Moshi
Your Moshi hotel
Budget, midrange or luxury — your base for the briefing before the climb and a hot shower after it.
Kilimanjaro · Northern Circuit
8-Day Northern
Circuit
Route
Circle the remote northern slopes of Kilimanjaro on a gradual route with excellent summit success.
- 8 days on the mountain
- Challenging
- Long route, excellent acclimatisation
- Private climb
The climb
Around the mountain,
at an easy pace.
The Northern Circuit starts on the western side and loops around Kilimanjaro's little-visited northern slopes, giving you views and solitude that other routes cannot match.
Modest daily gains in height make it one of the best routes for acclimatisation, so summit success is high without committing to the full ten-day plan. You summit at sunrise via Gilman's Point.
Route & elevations
From the gate
to the Roof of Africa.
Every climb is led by a professional mountain guide with a full support crew.
- Day 01 Moshi Arrival & briefing
- Day 02 Mti Mkubwa Camp 2,820 m
- Day 04 Moir Hut 4,200 m
- Day 05 Buffalo Camp 4,020 m
- Day 06 Third Cave 3,850 m
- Day 07 School Hut 4,750 m
- Day 08 Uhuru Peak 5,895 m
- Day 09 Mweka Gate 1,800 m
Day by day
Your climb, step by step
Times and distances are a guide — your lead guide sets the pace on the mountain.
Day 1: Arrival in Moshi
Welcome to Kilimanjaro
Overnight: Hotel in Moshi (budget, midrange or luxury)
Our team meets you at Kilimanjaro International Airport and drives you to your hotel in Moshi, the gateway town to the mountain.
In the evening your lead guide talks you through the climb, checks your gear and answers your questions. The rest of the day is for resting and drinking plenty of water.
- Stay
- Hotel in Moshi (budget, midrange or luxury)
- Meals
- Dinner
Day 2: Lemosho Gate → Mti Mkubwa Camp
Into the western forest
Overnight: Mti Mkubwa Camp (tents)
After park formalities at Lemosho Gate, the trek begins in lush montane forest on the mountain's western side.
Blue and colobus monkeys live here, and the shaded trail climbs gradually to Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree) Camp for your first night.
- Stay
- Mti Mkubwa Camp (tents)
- Elevation
- 2,360 m → 2,820 m
- Walking
- 6 km · 3–4 hrs
Day 3: Mti Mkubwa → Shira 1 Camp
Heath and moorland
Overnight: Shira 1 Camp (tents)
Leaving the forest, you enter heath and moorland dotted with lobelias and giant senecios.
Views open over Shira Ridge and distant Mount Meru on the way to Shira 1 Camp, where a short afternoon walk helps you acclimatise.
- Stay
- Shira 1 Camp (tents)
- Elevation
- 2,650 m → 3,610 m
- Walking
- 8 km · 5–6 hrs
Day 4: Shira 1 → Moir Hut
Toward the north
Overnight: Moir Hut camp (tents)
The trail crosses the Shira Plateau through open alpine meadow and volcanic rock, with views back to Mount Meru.
The ground grows more barren as you reach Moir Hut, a quiet camp below the Lent Hills. An optional climb up the hills adds acclimatisation and views.
- Stay
- Moir Hut camp (tents)
- Elevation
- 3,610 m → 4,200 m
- Walking
- 12 km · 5–7 hrs
Day 5: Moir Hut → Buffalo Camp
The remote northern slopes
Overnight: Buffalo Camp (tents)
A climb over a ridge leads you onto Kilimanjaro's quiet northern slopes.
Rolling alpine desert with views across the Kenyan plains carries you to Buffalo Camp — a side of the mountain most climbers never see.
- Stay
- Buffalo Camp (tents)
- Elevation
- 4,200 m → 4,020 m
- Walking
- 12 km · 5–7 hrs
Day 6: Buffalo Camp → Third Cave
Gentle ups and downs
Overnight: Third Cave Camp (tents)
The trail continues east across the northern slopes with easy ups and downs.
