We call this the Northern Trail because it traverses the north side of Kilimanjaro where fewer people go. If you are looking for something different then this route is for you!
Please note - while they may claim otherwise most outfitters and guides are not familiar with this route. Our Team Kibo guides have trekked this route many times and know how to pace your group for proper acclimatization - very important for this route that takes you to Crater Camp.
This route is very special for several reasons:
- It is a combination of the best features of the Lemosho and Rongai routes! You get to view the Lemosho forest, the Shira Plateau, the Amboseli area, Mawenzi, the ice-fields of the Crater Camp and the Mweka rain forest.
- There is no night-climbing! We climb only during day time hours.
- We camp between the glaciers near the crater rim!
- It is safer than the normal Western Breach approach and less crowded than the standard Machame route.
- Everybody can do it! It is especially good for trekkers who prefer not to scramble up and over rock sections. Older trekkers should take a serious look at this route.
- It is very satisfying and breathtakingly beautiful. But since the high camp is at 18,500 feet you must do it the right way! Few outfitters are familiar with this route and even fewer have the experience and safety equipment needed to camp safely near the Crater rim. With a proven summit success record, we know a thing or two about camping at 18,500 feet!
Camping at 18,500 feet is serious business and you can develop serious altitude-related symptoms if you attempt this without being properly acclimatized and without proper safety equipment.
ONLY A FEW OUTFITTERS HAVE THE EQUIPMENT AND KNOW-HOW to guide you safely to the Crater Camp and beyond. This is no place for a budget outfitter.
Itinerary
At breakfast we drink as much water as we can!
After breakfast, we drive north east to the town of Londorossi where we must complete some paperwork at the warden's office. Then we drive for another hour on a muddy and slippery road to the starting point at Lemosho where our porters are waiting.
While one of our guides stays behind to organize the porters, we begin our trek around noon at an altitude of 7500 ft. The walk is absolutely beautiful and our pace is slow to assist with acclimatization. Along the way we may see fresh elephant dung! Fortunately these elephants are very elusive!
The guides will stop frequently to point out some interesting plants. We identify many different kinds of trees such as juniper, olive and Nuxia congesta.
The scenery will change often; at some points the forest is thick and dark. In open areas we may see a few colorful flowers!
The trail is slippery when it rains so we walk carefully. Every now and then our legs get scraped with nettle plants. Some climbers develop a rash so we recommend you wear long pants during today's hike. Also watch the ground for safari ants. Their bites burn! Stamp your feet when you're near ants and roll your socks over your long pants.
An hour or so after starting the climb, we stop for lunch. You will be surprised at the feast that awaits you! A lunch buffet table, comfortable chairs, a portable toilet. This is Kibo-style and it's much appreciated.
The rest of the climb is mildly strenuous at times but the hills are short. Some of the downhill stretches are quite steep so we use our poles to prevent us from slipping and sliding!
Don't forget to take pictures! The forest is now at its most beautiful.
We continue to climb slowly and reach our camp about 2 hours after our lunch stop.
Our camp is in the montane forest at 9,000 ft. Everything will be ready for our arrival. Tonight we will have about an hour or so before dinner, so we have some time to get organized for the evening.
We must eat well tonight. At the higher altitudes we may lose appetite so these first few days are important for building up energy reserves. We must also drink at least another liter of water before going to bed.
Darkness comes early in the forest and the clear sounds of the night remind us that we are far away from home. We are finally camping on the slopes of Kilimanjaro!
Breakfast is served at 7:30 and we start our walk before 8:30am.
The hike from the Forest Camp to our lunch stop is easy. After lunch, we will hike mostly uphill for long steep stretches until we arrive at the Shira Ridge. The last hour will be an easy stroll across the plateau.
We start off with a short steep climb. In the early morning the colobus monkeys are noisy but they are hard to spot! After about 2 hours we stop for a quick snack— we eat energy food such as peanuts and chocolate bars.
Soon afterwards, the forest clears and we enter the heather zone. We see plants such as Erica arborea and Philippia excelsa. This is a good time to cover up with sunscreen as the temperature often reaches a sunny 75º F or warmer.
In this area we may see illegal beehives. Beekeepers often set the forest on fire (by accident) when they create smoke, so they've been banished!
The ground vegetation continues to change and new types of plants appear around every corner. Look for the chair-like tussock grasses!
In the open landscape we can now see the trail ahead as it winds along the ridges of Shira. It is clear that we have some hiking to do before this day is over!
About 3 hours after leaving Forest Camp, we will reach the top of a hill where we can see our lunch stop in the clearing below.
The downhill walk is pleasant and we increase our pace a bit because after lunch, we will hike mostly uphill along the Shira ridges.
We reach our lunch stop around noon. It is time to kick back and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. This is another opportunity to eat and drink as much as we can.
After lunch we immediately start a very steep hike for about 30 minutes, and then we follow one ridge after another—hiking higher and higher as we get closer to the upper slopes of Shira.
Behind us, clouds may start to roll in—a common afternoon occurrence on Kilimanjaro.
