Enjoy a leisurely hike through the rainforest to Marangu Gate. Take your time to appreciate the lush vegetation with the Old Man’s Beard (tree moss) growing on the giant trees, as well as the towering Giant Ferns. The path has many steps leading you down to Marangu Gate, where you can find a cold beer or a soft drink to start celebrating your successful ascent of Kilimanjaro. You will be transferred back to Janibichi Adventures Ltd for a hot shower.

INCLUDED

1: Transport from JRO airport

2: A warm bed and english breakfast the night before and the night after the trek

3: All food on the climb

4: Transfer to and from the gate

5: Tents (four seasons, 3-person mountain tent – double occupancy), 

chairs and tables & accommodation

6: Mattresses (sleeping pad foam, 1.5 inches thick)

7: First aid kit & bottle of oxygen & pulse oximeter & personal stretcher

8: Park fees, camping fees and rescue fees

9: Forest fees (where they apply)

10: Fees for the guides and porters (as per government regulations), 

(food and public liability insurance for the guides & porters)

11: Value Added Tax (VAT) and other government taxes

NOT INCLUDED 

1: Transport back to the airport

2: 3 liters of water for the first day.

3: Drinks

4: Tips for guides and porters

5: Food on the first and last night at the hotel

6: Personal equipment for mountain climbing

Day One

Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, you will be greeted by our representative and transferred to Janibichi Adventures Ltd, situated on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, offering friendly services. It's conveniently located just a 20-minute walk from Moshi town center.

A three-hour drive from Moshi brings you to the Londorossi Park Gate, located on the western side of Kilimanjaro. At the gate, after registration, you will be assigned a game ranger who will accompany you, as you might encounter elephants and buffaloes during your trek. Drive to the trailhead at Lemosho Glades and begin your trek through the rainforest. In some places, the vegetation is so untouched that it grows right across the narrow track. The flora and fauna are more abundant here compared to the other more popular routes through the rainforest. Your trek today will follow a less-traveled track known as Chamber's Route. In about 3-4 hours, you will reach your camp in the rainforest at Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree).

Dinner and Overnight: Mti Mkubwa Camp 

After breakfast, you will begin the climb, crossing the remaining rainforest and entering the giant moorland zone. Today will be a full day trek with an altitude gain of 2,000 ft. A great lunch stop is at the beautiful valley just outside the Shira Crater, at around 10,000 ft. After lunch, you will continue walking to Shira Caldera, a high-altitude desert plateau that is rarely visited. Shira is the third of Kilimanjaro's volcanic cones and is filled with lava flow from Kibo Peak. The crater rim has been eroded by weather and volcanic action. Today, you'll get your first close views of Kibo, the dramatic summit of Kilimanjaro.

Dinner and Overnight: Shira one Camp. 

After breakfast, you will continue hiking to the east, crossing the Shira Plateau, passing by the Shira Cathedral, and heading towards Shira Two Camp. You will only gain 700 feet in elevation, allowing you to acclimatize slowly to the altitude. The views of the plateau are nothing less than spectacular. 

Dinner and Overnight: Shira two Camp. 

Today's hike is the last of the "easy days" and takes about 7 hours. You will pass by the Lava Tower, around the southern flank of Kibo, and then gradually descend to Baranco, your most spectacular campsite, situated at the foot of Kibo Peak, which looms high above. Your camp is only 465 feet higher than where you were last night, but your hike will have taken you to an altitude of just over 14,000 feet today. This is one of your most valuable days for acclimatization.

Dinner and Overnight: Baranco Hut. 

After breakfast, your first challenge is to ascend the Baranco Wall, a 600-foot rock formation. Once you've surmounted the wall, the climb becomes easier and incredibly beautiful, offering fantastic views of the crags and crevasses of the jagged peaks to your left. You will then descend into the Karanga Valley. Some trekkers with time constraints choose not to stop at the Karanga Valley for an overnight camp and continue straight to Barafu Hut. If you continue, it will be a long day, but it is certainly doable. However, we recommend spending the extra night at Karanga, as it allows you to acclimatize to the altitude and increases your chances of reaching the summit. It's also a great place on Kilimanjaro. The air is getting thinner, and you will be short of breath as you climb out of the Karanga Valley. The hike to Barafu Hut is slow and challenging, and you will be grateful for staying at Karanga for the night. Barafu means "ice" in Swahili, and it is extremely cold at this altitude. Go to bed early because we will wake you up at midnight for the final ascent to Uhuru Peak, the summit. 

Dinner and Overnight: Barafu Camp - 14, 950 ft 

Dress warmly because we will start climbing around midnight, tackling the steepest and most demanding part of the mountain. The moon will provide enough light, and we'll reach Stella Point by sunrise (about 6 hours). At dawn, from the crater rim, rugged Mawenzi is a thrilling sight, with the Kibo saddle still in darkness below you, and the crater's ice-walls looming ahead. If you feel strong enough, you should continue to Uhuru Peak (1-2 hours). This is the highest point in Africa and the world's highest solitary peak at 19,340 feet. This is the toughest day that most trekkers have ever experienced. You will have ascended 3,600 feet and descended 7,200 feet in a period of 12-15 hours. Although descending is far less tiring, it's a good idea to take occasional rest breaks as you continue down to Mweka Hut (3-4 hours from the top).

Dinner and Overnight: Mweka Camp - 10,200ft 

On the final day of the journey, climbers descend from Mweka Camp to the base. Descending to the gate will take approximately 5 hours, and climbers usually arrive before noon. Upon arrival at the gate, climbers will be rewarded with certificates attesting their success at climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. After completing your climb, you will be taken to Janibichi Adventures Ltd for a hot shower.

Day Nine: Departure!