Kilimanjaro - Northern Circuit Route

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Northern Circuit Route

Northern Circuit is the longest and the newest route on Mount Kilimanjaro, known for excellent acclimatization and breathtaking views of the Kilimanjaro northern slopes. A very limited number of travelers have set foot on this trail, and the route is hardly ever crowded. It is recommended to those who enjoy long trekking experiences in remote wilderness with a minimal number of other trekkers around. It takes at least eight days to climb Kilimanjaro through Northern Circuit which is why the route boasts very high summit success rate.

Brief info

Technical difficulty:

Length: 98 km

Best Time

Activity level:

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High degree of strength endurance, high-altitude tolerance and strong cardiovascular conditioning is required.

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Duration: 10-11 days

Learn more

Altitude gain: 2 695 m

from the Londorossi Gate to the summit Uhuru

It is possible to add an extra day for crater camping.

The best time to visit Kilimanjaro is all year round except for two wet seasons in April-May and in November, therefore there are two main climbing seasons: July-August-September and January-February.

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No certain knowledge or experience is required for this activity.

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1. Easy
1-day or multi-day climbs at an altitude up to 3000 meters. Easy, mostly walking terrain. Good for most fitness levels. Also suitable for children and elderly people. Perfect for those who have never climbed a mountain and who want to try it out.

2. Moderate
1-day or multi-day climbs at an altitude of up to 3000 meters with some technical elements. Mostly walking terrain. Requires an average level of physical fitness.

3. Challenging
Multi-day climbs with longer and more exposed climbing areas at the altitude up to 5000-6000 meters. Requires high endurance to walk several days for about 4-6 hours a day. Steeper slopes, many crevasses. Requires an average to above average fitness level.

4. Strenuous
Strenuous climbs at altitudes of 5000-7000 meters. Requires high endurance to walk and climb on a moderate snow and ice slopes for several days for up to 8 hours a day. Continuously steep terrain, wall passages that require great commitment. Requires an above average fitness level and high level of stamina.

5. Extreme
Extremely challenging climbs for experienced mountaineers, high altitudes up to 8848 meters. Requires extremely high level of physical fitness and stamina, as well as great practical experience of technical mountaineering.

CLIMBING/MOUNTAINEERING ACTIVITY LEVELS

What intensity you should expect from this activity and what fitness level is required for this activity

0. No requirements/ minimal requirements
Easy climbs with non-technical elements. No certain knowledge or experience is required for this activity.

1. Beginner
Climbing sections clearly arranged and unproblematic. Might include short steep passages and a few crevasses. Increased step safety is necessary. No prior experience is required, all necessary techniques will be explained by the guide before or during the climb.

2. Intermediate
Good navigational skills and efficient rope handling required, long climbing sections. Basic experience in using crampons and ice axes is required.

3. Advanced
Good sense of orientation en route, efficient rope handling, long climbs, requires securing at halting-points. Requires proficiency in basic mountaineering skills including: cramponing, walking on snow, self-arrest, crevasse rescue, and glacier travel on a rope team.

4. Professional
Extremely steep, partly overhanging wall passages, ice climbing sections. Requires proficiency in basic and advanced mountaineering skills including: cramponing, walking on snow, self-arrest, crevasse rescue, and glacier travel on a rope team.

CLIMBING/MOUNTAINEERING: TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY LEVELS

Some activities might envolve technical elements for which certain practical experience or training is needed.

Itinerary

Day 1

Kilimanjaro Airport - Arrival

Pick up from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and transfer to the hotel. The hotel will provide all the essentials for a comfortable stay: cozy rooms, hot water, polite staff, a swimming pool, and Internet access. In the evening, there will be a briefing with our guide, who will make sure you are ready to begin the climb.

Day 2

Londorossi Gate - Shira 1 Camp

Together with your guide and a mountain support crew you will travel to Kilimanjaro National Park's western entrance: Londorossi Gate (2200 m). After the quick formality of acquiring climbing permits and registering with the search and rescue service, the group continues upwards towards their drop off point by off-road vehicles (reaching 3500 meters). Here you will see stunning views of the Shira Plateau for the first time. The route from your drop off point to your first high-altitude camp Shira 1 features a small gain in altitude and is not too physically challenging. Due to this, you will be able to properly begin the process of acclimatization.

Elevation: from 3,500 m to 3,505 m
Walking Distance: 4 km (1 hour)

Day 3

Shira 1 Camp - Shira 2 Camp

This day brings yet another modest altitude gain of 300 m on the way from Shira 1 to Shira 2 Camp. The low physical demands of the trek will leave you with both time and energy to enjoy Kilimanjaro's flora and- when the weather is favourable- Mount Meru, which is the 5th-highest mountain on the continent.
A further acclimatisation walk towards Lava Tower will follow lunch and a 2-hour rest period. This allows you to experience a further gain of 300 m.