Mawenzi stays in view as you reach Third Cave below Kibo, with the afternoon free to rest or walk with your guide.
- Stay
- Third Cave Camp (tents)
- Elevation
- 4,020 m → 3,850 m
- Walking
- 8 km · 5–6 hrs
Day 7: Third Cave → School Hut
Last camp before the summit
Overnight: School Hut (tents)
A steady climb through alpine desert brings you to School Hut, with wide views over the Saddle and Mawenzi.
You arrive early to rest, drink and prepare your gear. After an early dinner your guide talks you through the summit plan.
- Stay
- School Hut (tents)
- Elevation
- 3,850 m → 4,750 m
- Walking
- 5 km · 4–5 hrs
Day 8: School Hut → Uhuru Peak → Mweka Camp
Summit day
Overnight: Mweka Camp (tents)
Around midnight you climb switchbacks to Gilman's Point (5,681 m) on the crater rim.
The rim leads to Uhuru Peak for sunrise. You then descend to Barafu for rest and lunch, and on to Mweka Camp for your last night.
- Stay
- Mweka Camp (tents)
- Elevation
- 4,750 m → 5,895 m → 3,100 m
- Walking
- 15 km · 12–14 hrs
Day 9: Mweka Camp → Mweka Gate
Back to Moshi
Overnight: Hotel in Moshi (budget, midrange or luxury)
A final walk down through the rainforest brings you to Mweka Gate.
There you receive your summit certificate and say goodbye to your crew before the drive back to Moshi for a hot shower and a celebration.
- Stay
- Hotel in Moshi (budget, midrange or luxury)
- Elevation
- 3,100 m → 1,800 m
- Walking
- 10 km · 3–4 hrs
Day 10: Departure
Farewell from Tanzania
Depending on your flight time, we drive you to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your journey home.
Continuing on safari or to Zanzibar? We arrange the connection so your next adventure begins smoothly.
Where you will sleep
Rest well,
climb strong.
On the mountain
Mountain camps
Two-person sleeping tents, a dining tent with table and chairs, hot washing water and three meals a day — all set up by your crew.
Included
Your climb includes
- Airport pick-up and drop-off
- Return transport to and from the trailhead
- Two nights in a Moshi hotel (before and after the climb)
- Park, conservation and rescue fees, plus VAT
- Professional mountain guide and full crew, wages and allowances included
- First-aid kit and emergency oxygen
- Rescue vehicle on standby
- Sleeping tents and a dining tent with table and chairs
- Three meals a day on the mountain
- Morning wake-up call, hot washing water and ginger tea on summit night
Not included
Not included
- Flights
- Travel and health insurance
- Tips for the mountain crew
- Drinks at the hotel
- Personal items and gear
- Taxis and extra transfers
Good to know
Extras, transfers
& tipping.
Optional extras — private toilet $150 per trip · private tent $5 per day · Kailas X3 alpine tent $10 per day · thicker sleeping mattress $10 · Therm-a-Rest sleeping pad $15.
Private transfers — Kilimanjaro Airport to Moshi (or back) $50 · Arusha to Moshi (or back) $100. Pre-booking recommended.
Suggested crew tips per climber — lead guide USD 20–25 · assistant guide USD 15–20 · cook USD 12–15 · porter USD 8–10.
Make more of your trip — add a wildlife safari in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro or Tarangire, a few days on Zanzibar's beaches, or a cultural visit to Maasai and Chagga communities and a coffee tour near Moshi.
Prices for this route are quoted on request for your dates and group size.
Start planning
Tell us when
you want to climb.
Every climb is private and planned around your dates, fitness and pace.
Send us the details below and our team will put together your 8-Day Northern Circuit Route proposal.
Good to know: Your enquiry does not commit you to a booking. It simply gives our team what we need to plan your climb.
Request your climb proposal
Ready for the Roof of Africa?
Tell us your dates and group size. We reply within 24 hours with a climb plan and a clear price.