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Overview
The honest versionThe Northern Circuit starts at Londorossi Gate on the western side, the same start as Lemosho, and follows Lemosho across the Shira Plateau for the first three days. Near Lava Tower, where Lemosho turns south towards Barranco, the Northern Circuit turns north and spends several days on the quiet northern flank of Kibo, a high, largely empty stretch of the mountain where few groups go.
You camp at Moir Hut, Buffalo Camp and Third Cave, small and exposed sites that see only a fraction of the traffic of Barranco, Karanga or Barafu. On day 7 you cross the Saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo to Kibo Hut, rest, and start the summit push around midnight. You summit via Gilman's Point and the crater rim to Uhuru Peak, then descend by the Marangu route, out at Marangu Gate.
Four things matter. Solitude: on a good day you can walk for hours without meeting another group. Gradual acclimatisation: you stay near or above 4,000 m for several nights without pushing your sleeping altitude up too fast, which is why this is one of the higher-success itineraries. Scenery: the Shira Plateau, the northern slopes, the Saddle, the summit rim and a southern descent. A real loop: unlike Lemosho, it circles most of Kibo, so you see the mountain from more angles than on any other standard route.
What it does not have is a short itinerary. Nine days is a serious commitment and one of the more expensive routes, because every extra day adds park fees, crew wages and food. It is not for climbers who need to be back at work in a week.
Best for. Climbers who want the mountain to themselves, have nine days to spare and put summit odds and scenery ahead of a shorter, cheaper trip. Also a good fit if you want the highest possible margin on altitude.
Worth knowing. The longest and most expensive standard route. Mental endurance matters: by days 5 and 6 the novelty has worn off and the summit is still days away. Book at least three months ahead, and six for July to September.
Day by day
One camp at a time-
Day 1
Londorossi Gate to Mti Mkubwa Camp
- Starts at2,250 m
- Sleep2,780 m
- Walking3–4 hrs
- ZoneRainforest
You share this first day with the Lemosho climbers: the same transfer, the same registration at the gate, the same walk through old, wet montane forest. The forest is beautiful and muddy, so gaiters help. Colobus monkeys, turacos and the smell of wet bark.
Camp is named Big Tree after the ancient trees around it. By tomorrow the two routes split and you will rarely see the Lemosho groups again.
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Day 2
Mti Mkubwa to Shira 1 Camp
- Starts at2,780 m
- Sleep3,500 m
- Walking5–6 hrs
- ZoneForest to heath
You leave the trees behind and climb onto the Shira Ridge. By afternoon Kibo is ahead of you for the first time, unmistakable and enormous, with Mount Meru behind you to the west.
Shira 1 sits on the edge of the plateau and the view back over the forest towards Meru is one of the best on the mountain. It is your first altitude night: drink water and sleep early.
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Day 3
Shira 1 to Shira 2 Camp
- Starts at3,500 m
- Sleep3,850 m
- Walking3–4 hrs
- ZoneMoorland
A short, gentle crossing of the Shira Plateau, with wide views and giant lobelia and senecio appearing in numbers. We guard this as one of the easier days. Arrive by lunchtime, walk twenty minutes uphill and back in the afternoon, and rest.
This is the last camp you share with Lemosho. From tomorrow they turn south and you turn north.
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Day 4
Shira 2 to Lava Tower to Moir Hut
- Starts at3,850 m
- Sleep4,200 m
- Walking5–7 hrs
- ZoneMoorland and alpine desert
You climb to Lava Tower (4,630 m) with the Lemosho groups, then instead of dropping south to Barranco you turn north. The idea is the same as Lemosho's Lava Tower day, a high point followed by a lower sleep, but here you keep more altitude overnight: Moir Hut sits at 4,200 m.
It is a quiet camp on the northern edge of the plateau, facing the northern slopes of Kibo. Very few groups stay here. Elephants and buffalo sometimes range up onto the plateau, and if you see one from a distance it is a genuine Kilimanjaro memory.
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Day 5
Moir Hut to Buffalo Camp
- Starts at4,200 m
- Sleep4,020 m
- Walking5–6 hrs
- ZoneAlpine desert
The northern traverse begins. You walk east along the flank of Kibo over a series of ridges and shallow valleys. Some days you will see no other group at all.