Around 2:30pm we reach the high-point of the day and turn west for an easy 20-minute walk to the western edge of Shira. Suddenly, on the right, we see Kibo for the first time!
To the north and north-west, we see the Shira Plateau and we take a short rest and photo opportunity before we hike the final stretch across the plateau to Shira 1 Camp at 10,965 ft.
We reach camp around 4pm. In the late afternoon the clouds often clear away and we are treated with a magnificent view of the Western Breach in the distance!
Breakfast is served at 8:00 and we start our walk before 9:00am.
Today's hike is nor very long with just one steep section at the end of the trek. The Shira Plateau is truly beautiful with interesting plants, rock formations and several water streams.
When we wake up this morning we will see the sun rise behind Kibo, and this magnificent view will be in front of us all day. We start with a very short climb before the trail flattens out for a very pleasant walk.
To our right, we can see the Shira Cathedral and behind us the Shira Ridge will slowly fade into the distance.
We are hiking at an altitude of 11,500 ft but most climbers have no problems with this part of the trek.
Early on in the day we cross a refreshing stream, reminding us to stop frequently and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Then it's a short uphill walk to a section that reminds us of the heather zone of yesterday. We are now in an area well-known for eland and buffalo, so we look for fresh tracks.
Soon we cross back into moorland and the lava ridges of Kilimanjaro are now closer in front of us. Our next camp is on the first major ridge, but we still have another 2-3 hours to go!
On the left, we follow a stream with many caves. In the old days, this was lion country and the caves were lion hideaways.
We also see a 4x4 track used by the rescue vehicles.
Around noon we find ourselves in senecio country! We always stop to take pictures of the majestic Senecio Kilimanjari which grows into a small tree up to 15 ft high.
A bit further up the hill we see our first Lobelia Deckenii. To protect their sensitive buds in the central core, the outer leaves close at night!
Around 1pm we reach the top of the ridge in time for lunch. The views are spectacular! We are at Fischer Camp, so named in memory of the American guide who died on Everest but who was one of the first guides to explore the Western Breach of Kilimanjaro.
We are at 12,230 ft. We eat lunch and visit the Fischer memorial before continuing the trek for another 2 hours to our overnight stop. Along the way we have one rather steep section but there are several flatter areas to save some energy!
Once we are beyond the steep section, we hike next to a dramatic rock section with caves and overhangs.
Soon afterwards we see a strange structure to the northwest in the distance! This is an old hut at Moir Camp - our stopover.
Moir Hut is at 13700ft (4175m). It is about 3pm—time to take a shower and a well-earned rest.
Breakfast is served at 7:30 and we start our walk around 8:00am.
Today's hike to Pofu Camp is long and but fortunately only one long uphill section and then mostly flat or downhill.
The day starts with a 2-mile long uphill section. Due to the altitude, some climbers will feel less energetic than yesterday! It is time for energy drinks and bars. This section will test us.
As the sun rises higher, the views are stunning. Looking to our left the plains of Amboseli in Kenya come into view and on clear days we can see far into Kenya. To our right the mountain the Northern Icefields loom high above us becomes less dramatic as we make our way around its northern slopes.
After the initial ridge, the scenery starts to change as we cross the Lent Hills. We are leaving the moorland and are now in the alpine zone. These are inhospitable conditions where it freezes every night. Plant life is reduced to mosses, lichens and a few everlasting flowers.
After about 2 miles of uphill we reach the high point of the day (14,700ft) followed by a short downhill and the final hill. Once we cross the ridge (about 3 miles from Moir Camp) it is mostly downhill or flat with smaller ridges to Pofu Camp.
At this point the mountain to our right becomes less dramatic as we make our way around its northern slopes. The glacier action and major rock falls were not so dramatic on the northern side of Kilimanjaro.
During our descend the pleasant effects of lower altitude is helpful. A few headaches may dissipate and some of us will regain some bounce in our steps!
The lunch stop is scheduled at a scenic spot just after the high point at about 3.5 miles. We can see the trail to camp ahead in the distance.
After lunch the trail can get very dusty and we spread out a bit to avoid each other's dust! Wet bandanas and wet wipes come in handy to keep our faces clean!
After crossing about seven smaller ridges we reach the final ridge and home for the night - Pofu Camp. It will be just after 2pm and our altitude is 13,200ft.
Despite our tiredness, it is very important to take a short acclimatization hike towards Pofu High Camp this evening before dinner. We've reached 14,700ft already today and these higher altitude experiences will help us over the next 3 days.
Breakfast is served at 7:30 and we depart at shortly after 8:00am.
Today's hike is shorter than yesterday (about 5 hours) and much easier with no major uphills! It is a relaxing day to help prepare us for the next two days which will be much harder.
We walk towards Mawenzi in the distance and Kibo Saddle will slowly come into view to our right.
The trail is simple - just a series of hills and valleys until we reach the Rongai Trail and descend into 3rd Cave Camp at 12,800ft. It should be around 1pm and lunch will be ready as soon as we arrive.
The camp can be a bit busy because we are on the main Rongai Trail but we have to get used to the crowds as we reach the more popular areas of Kilimanjaro.
