The Northern Circuit is the longest route on Mount Kilimanjaro, a 9-day trek. This route initially ascends via the Lemosho Route on the west side of the mountain, but then chooses it’s own path. It combines of all the best elements of several other routes, brought together in one fantastic walk.
If you are looking for stunning scenery with views across the southern flanks, the western forests, the northern plains up to the Kenyan border with very little crowding from other people, then this is certainly the route for you. The Northern Circuit is the only route that shows you this side of the mountain! We suggest this Kilimanjaro climbing route, if you have the extra time and money at your disposal.
During these 9 days we’ll be camping at the established campsites and reach the top of Kilimanjaro on day 8 at sunrise.
Seasons:
Your Team: Per group you climb with a professional team, generally consisting of 1 or 2 English speaking guides, 1 cook and 3 porters per person. The exact number sometimes varies and depends on specific requirements of our guests.
Our guides will lead you to the summit and provide you with all the necessary information, tips & tricks & lift your spirits when in dire need, to maximise your chances of a successful climb. All of the guides know the mountain like the back of their hands, are specially trained and have years of climbing experience.
The porters will carry all your belongings, tents & food, so you can climb at ease with only your daypack. The cook will prepare 3 solid meals a day, so you can take on the mountain like a champion. Drinking water will be provided as well, which will be refilled with a water filter at various points on the mountain.
This trek includes
Not included
*International flights can be arranged via us if preferred.
Safety: Safety on the mountain is our first priority. Even though it doesn’t take a professional climber to summit Kilimanjaro, it’s still a tall mountain and the high altitude comes with risks.
Prior to each climb, our guests receive a comprehensive briefing that covers the route, safety procedures on the mountain and discuss potential health issues of each individual guest, to ensure that everyone can ascend the mountain fully prepared and in a safe manner.
Our guides receive annual training on the effects of altitude, providing medical assistance and administering oxygen. The team is equipped with a professional medical kit in case of Emergency. They are responsible for your safety and have the authority of discontinuing the trek if they think the conditions are unsafe. At high altitudes, your blood pressure is measured daily to monitor your health.
Acclimatisation: Climbing is done according to the ‘climb high, sleep low’ principle. This principle states that one should climb to a relatively higher elevation than the altitude of where one sleeps. This gives your body the chance to get used to the high altitudes when climbing high, and grants the opportunity to recover and rest at the lower elevations. Doing so, decreases your chance of altitude sickness and increases your chance of reaching the summit.
Fair treatment of our personnel: We are committed to the fair and ethical treatment of all porters and guides. We strictly adhere all rules set by KINAPA (Kilimanjaro National Park); ensuring that each porter has the proper gear to ascent the mountain, and that all carrying bags supplied by us are weighed, to ensure that they do not exceed the maximum of 20 kg.
Furthermore, we promote fair wages, accommodation, insurance & food for cooks, guides & porters as set by the KPO (Kilimanjaro porters association). This way, you can climb the mountain feeling confident about yourself ánd your team.
Leave only footprints: On all our climbs, we strive to reduce our environmental impact to a bare minimum. We make sure that any waste that has gone up the mountain, comes back down as well. By doing this, everybody can enjoy this magnificent mountain for many years to come.
*We also recommend that you bring your own water bottle to reduce plastic waste.
On the first day of the Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Route, you will be picked up from Moshi. From there, we drive to the Londorossi Gate of Kilimanjaro National Park. Arriving at the gate, we start the final preparations.
You start the hike at the Lemosho Trail Head and with luck you may encounter large animals, such as elephants and buffaloes, living in the rainforest. Next, you walk towards Mti Mkubwa Camp, this is the first camp where you will spend the night.
Today you will hike for about an hour following the last part of the rainforest trail and reach the third climate zone, the Marquis landscape. In total, today’s walk will take around 5 to 6 hours.
If you are lucky, you can see the first views of the Kibo peak. This is a good acclimatisation walk, as you will go up and down several ridges on the way and finally end at Shira Camp 1, where you spend the night.
Today you trek across the Shira Plateau to Shira Camp 2. At this point of the climb, temperatures start to change quite dramatically. The nights get colder and temperatures can drop below zero.
When you arrive at Shira camp 2, it is worthwhile to hike up a bit. Here, you can enjoy the beautiful views of the valley and the western face of Kilimanjaro.
Today is an important acclimatisation day, as you will be ‘climbing high and sleeping low’. This will prepare your body for a successful summit day!
You start the hike towards the east, through the ‘Garden of Senecios’. Next you hike towards the ‘Lava Tower’ and the legendary ‘Shark Tooth’ rock formation at 4,600 metres, where you have some lunch. After some rest and eating, you will switch to the northern circuit to the ‘Moir Camp’ at 4,200 metres. Here you will enjoy dinner and rest from the high altitude you have travelled.
Hopefully, well rested from the previous day, you will start a quite steep climb from Moir Valley (here you can make a small diversions, to climb the top of ‘Little Lent Hill’ at 4,375m). From here the route follows a series of ascents and descents along the northern slopes of Kibo to Buffalo Camp.
The walk features stunning views of the plateaus, which are located on the north of Mount Kilimanjaro and stretch to the Kenya-Tanzania border. Just after noon you will arrive at Buffalo Camp (4020m). This is where you will have lunch and time to rest after a long day of hiking.
Like the last few days, today’s hike is long, but magnificent and by now you should be well acclimatised to the altitude! Keep your eyes out, as buffalo are sometimes spotted here.
The route heads east up the northern slopes to the Rongai Third Cave at 3,800m. You will arrive at the Third Cave in the afternoon and there you will have time to rest with a nice warm cup of tea.
After breakfast you start a gradual climb over the saddle that is located between the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi Peak. You will continue in a southwesterly direction towards the ‘School Hut’ at 4,750m.
In the early, early morning. Still shivering from our short and cold night, we will enjoy warm coffee or tea together to lift our spirits. Now we will hike in the dark, with flashlights towards the summit of Uhuru peak at 5895meters high. Our last ascent of the Northern Circuit Route. Once at the top, we will enjoy one of the world’s most incredible sunrises. Such moments make the climb well worthwhile. You’ve made it! Uhuru Peak is the highest point of Kilimanjaro ánd the whole of Africa. A place never to forget.
Make sure to bring two sets of clothing. The night will be bitterly cold, but after the sun rises over the peak of Kilimanjaro, the temperature will quickly rise.
After the summit, we will make our descent straight down to the Mweka Hut Campsite, stopping at Barafu Camp for lunch. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest. Here you will take a short break before continuing to Millennium Camp at 3,950m, for your last night on the mountain.
Hopefully well rested and not too sore from the long hike the other day, we will have breakfast. We continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your Kilimanjaro-Northern Circuit’ summit certificate. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy.
The car will be waiting for you at the Mweka Gate to take you back to the hotel in Moshi for a hot shower.
On the Northern Circuit Route we camp at the established campsites mentioned in our day-to-day. On this route we camp in tents. We spend the night in four-season mountain tents, made of thick high-quality canvas, capable of withstanding all weather conditions on Kilimanjaro.
The tents are carried by our porters, who will walk ahead of you to set up the camp. Once you have reached the campsite, you can relax without having to worry about setting up your tent.
