01
Day 01
Lemosho Gate to Mti Mkubwa
The drive west, registration, and three or four hours through forest to 2,780 m.
- StayMountain tent, Mti Mkubwa 2,780 m
- MealsFull board
01 · Overview
About this climb
The Northern Circuit is the newest and longest route on Kilimanjaro. It starts as Lemosho does, then swings right around the quiet northern flank of the mountain before summiting from the east.
Nine days means eight nights of acclimatisation, most of them between 3,500 and 4,200 m. That is why this route has the strongest reputation for getting people to the top, and why it suits anyone who has struggled with altitude before.
It is also the emptiest. The northern slopes see a fraction of the traffic of the southern routes, and the views from that side run out over the Kenyan plains.
Tour length9 days / 8 nights
Start / endLemosho Gate → Moshi
PlacesLemosho Gate, Shira, Moir · Buffalo · Third Cave, Uhuru Peak 5,895 m
AccommodationMountain tent, hotel
Meal planFull board; Bed and breakfast
CrewGuide, assistant guides, cook and porters
Group sizeTo confirm
02 · The price
What the price covers — and what it doesn't
Included 6 items
- Kilimanjaro National Park entry, camping or hut fees and rescue fees
- A licensed mountain guide, assistant guides, cook and porters
- All meals on the mountain and drinking water treated daily
- Sleeping tents, mess tent, table and chairs, and a portable toilet
- Transfers between Moshi or Arusha and the route gate
- A pulse oximeter and emergency oxygen carried by the crew
Not included 6 items
- Flights, visa and travel insurance — insurance must cover trekking to 6,000 m
- Personal climbing gear and sleeping bag (hire can be arranged)
- Tips for the mountain crew, which are budgeted separately and paid at the end
- Hotel nights before and after the climb unless a day lists one
- Drinks, laundry and personal spending
- Anything not listed as included
03 · At a glance
Itinerary highlights
- Day 1Lemosho Gate to Mti Mkubwa
- Day 2Mti Mkubwa to Shira 1
- Day 3Shira 1 to Moir Hut
- Day 4Moir to Buffalo Camp
- Day 5Buffalo to Rongai Third Cave
- Day 6Third Cave to School Hut
- Day 7Summit day, and down to Millennium
- Day 8Millennium to Mweka Gate, and Moshi
- Day 9Departure
04 · Prices
Prices and what moves them
Every quote is written for the dates and the number of people travelling, because park fees, season and vehicle sharing move the figure more than anything else. We itemise it: park fees, accommodation, vehicle, meals.
Private climb
Private climb
Per person, sharing · international flights not includedSingle supplement: To confirm
| Group size | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per person, 2026 | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm |
Children. Child rates depend on age and the route. Child policy to confirm
05 · The route
The route, day by day
02
Day 02
Mti Mkubwa to Shira 1
Up out of the forest onto the plateau at 3,505 m.
- StayMountain tent, Shira 1 Camp 3,505 m
- MealsFull board
03
Day 03
Shira 1 to Moir Hut
East across the plateau and up to Moir at about 4,200 m, a quiet camp in a valley below the Lent Hills, with an afternoon acclimatisation walk.
- StayMountain tent, Moir Hut 4,200 m
- MealsFull board
04
Day 04
Moir to Buffalo Camp
Around onto the northern slopes — the traffic disappears here — to Buffalo Camp at about 4,020 m.
- StayMountain tent, Buffalo Camp 4,020 m
- MealsFull board
05
Day 05
Buffalo to Rongai Third Cave
A long, gentle traverse of the northern flank with Kenya in the distance, to Third Cave at about 3,800 m.
- StayMountain tent, Third Cave 3,800 m
- MealsFull board
06
Day 06
Third Cave to School Hut
Up the eastern side to School Hut at about 4,800 m. Rest, eat early, sleep early.
- StayMountain tent, School Hut 4,800 m
- MealsFull board
07
Day 07
Summit day, and down to Millennium
Midnight start for Gilman’s Point and Uhuru Peak at 5,895 m, then the long descent to Millennium Camp at 3,820 m.
- StayMountain tent, Millennium Camp 3,820 m
- MealsFull board
08
Day 08
Millennium to Mweka Gate, and Moshi
Three or four hours down through the forest, certificates at the gate, and the transfer to your hotel.
