10 Days Northern Circuit Route Kilimanjaro
10 Days Northern Circuit Route is a safari package designed to take travelers through the north instead of following the southern traverse like all the other west approaching routes. The Northern Circuit traverses the mountain around the quiet, rarely visited northern slopes with a rare experience of nature. While you trek, you will see nearly 360 degrees of beautiful scenery as you traverse the mountain at 13,000 feet. As the longest route on Kilimanjaro, the Northern Circuit also has the longest acclimatization time, giving you the highest chance of reaching the summit successfully.
Quick tour details
Duration: 10 days
Number of People: Tailored
Starts/Ends: Arusha
Availability: All year round
PLACES TO VISIT: MOUNT KILIMANJARO
Tour Overview – 10 Days Northern Circuit Route
- Day 01: Airport pick-up
- Day 02: Arusha- Londorossi Gate – Forest Camp
- Day 03: Forest Camp – Shira Camp 1
- Day 04: Shira Camp 1 – Shira 2
- Day 05: Shira Hut – Moir Hut
- Day 06: Moir Camp (4,200 meters) – Buffalo Camp (4,020 meters)
- Day 07: Buffalo Camp (4,020 m) – Rongai Third Cave (3,800 m)
- Day 08: 3rd Cave (3,800 meters) – School Hut (4,800 meters
- Day 09: School Hut (4,800 m) – Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) – Millennium Camp (3,950 m)
- Day 10: Millennium Camp – Arusha
Day by day detailed itinerary for 10 days northern circuit route trekking safari
DAY 01: ARRIVAL AND PICKUP
Upon our arrival to Tanzania, you will be picked up by a professional guide from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and driven to your accommodation in Moshi town. Participants will be given a short briefing for the climb the next day. Kits and the necessary equipment will be checked as well.
Meals Plan: Dinner
DAY 02: ARUSHA – LONDOROSSI GATE – FOREST CAMP
Early in the morning, you depart Arusha for Londorossi Gate (2 hours), where you will complete entry formalities. We then drive to the Lemosho trailhead and arrive in time for lunch. Afterward, we walk through the undisturbed forest, which winds to the first campsite
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
DAY 03: FOREST CAMP – SHIRA CAMP I
You continue on the trail leading out of the forest and into a savannah of tall grasses, heather, and volcanic rock draped with lichen beards. As we ascend through the rolling hills and cross several streams, we reach the Shira Ridge before dropping gently down to Shira 1 camp. Here you will have an amazing view of Kibo from across the plateau.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
DAY 04: SHIRA CAMP 1 – SHIRA CAMP 2
We explore Shira plateau for a full day, one of the highest plateaus on earth. It is a gentle walk towards Kibo’s glaciered peak, across the plateau, which leads to Shira 2 camp on moorland meadows by a stream. A variety of walks are available on Lent Hills making this an excellent acclimatization opportunity.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 05: SHIRA HUT – MOIR HUT
Today, we trek in high altitude and sleep in a low altitude, which is good for the acclimatization process. We spent the morning trekking up to Lava Tower and the iconic Shark’s Tooth rock formation at 4,600 meters where you will have lunch. After, we head down to the northern circuit to Moir Camp at 4,200 meters.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
DAY 06: MOIR CAMP – BUFFALO CAMP
We leave Moir Valley and take a short walk to reach the summit of Little Lent Hill at 4,375 meters with amazing views. After, we return to the trail and head eastwards throughout the northern circuit path to Buffalo Camp. Here, you will be welcomed with a vast space of Kenyan plains stretch out far below to the north.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 07: BUFFALO CAMP – RONGAI THIRD CAVE
Today, the trek will be shorter and you should be feeling well acclimatized to the altitude. We climb up the Buffalo ridge and down into Porfu Camp where lunch will be served. The route then continues east around the northern slopes to the Rongai Third Cave at 3,800 meters. You will arrive at the Third Cave just around mid-afternoon.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
DAY 08: THIRD CAVE – SCHOOL HUT
After breakfast, we ascend to The Saddler, a lunar panorama between the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi. Afterward, we proceed upwards and arrive at School Hut Campsite early in the afternoon. You can spend the rest of the day relaxing and preparing for the summit day.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
DAY 09: SCHOOL HUT – UHURU PEAK – MILLENNIUM CAMP
We’ll start our ascent by midnight and use torchlight so that we can reach the Crater rim by daybreak. It will be a steep climb for about 5 or 6 hours over unfastened volcanic scree up to Gilmans stage (5,685 m). We shall rest there for a while admiring the daybreak over Mawenzi. The trail leads west alongside the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,896 m), passing close to the spectacular glaciers and ice cliffs that additionally occupy quite a lot of the summit area. We then retrace our steps alongside the crater rim to Stella Stage. Afterward, we descend down to Barafu Camp stopping at Barafu for lunch. Here you might need gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
DAY 10: MILLENNIUM CAMP – ARUSHA
After breakfast, we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy so Gaiters and trekking poles will help. From the gate, we continue another hour to Mweka Village where our vehicle awaits to drive you back to the Hotel in Arusha.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
End of 10 Days Northern Circuit Route