Active Adventures Kilimanj - Mount Kilimanjaro Trek

All accommodations
All lodges and camps are included.

All activities
Guided hike with a team of porters.

All domestic transport
Airport transfers
Private vehicle for group transport

All guiding services
You'll have an experienced Active Adventures guide with you for the entire duration, as well as a team of porters to help you on your trek.

All meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Rest assured you'll be well fed and well hydrated.

DAY 1 - ARRIVE AT KILIMANJARO AIRPORT

Your trip will begin at Kilimanjaro Airport, near to Arusha – Tanzania’s gateway to Mount Kilimanjaro! You’ll be met in the airport by a friendly face from Active Adventures and they’ll take you back to your accommodation, Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge. Arusha boasts a breathtaking mountain backdrop with the towering Mount Meru, at 4565m tall, to the North. This evening your guide will meet you at the lodge to run through the days to come, making sure you’re all set to begin your hike with a thorough gear check. Tonight, you’ll have dinner here, but if you have some time beforehand, there is plenty to do – you can paddle across the lake and try your hand trout-fishing, have a dip in the spectacular pool or enjoy your sundowners on the veranda watching the changing colours of the Kilimanjaro Glacier.Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge, Arusha (Dinner)Elevation: 1798 metres (5900 feet)

 

DAY 2 - HIKE TO LEMOSHO FOREST CAMP

Today the hike begins! We’ll set out from the Lodge in vehicles to the starting point of the Lemosho Trail. Here you’ll meet the rest of the hiking crew and set off at a leisurely pace into Afromontane forest. Look out for colobus and blue monkeys whilst you walk, and if you don’t see them on the trail, you’ll probably hear them this evening. We’ll stop for lunch and have a bite to eat along the way, aiming to be at camp by mid-afternoon. We’ll take things nice and slow today to ease us into the days ahead.Lemosho Forest Camp, Mount Kilimanjaro (Elevation: Lemosho - 2860 metres (9385 feet)) (All meals)Hiking Distance: 7 kilometres (4 miles), 4-6 hoursElevation Gain: 550 metres (1805 feet)

 

DAY 3 - HIKE TO SHIRA CAMP

After some breakfast at camp, we’ll head off again, getting another step closer to reaching the summit. From the forested slopes of Lemosho we’ll ascend through Podocarps and Juniper forest and break out of the tree line. We’ll enter the heath zone and from here we’ll soon reach the extinct volcanic crater known as the Shira Plateau. This World Heritage site boasts deep valleys and the remains of weathered lava flows. We’ll take lunch on the trail and arrive in camp around mid-afternoon. Shira Camp, Mount Kilimanjaro (Elevation: Shira Camp - 3560 metres (11,680 feet)) (All meals)Hiking Distance: 7 kilometres (4 miles), 5-7 hoursElevation Gain: 960 metres (3149 feet)

 

DAY 4 - HIKE TO MOIR CAMP

Today we’ll be crossing the Shira Plateau, this is one of the most scenic parts of the trip! Be sure to look out for the giant lobelia, growing amongst the Erica shrubs. We’ll hike for around 3-4 hours before arriving at camp for lunch. Altitude may start to play a role from here on out and everyone reacts differently, so easing into our new environment is important. For those with the energy, we’ll hike in the late afternoon to an epic viewpoint. This will keep your blood flowing and it’s great for acclimatising in preparation for the rest of your trip.Moir Camp, Mount Kilimanjaro (Elevation: Moir Camp - 4099 metres (13,451 feet)) (All meals)Hiking Distance: 10 kilometres (6 miles), 4-5 hoursElevation Gain: 590 metres (1936 feet)Optional Hike Up and Back to Lookout: 3 kilometres (1.9 miles), 1-2 hoursElevation Gain/Loss: 250 metres (820 feet)

 

DAY 5 - HIKE TO BARRANCO CAMP

From our camp, we’ll traverse across the slopes of Kibo, one of the three volcanic cones that make up Kilimanjaro. You’ll notice the terrain changing into a semi-desert and rocky landscape. Throughout the year the extreme temperature ranges and conditions in this zone make it hard for flora or fauna to survive. We’ll stop for our lunch near to Lava tower, at an impressive 4,600 metres above sea-level, before descending to camp. As we descend we’ll make the most of the opportunity to take breathtaking photos of the Western Breach and Breach Wall. Although you’ll begin and end the day at the same elevation, the time spent in-between at a higher elevation is great for acclimatisation. Barranco Camp is incredibly scenic with epic sunsets to finish up another top-notch day on the trails. Barranco Camp, Mount Kilimanjaro (Elevation: Barranco Camp - 3900 metres (12,800 feet)) (All meals)Hiking Distance: 11 kilometres (7 miles), 7-9 hoursElevation Gain: 400 metres (1312 feet)Elevation Loss: 700 metres (2296 feet)