Buffalo Camp sits on a rocky shelf at 4,020 m facing the summit. Dropping slightly from Moir Hut makes this another useful acclimatisation day: your body has now slept at or near 4,000 m two nights running.
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Day 6
Buffalo Camp to Third Cave
- Starts at4,020 m
- Sleep3,870 m
- Walking4–5 hrs
- ZoneAlpine desert
Another quiet day on the northern slopes, dropping slightly to Third Cave, named after the third of three overhanging rock shelters used on this side of the mountain for generations.
The lower camp is warmer, and the drop is deliberate: a recovery night before the push to Kibo Hut and the summit. Eat well and sleep well.
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Day 7
Third Cave to Kibo Hut via the Saddle
- Starts at3,870 m
- Sleep4,750 m
- Walking5–6 hrs
- ZoneAlpine desert
You cross the Saddle, the vast alpine desert between Mawenzi and Kibo that Rongai climbers cross from the other side. It is one of the harshest places on Kilimanjaro: barren, wind-scoured and often in fog, with midday temperatures close to freezing.
Kibo Hut is a stone building at 4,750 m shared with Marangu and Rongai climbers. Eat early and sleep early: you leave around midnight.
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Day 8
Summit night: Uhuru Peak to Horombo Hut
- Starts at4,750 m
- Sleep3,720 m
- Walking12–15 hrs
- ZoneSummit and descent
The first section is a long scree slope of loose rock and dust, generally harder on the body than the Stella Point approach used by the southern routes. Not dangerous, just harder. You walk by headlamp and stop every hour to drink and eat something small.
At dawn you reach Gilman's Point (5,681 m) as the sun rises over Mawenzi, then follow the crater rim for 45 to 90 minutes to Uhuru Peak, 5,895 m. You have about fifteen minutes at the top. Then you descend via Kibo Hut to Horombo Hut (3,720 m), where air, warmth and appetite all come back within an hour.
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Day 9
Horombo Hut to Marangu Gate
- Starts at3,720 m
- Sleep1,860 m
- Walking5–6 hrs
- ZoneMoorland and rainforest
A long descent through moorland and then rainforest to Marangu Gate, where your certificate is issued (gold for Uhuru Peak, green for Gilman's Point). Then a short transfer to Moshi or Arusha for a hot shower and an early sleep.
Day 4 (Lava Tower and Moir Hut) and day 8 (summit night) shape your climb. Day 4 is where your body learns what 4,600 m feels like, and day 8 is where it uses that lesson. If you feel strong at Moir Hut and sleep at least a little at Kibo Hut, your odds are good. A 10-day version adds one more night on the northern traverse, worth considering if you have a history of altitude problems or simply want the biggest margin. Ask us for a modified itinerary.
The northern slopes
Why this route existsThe northern slopes are the reason the Northern Circuit exists as a separate route, and what makes it worth the extra time and money.
Weather
The north side sits in the mountain's rain shadow. Moisture-laden winds from the Indian Ocean drop most of their rain on the southern slopes, so the northern camps are often noticeably drier than southern camps at similar altitude.
Traffic
The northern slopes see a fraction of the traffic of the southern routes. Compare walking for hours without another group with the queue at the Barranco Wall on a busy July morning. The difference in feeling is enormous.
Scenery
Barren, high and starkly beautiful: the Shira Plateau to the west, the Rift Valley in the distance, Kibo on your right and, on clear mornings, the Kenyan plains stretching north. A quiet, vast and old kind of beauty.
Wildlife
Elephants, buffalo and bushbuck live in the forest belt and sometimes range high. You may see tracks, occasionally the animals themselves. Keep your distance: they are wild and dangerous.
Camps and communication
Moir Hut, Buffalo Camp and Third Cave are small and exposed, with basic long-drop toilets. You are more self-sufficient than on the southern routes. Mobile coverage is weaker here, so ask any operator how emergency communication is handled on the northern traverse.