- StayHotel in Moshi or Arusha
- MealsBed and breakfast
09
Day 09
Departure
A slow morning and the transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport, or onwards to a safari.
- StayNone — the trip ends today
06 · Camps
Where you stay
On the mountain you sleep at the route’s own camps or huts. The hotel before and after is named in your quote.
Night 1
Mountain tent, Mti Mkubwa 2,780 m
Full board.
Night 2
Mountain tent, Shira 1 Camp 3,505 m
Full board.
Night 3
Mountain tent, Moir Hut 4,200 m
Full board.
Night 4
Mountain tent, Buffalo Camp 4,020 m
Full board.
Night 5
Mountain tent, Third Cave 3,800 m
Full board.
Night 6
Mountain tent, School Hut 4,800 m
Full board.
Night 7
Mountain tent, Millennium Camp 3,820 m
Full board.
Night 8
Hotel in Moshi or Arusha
Bed and breakfast.
07 · Add-ons
Optional add-ons
Not in the standard price. Arranged on request and priced in your quote.
After the climb
A few days on safari
Tarangire and the Ngorongoro Crater are a short drive from Moshi and Arusha.
After the climb
Zanzibar beach extension
A short flight to the coast, for days with nothing to track.
Before the climb
An extra night in Arusha
Useful after a long-haul flight, so the first day does not start tired.
08 · The ground
Where this climb takes you
02
Shira Plateau
A collapsed caldera at around 3,800 m, walked for a full day on the western routes with Kibo ahead of you the whole time.
03
The northern slopes
Moir, Buffalo Camp and Third Cave — the quiet, dry side of Kilimanjaro that only the Northern Circuit walks.
04
Uhuru Peak
The summit, reached at sunrise after six to eight hours in the dark, with the Rebmann and Furtwängler glaciers still on the crater rim.
05
Mweka
The descent route: 3,000 m of knee work in two half-days, ending in rainforest and mud at the gate.
06
Moshi
Kilimanjaro’s town on the southern slope — the briefing, the kit check and the drive to the route gate.
09 · Season
Best time to take this climb
Jan – mid Mar
Clear and colder
A quieter window, with a good chance of snow near the summit.
Jun – Oct
The main dry season
The most settled weather, and the busiest trails.
Apr · May · Nov
The rains
Wet forest, cloud and mud. Possible, but harder and less rewarding.
10 · Flights
Flights
Arrive
Kilimanjaro International Airport
The international airport for Moshi and Arusha. Transfers between town and the route gate are included.
Depart
Kilimanjaro International Airport
Tell us your flight time and the last day is planned around it.
11 · Extras
Budget for these extras
Not in the package price, and worth planning for before you travel.
Most visitors need a Tanzania visa. What applies to your passport, and how to apply, is on our visas and vaccinations page.
Take a policy that covers trekking to 6,000 m and medical evacuation. More on our travel insurance page.
Tipping is customary but yours to decide. Our tipping guide sets out what is usual for guides, cooks and camp staff.
Personal climbing gear and a sleeping bag are not included. Hire can be arranged.
Drinking water is treated daily on the mountain. Drinks at the hotel, laundry and souvenirs are paid locally.
12 · Why us
Why book this with us
01
Every route is a draft
Add a night, cut a day, finish on the coast. Most trips we run started as one of these and then moved.
02
Every quote itemised
Park fees, accommodation, crew and meals, line by line, for your dates and group.
03
A full mountain crew
A licensed mountain guide, assistant guides, a cook and porters.
04
Planned from Arusha
Ask on WhatsApp and you reach the people who plan the trip.
13 · Reviews
Reviews
Guest reviews for this route will appear here. To confirm
14 · Questions
Asked about this trip
Not necessary — but if the summit matters to you more than the cost, it is the best odds money can buy on this mountain.
Longer, not harder. The daily walking is moderate and the gradient is kind; you are simply on the mountain for longer.
Most groups take the southern routes. The northern flank sees very little traffic, and on some days you will see almost nobody.
Anyone who has been beaten by altitude before, anyone over sixty, and anyone who would rather walk for nine days than gamble on six.