 

DAY 6 - HIKE TO KARANGA CAMP

As summit day creeps closer we’ll start preparing, with an early start to the day to hike the Barranco Wall. After 2 hours of ascending we’ll reach the top and then hike over spectacular glacial valleys to our next camp. We’ve been in some incredible spots for sunsets so far, but this spot is particularly famous for them – with views of the southern glacial valleys and ice fields which tower 1,000 metres (over 3,000 feet) above us! We’ll be hiking for around 5 hours today and we’ll get to experience the very best that the alpine desert landscape of Mount Kilimanjaro has to offer. Karanga Camp, Mount Kilimanjaro (Elevation: Karanga Camp - 4099 metres (13,450 feet)) (All meals)Hiking Distance: 5 kilometres (3 miles),4-5 hoursElevation Gain: 500 metres (1640 feet)Elevation Loss: 700 metres (2296 feet)

 

DAY 7 - HIKE TO BARAFU CAMP

We won’t be walking very far today; we’ll save that for the final summit! We’ll spend less than half of the day hiking and have our lunch at our next camping spot – this will give us plenty of time to relax before our early start. Today's walk will be through an increasingly inhospitable landscape with the Southern Glaciers looming to our left. We’ll be based in desolate alpine desert for the night, the feeling here is otherworldly and in the evenings, incredible views of Mawenzie Volcano are the norm. We’ll get an early night in preparation for our summit push tomorrow, only one final climb to go!Barafu Camp, Mount Kilimanjaro (Elevation: Barafu Camp - 4602 metres (15,100 feet)) (All meals)Hiking Distance: 4 kilometres (2.5 miles), 4-5 hoursElevation Gain: 678 metres (2224 feet)

 

DAY 8 - SUMMIT DAY, HIKE TO MWEKA CAMP

We’ll be departing just before midnight for the final stretch to the summit – yes, you read that right, just before midnight! It is going to be a hard wake up call, but your guides will have some hot drinks on hand to get you going. Patience and persistence are the names of the game here, and our aim is to reach Stella Point on the crater rim by dawn. As the first rays of light start to appear and the sun peeks over the horizon, we’ll be rewarded with one of the most magnificent sunrises we’ve ever seen. The break of dawn will give us a much-needed energy boost and with the sun on our faces, we’ll make our way along the final stretch of our summit attempt to Uhuru Peak. After a moment to take it all in we can begin to celebrate, we’ve made it to the top of the highest free-standing mountain in the world, 5895 metres (19,340 feet) above sea-level! What an incredible achievement! What goes up must come down and our goal after celebrating at the summit is to reach Mweka camp in time for dinner. Congratulations!Mweka Camp, Mount Kilimanjaro (Elevation: Mweka Camp - 3100 metres (10,171 feet)) (All meals)Hiking Distance: 18 kilometres (11 miles), 14-16 hoursElevation Gain: 1222 metres (4009 feet)Elevation Loss: 2795 metres (9170 feet)Uhuru Peak (Summit) Altitude: 5895 metres (19,341 feet)

 

DAY 9 - RETURN TO ARUSHA

We’ll start the day with some breakfast at camp and then begin our descent through Afromontane forest. We’ll stop for some lunch on the way down and when at the bottom, we’ll say goodbye to the crew that helped us on our journey. Once we get back to civilisation and our transport, we’ll be bound for the lodge. As soon as we get back, we’ll all head to our rooms for a well-deserved shower. We’ll meet again for dinner and reflect on our epic adventure together to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro! The highs, the lows and all of the laughs in between (and we’ll enjoy a sundowner or two).Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge, Arusha (Elevation: Ngare - 1798 metres (5900 feet)) (All meals)Hiking Distance: 10 kilometres (6 miles), 3-4 hoursElevation Loss: 1460 metres (4790 feet)

 

DAY 10 - DEPART TANZANIA

After breakfast in the lodge, it’s time to leave Arusha and Mount Kilimanjaro behind us. We’ll transfer you back to Kilimanjaro International Airport in time for your flights (or your joining hotel if you’re staying on in Arusha). We’ll say our emotional goodbyes after bonding on our Mount Kilimanjaro adventure and head off on our separate journeys. For those of you that have opted to add-on our Serengeti Safari trip, your guide will meet you this evening and run through your safari briefing.(Breakfast)