How it compares
Choose with confidenceThe mountain is not technical: the challenge is altitude. In our experience each extra day on the mountain adds roughly 10% to your chance of reaching the summit.
| Route | Days | Summit success | Our take |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lemosho | 7–8 | 90–95% on 8 days | Best overall if you have the time. |
| Machame | 6–7 | 85–90% on 7 days | Scenic and popular. Take the 7-day version. |
| Northern Circuit | 9 | 90–95% | The quietest trails and the best odds. |
| Rongai | 6–7 | 80–85% on 7 days | Dry and quiet. Good outside the main season. |
| Marangu | 5–6 | 50–60% on 5 days | Huts instead of tents. Add the extra night. |
What is included
No surprisesEvery quote lists park fees, crew, meals, equipment and transfers line by line, so you know exactly what you are paying for.
Included
- Frais de parc, frais de camping ou d'hébergement en hutte et frais de secours
- Guide de montagne certifié, guides assistants, cuisinier et porteurs
- Tous les repas sur la montagne et l'eau potable
- Tentes, matelas de couchage, tente-cantine et équipement de cuisine
- Contrôles à l'oxymètre de pouls et une trousse de premiers secours portée par le guide
- Transferts entre Arusha et le point de départ
- Deux nuits à Arusha, avant et après l'ascension
Not included
- Vols internationaux et visa
- Assurance voyage couvrant le trekking jusqu'à 6 000 m (obligatoire)
- Équipement personnel et sac de couchage (location disponible)
- Pourboires pour l'équipe de montagne
- Oxygène portable ou porteur personnel, sur demande
For a 7-day Lemosho climb, park fees alone come to roughly $956 per person, completely separate from guide, porter, food and equipment costs. We calculate them for you and include them in the quoted price.
Park fees, itemised How tipping works
Altitude
The only real obstacleYou cannot train altitude, buy it, or will your way through it. But you can prepare for it, recognise it and respect it. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is the body reacting to lower oxygen pressure, and most climbers feel a mild version of it.
Mild AMS: normal, manageable
- A headache that responds to ibuprofen or paracetamol
- Feeling slightly nauseous, not wanting to eat much
- Trouble sleeping
- Mild dizziness when standing up quickly
You stay on the mountain: drink more, eat what you can and slow down. It usually clears within 24 hours.
Moderate to severe AMS: descend now
- A headache that does not respond to painkillers
- Repeated vomiting
- Trouble walking in a straight line
- Confusion, slurred speech or unusual behaviour
- Gurgling breath or breathlessness at rest
If any of these appear, your guide descends with you immediately, with no discussion. The mountain will still be here next year.
Our guides check oxygen saturation twice a day, carry a first-aid kit, and follow one rule: if a guide judges that you must descend, you descend. Portable oxygen can be added on request. Tell your guide how you feel, every time you are asked.
Fitness
Be honest with yourselfYou do not need to be an athlete, but you do need to be ready to walk for 6 to 8 hours a day on uneven ground, several days in a row, and to sleep in a cold tent afterwards.
8 to 12 weeks before you fly
- Three or four cardio sessions a week: running, cycling or swimming
- One long hike every weekend, building from 2 to 7 hours with a loaded daypack
- Stair work twice a week. The descent is what hurts knees, so train them
- Squats, lunges, core and calf strength
- One back-to-back hiking weekend before you travel, then taper in the last week
We have guided climbers from 14 to 71 years old. Fitness matters. Attitude matters more. Walking slowly is fine; ignoring your own body is not.
When to climb
Pick your monthKilimanjaro has two dry seasons. Outside them it can be climbed, but the rainforest turns to mud and the summit is more often in cloud.
Our favourite windows: late January to February, and September. Avoid March to May unless you pick Rongai, the driest approach.
What to bring
Layers, not bulkWe send a full gear list after booking and rent out the expensive items (sleeping bag, down jacket, poles), so nobody buys them for one climb. The short version:
Clothing
- Three or four moisture-wicking base layers
- Fleece or softshell mid-layer and an insulated down jacket
- Waterproof jacket and trousers
- Insulated trousers for summit night
- Warm hat, sun hat, buff, liner gloves and insulated gloves
- Five or six pairs of wool or synthetic socks
- Broken-in waterproof hiking boots and gaiters
Equipment
- Four-season sleeping bag, rated -10°C or lower (rentable)
- Trekking poles and a headlamp with spare batteries
- Daypack of 30 to 40 L and a duffel bag for the porters
- Insulated water bottle or bladder with an insulated tube
- Power bank of 20,000 mAh or more
- Hand warmers for summit night
Health
- Sunscreen SPF 50+ and lip balm
- Wet wipes, hand sanitiser and toilet paper
- Personal medication, including altitude medication if your doctor prescribes it
- Ibuprofen, anti-diarrhoea tablets, blister plasters and electrolyte sachets
The item climbers forget most: an insulated water bottle for summit night. Water freezes in ordinary bottles above 5,000 m, and not drinking is the fastest route to altitude sickness.
