Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be warmly received by our professional team after completing immigration and baggage collection. You will then be transferred by private vehicle to your hotel in Arusha. This day is intentionally relaxed to allow your body and mind to recover from the international journey. No scheduled activities are planned, ensuring you can rest comfortably and prepare for the adventure ahead.

After breakfast, you will be collected from your lodge in Arusha and taken to the Marangu gate. Once the necessary paperwork has been completed, your trek can begin and you will soon be hiking through the dense rainforest. Alongside the impressive vegetation, you will have the chance to catch a glimpse of some primates as you head to the Mandara Hut. After a well-earned rest, your guide can take you to the Maundi Crater where you can enjoy the wonderful view of the Kenyan interior.

• Elevation: 1860m to 2700m
• Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
• Distance: 8 km
• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
• Habitat: Rainforest

The day begins with an early breakfast. Shortly after you have left Mandara Hut, you will reach the timberline and then enter the heath and moor zone. Approximately 4 – 6 hours later, the Horombo Hut will come into sight, standing at an altitude of 3700m. From the hut, you will have fantastic views overlooking Mawenzi, Kibo and the wide plain of the Masai steppe.

• Elevation: 2700m to 3700m
• Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
• Distance: 12 km
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Habitat: Heath and Moorland

Today’s stage is long and tough. The well-built trail passes the “Last Water point” which is followed by the so-called “saddle”. This nearly vegetation less plateau joins the main summit Kibo with Mawenzi. Today’s destination is the Kibo Hut that is usually reached in about 5 – 6 hours. Here, you will enjoy an early evening meal followed by an early night, as the night will be short.

• Elevation: 3700m to 4700m
• Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
• Distance: 10 km
• Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
• Habitat: Alpine Desert

Today is “The Big Day” – the summit stage. You will begin your final ascent around midnight which will be long and strenuous. Passing the Hans Meyer Cave at 5220m, the climb slowly but surely goes upwards. At sunrise, you will reach Gillman’s Point (5681m) – the crater rim of Kilimanjaro – where the sun will slowly start to warm up the land. You will have soon forgotten the cold of the night and after a further hike of 1 – 2 hours, you will reach Uhuru Peak at 5895m. On your return to Kibo Hut, a warm meal awaits you followed by a 1 – 2-hour break before proceeding back down to Horombo Hut.

• Elevation: 4700m to 5895m (ascent) and then down to 3700m (descent)
• Hiking Time: 10-15 hours
• Distance: 22 km (6 km ascent, 16 km descent)
• Difficulty: Very Difficult
• Habitat: Arctic (Summit Zone)

The last stage passes through the heath and moor zone to the Mandara Hut (2700m) where a warm lunch is waiting for you. Soon, you will once again pass the tropical rainforest and after a total time of 6 hours trekking, you will be back at the Kilimanjaro National Park Gate (1860m). After saying goodbye to your mountain guides, a short transfer follows to take you back to your hotel in Moshi. Once there, you can take a warm and relaxing shower and celebrate your success in reaching the summit of the Kilimanjaro.

• Elevation: 3700m to 1860m
• Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
• Distance: 20 km
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Habitat: Heath and Moorland, then Rainforest

The day is left free to wind down after the trek before your flight home. Depending on flight times you could go and explore Arusha town and grab some gift shops before heading to the airport.