After a couple of hours of relaxing, we take a short acclimatization hike towards School Hut Camp. We will hike high tomorrow and gaining some altitude tonight will really help us later.
Today is the first of two challenging days. We will gain more than 2,700 ft and it will be steep.
As always breakfast is served at 7:30 and we depart at shortly after 8:00am. We immediately start a steady uphill which will continue for 2.6 miles to camp.
This is a barren landscape but very quiet and peaceful when there are not too many other trekkers on the trail.
The trail can be dusty and loose scree makes the trek more challenging than our previous days.
We reach School Hut Camp at 15,858ft around noon after about 4 hours. It can be busy at times and somewhat smelly so we set camp a bit further uphill for some privacy. Trekkers will be arriving from other Rongai and Marangu routes and most will depart for the summit before midnight tonight!
Late afternoon we take an acclimatization hike towards Gilmans Point. It will help us adjust to the altitude and give us an idea of the strenuous day in the morning.
Tonight most other climbers in camp will go to bed early (7pm) as the wake-up call is 11pm for those teams who climb during the midnight hours; we start as soon as it gets light; a much more comfortable way to reach the Gilmans Point area!
Our toughest but most exciting day is ahead of us! We will hike 3.6 miles in total of which 2.9 miles is mostly uphill to Uhuru Peak. We go from 15,858ft to 19340ft to 18500ft and it will take about 10 hours (lunch included at Stella Point).
For many, this is the day they've been thinking about. Climbing the last long stretch to the Crater Rim area won't be a walk in the park, but hike slowly over the steeper sections and the warm sunshine makes for a pleasant hike at pretty serious altitude!
We start at 6:00am and immediately encounter firm scree as we start our traversing hike that will continue for 6 hours to Gilmans Point. Along the way we take many short breaks to take in the views and to snap pictures.
There will a long line of trekkers going both ways! Some will be coming down from the summit. Others will be returning after giving up somewhere along the trail. We can hear and see the suffering all around us!
Around noon we reach Gilmans Point (18,652ft) for a short rest and some pictures. From here it is a more gentle but challenging 2 hours to the summit.
At 1pm we find ourselves at Stella Point where we will enjoy a light lunch. We are at 18,829ft.
After lunch we slowly proceed with the hour-long uphill hike to the summit (arriving around 2:30pm). Please note: we normally proceed to the summit but it depends on the weather and our conditions. If we do not summit today and head straight for camp, we will summit in the morning.
At this time of day the crowds are gone and we should have the summit to ourselves!
We take plenty of pictures! This is a wonderful moment!
After the summit celebrations we begin the short but steep and dusty descend down to the Crater Camp!
On our way to camp, on our left and ahead we see the Furtwangler glacier. We have reached the snows of Kilimanjaro!
It is just after 4pm and some of us head straight to the tents to relax before dinner. Others walk to the glacier to touch it. It is sad to know that these glaciers may be completely gone in only a few decades.
Before dinner a few tough souls walk to the actual crater and back — a 90 min hike that few people will ever undertake! Others will delay this hike until morning.
Our Crater Camp is at 18,500 ft (5600m)!
The next morning we may return to the summit (weather permitting) before descending down to Mweka Camp.
After a cold night but fantastic scenery we rise early to catch the sunrise from either the summit (Uhuru Peak) or Stella Point!
It takes about 30 minutes from the Crater Camp to Stella Point where we watch the midnight climbers arrive in zombie-like conditions! Most of them are surprised to see fresh-looking climbers (us) at Stella Point! They don't know we camped nearby! It is a 90-minute hike to the summit from Crater Camp and then 20 minutes down to Stella Point.
But please be prepared for an aftershock - the way down is a steep, rigorous route from Stella Point down the mountain to Barafu where we stop for lunch. It is recommended to use long poles and our best ski moves!
Many hikers are unprepared for this 4-hour ordeal down the slippery slope of scree. Don't be. The sun will beat down and we will soon curse our 4-layers of summit wear!
We sweat and eat dust like rodeo cowboys! It is rough going!
At Barafu we take a good rest before tackling the rest of the way down.
But the day is not over yet. We must continue down the mountain for another 3 hours of serious downhill walking.
We reach Mweka Camp in the late afternoon, and scramble to be first in the shower!
Dinner tonight is a joyous celebration with local cuisine! Sadly, it is our last night on Kilimanjaro. We are at 10146ft (3092m).
We hike 5.5 miles (8.55km) from Mweka Camp to the gate at 5360ft.
Breakfast is served at 8:00 and we depart at 9:00am.
Today is a short but steep downhill walk through the rain forest to the park gate.
When it rains, the trail is muddy and very slippery. We use our poles to prevent knee or ankle injuries.
There are many other climbers on this trail and plenty of stories and experiences to share. It is noisy all the way!
At the gate, we are treated with a final snack and drinks, and an opportunity to buy a few souvenirs! Then we sign the register and gather for the presentation of our climbing certificates by our guides, followed by a short tipping ceremony.
Sadly, it is time to say goodbye to our mountain team.
With their assistance, we achieved something extraordinary! We climbed Mount Kilimanjaro - the highest freestanding mountain in the world!