be prepared for a cold night with temperatures getting below zero.
- We leave the forest behind now and a gentle grade walk takes you across the high altitude Shira Caldera to Shira Cave with fabulous views of Arrow glacier. We will camp here for the night at 4200m.
- We climb out of the Moir Valley and take a short detour to reach the summit of Lent Hills (15,400ft). After admiring the views we return to the trail and head eastwards around the northern circuit trail. The final section of today’s walk undulates until reaching the location of Pofu Camp.
- From Pofu Camp we cross numerous small valleys as the trail continues eastwards through a landscape that has increasingly sparse vegetation to eventually reach Third Cave Camp.
- There is a steady ascent to reach the saddle, a lunar landscape between the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi. From here we continue upwards and reach School Hut in the early afternoon. The remainder of the afternoon is spent resting and preparing for the summit day.
- We start the final and most demanding part of the climb around 1 a.m on a switchback trail through loose volcanic scree to reach the crater rim at Gillman’s Point We rest here for a short time to enjoy the spectacular sunrise over Mawenzi. We then head on to Uhuru Peak, passing close to the spectacular glaciers and ice cliffs that still occupy most of the summit area. We retrace our steps along the crater rim to Stella Point and then descend down through Barafu Camp to reach Mweka Camp
- Once again you will be woken for your final celebratory breakfast where our team will thank and congratulate you in their unique, special way! We will then set off for the final 3 hour scenic descent to Mweka Gate. After lunch you will dropped off at the hotel where you can relax under a long, well deserved hot shower.
DAY 1:Arusha to Londorossi Gate to Mti Mkubwa /Forest Camp
7,742 ft to 9,498 ft, 4 miles,approx. 3-4 hours
DAY 2: Forest Camp to Shira 1 Camp
9,498 ft to 11,500 ft, 5 miles,approx. 5-6 hours
DAY 3: Shira 1 to Shira 2
11,500 ft to 12,500 ft, 4 miles,3-4 hours
DAY 4: Shira 2 to Moir Hut Camp
12,500 ft to 13,580 ft (Lava Tower), down to 15,190 ft, 8 miles,5-7 hours
DAY 5: Moir Camp to Buffalo Camp/Pofu Camp
13,580 ft to 13,200 ft, 7 miles,5-7 hours
DAY 6: Buffalo Camp / Pofu to Third Cave
13,200 ft to 12,700 ft, 5 miles,5-7 hours
DAY 7: Third Cave to School Hut Camp
12,700 ft to 15,600 ft, 3 miles,4-5 hours
DAY 8: School Hut to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp
15,600 ft to 19,341 ft to 10,065, 4 miles ascent, 7 miles descent,6-8 hours ascent, 4-6 hours descent
DAY 9: Mweka Camp – Mweka Gate
10,065 ft to 5,380 ft, 6 miles,3-4 hours
PRICE PER PERSON (US DOLLAR):
- GROUP SIZE
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PRICE
- 1 Person
- $ 3690
- 2 People
- $ 3650
- 3 - 6 People
- $ 3600
- 6 - 10 People
- $ 3550
- 10++
- $ 3500
Price Included:
- All accommodations per itinerary
- All meals per itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
- All tours and entrance fees per itinerary (unless listed as excluded)
- All transportation and transfers per itinerary
- 2 nights accommodations in Moshi
- Round-trip transfers for the Kilimanjaro Airport
- National Park gate fees
- Transport from Moshi to trail head and return to Moshi
- Hut fees
- Certified, experienced, English-speaking guides for all routes
- Salaries for all crew members
- Rescue fees (as required by national park)
- Tents, foam sleeping pads, cooking equipment, and eating utensils
- Oximeters & Emergency Oxygen (2L canister)
Price Exclude:
- International and domestic flights
- Meals not listed, Beverages and alcohol
- Tips for guides, porters, and cooks($20per guide/day, $15 cook/day, $10 per porter/day is reccomended)
- Optional tours
- Personal expenses (visas, airport taxes, Internet, etc.)
- Sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and personal gear
- Optional tours
- Sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and personal gear