Our crew
The people who get you thereThe crew is the reason you summit, not the gear or the route. The people who cook your food, carry your water and check on you at 4,800 m deserve to be treated as the professionals they are.
- Porters and guides are paid fairly, and we explain how on request
- Porter loads stay within the 20 kg park limit
- Every crew member gets proper meals, a tent, a sleeping mat and warm clothing
- Crew insurance is standard, including emergency evacuation
- Tips are shared openly, and you are welcome to watch the handover at the gate
The best moment of any climb is not the summit photo. It is shaking the hand of every porter at the gate and thanking them by name.
Safety
Prepared for the worstKilimanjaro is a serious mountain. We take safety quietly and constantly, because we have seen what happens when operators do not.
On every climb
- Pulse oximeter readings twice a day for every climber
- A first-aid kit carried by the guide
- Radio or phone contact with our Arusha office
- A clear descent plan, and the authority to use it
Before you arrive
- Travel insurance that covers trekking to 6,000 m. Most standard policies do not, and it is compulsory on our climbs
- Emergency evacuation cover
- A medical check if you are over 60 or have any heart or breathing history
- A conversation with your doctor about altitude medication
Questions
Asked every weekThey share the start, the first three days and the general acclimatisation approach. The Northern Circuit adds a traverse of the northern slopes with three remote camps Lemosho skips. It is quieter, longer and more expensive. With eight days take Lemosho; with nine days and the budget take the Northern Circuit.
Machame is faster, busier and cheaper. The Northern Circuit is quieter, more complete and gives your body more time to adjust. They suit different travellers.
If you have the days and want the best odds plus solitude, yes. If you are on a budget or short on time, Lemosho gives you nearly the same success rate.
No. The days are shorter and gentler. It is longer, not harder, and the extra time makes the summit easier. The challenge is endurance: eight consecutive days of walking before summit night. Train seriously for at least twelve weeks.
Possibly, but do not count on it. This is a mountain at altitude, not a wildlife safari. If you see large mammals, keep your distance.
More porters are used per climber than on shorter routes, because the distance is greater, food has to last nine days and the camps are remote. That is one reason it costs more.
Summit night, from Kibo Hut to Gilman's Point, along the rim to Uhuru Peak and back down. The day across the Saddle to Kibo Hut is also demanding because of wind and exposure.
Nights at Moir Hut, Buffalo Camp and Third Cave drop to around -5°C to -10°C, and at Kibo Hut to around -10°C to -15°C. On summit night, with wind chill, expect -20°C or colder.
The climb itself takes 5 to 9 days depending on the route. Add a day to arrive and rest in Arusha before you start, and a day at the end. Most climbers plan 8 to 12 days door to door.
Yes. No technical skills or ropes are needed. You must be reasonably fit and train for at least eight weeks. We have taken plenty of first-time hikers to the summit, and plenty of marathon runners who underestimated the altitude have turned back.
Nights at high camp drop to about -10°C. On summit night, with wind chill, expect -20°C or colder. Good layering matters more than thick layers.
Better than most people expect. Our cook prepares three hot meals a day, with porridge, eggs and fruit for breakfast, a hot lunch and a three-course dinner. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal diets are fine with notice.
There are basic long-drop toilets at every camp, and a private toilet tent can be arranged. There is no electricity, so bring a large power bank and keep batteries in your sleeping bag overnight, because cold drains them quickly.
Your guide descends with you straight away. Reaching Stella Point or Gilman's Point earns a green certificate and Uhuru Peak a gold one. Turning back is a decision made in your interest, never a failure.
Very often, and we recommend the safari first so you start the mountain rested. If you climb first, we build in at least two rest days before the safari.
Compare the other routes
Not sure this is the right one? Every route has its own character.