Elevation: from 3,505 m to 3,900 m
Walking Distance: 7 km (3-4 hours)

Day 4

Shira Camp - Lava Tower - Moir Hut

The group leaves the altitude of 3,900 m at Shira Camp and heads towards Lava Tower's 4,630 m after breakfast. This part of the route is rife with ups and downs and may bring some discomfort. You will need to spend one or two hours at higher altitude in order to properly acclimatize yourself, so the lunch break will take place at Lava Tower itself.
The afternoon part of the route climbs slightly before descending to Moir Hut Camp. Your guide may decide to bypass Lava Tower altogether, taking the porter trail instead, if any of the members of the group do not appear to have acclimatized properly. In this case the highest altitude reached will be 4,400, rather than 4,630 metres.

Elevation: from 3,900 m to 4,630 m
Walking Distance: 14 km (5-7 hours)

Day 5

Moir Hut - Buffalo Camp

On this day you will have a rather long but at the same time easy trek. After a short steep climb out of Moir Valley you will start going around the northern slope of Kilimanjaro, and just like on the way to Lava Tower the path will be full of highs and lows, without any steep gains in altitude. This route passes close to the border with Kenya, so you will be treated to amazing views of the Tsavo and Amboseli Valleys.

Elevation: from 4,200 m to 4,020 m
Walking Distance: 12 km (5-7 hours)

Day 6

Buffalo Camp - Third Cave Camp

You will finish trekking up the northern slope of Kilimanjaro and stop for the night in 3rd Cave Camp, where the route will meet up with the traditional Rongai route. On this day the trekking will be shorter than on the day before, and by this time your body will already have become completely acclimated to an altitude of 4,000 meters, which will contribute to your general feelings of well-being.

Elevation: from 4,020 m to 3,870 m
Walking Distance: 8 km (4-6 hours)

Day 7

Third Cave Camp - School Hut

On this day you will be trekking to the School Hut Summit Camp (4,750 m). The actual trekking is not very hard, so remember to just choose an appropriate pace in order to keep your strength up for the trekking to Kilimanjaro's summit. When you reach the camp, we recommend you sleep well, avoid strenuous activity and drink as many fluids as you can, because that very night you will complete the trekking to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m).

Elevation: from 3,870 m to 4,750 m
Walking Distance: 5 km (4-5 hours)

Day 8

School Hut - Uhuru Peak - Millennium Camp

Safety being the primary consideration during any summiting attempt, one guide will be nominated per every two climbers. His main responsibility is the monitoring of his designated clients' health on the trek to Uhuru Peak's 5,895 m. The climb, which starts at School Hut's 4,750 m around midnight, though relatively easy technically, poses a challenge due to high altitude. A walk upon the nearest glacier is an option upon successful summiting.
The group then descends to Barafu Camp for a two-hour lunch and rest break. The day ends at Millennium Camp's 3,820 m.
Please keep in mind, that 9/10 accidents occur during descent. Mind your step to avoid potential falls, breaks and damaged toes.

Elevation: from 3,750 m to 5,895 m
Walking Distance: 6 km (10-13 hours)

Day 9

Millennium Camp - Mweka Gate

Millennium Camp sits amidst a tropical rainforest. The lower altitude and feelings of accomplishment from having reached the summit make for a good night's rest there. Hot breakfast is followed by your final descent to the Park's exit gate- Mweka, at 1,650 m. This final stop before your transfer to our offices to receive your accomplishment certificates presents a good opportunity to recap the adventure with your support team. Finally, you will be driven to your hotel for a well-deserved rest.

Elevation: from 3,820 m to 1,650 m
Walking Distance: 12 km (4-5 hours)

Day 10

Kilimanjaro Airport - Departure

Rest in the hotel and transfer to the airport. Hotel check-out is at 11:00 AM. In case you need a late check-out because of an evening flight, there is an option to extend your hotel stay for an extra fee.

Important details

Accommodation

You will spend 2 nights in a Aishi Machame Hotel before and after the expedition. These hotels have everything for your comfortable stay - caring staff, nice rooms, reliable Wi-Fi, a restaurant and a swimming pool.

During the expedition you will have tented accommodation on Mount Kilimanjaro (modern, comfortable 4-Season tents North Face VE-25 or Altezza Kilimanjaro Tents). Keep this in mind if you're going to climb Kilimanjaro during wet season (November - December).

Please note that all accommodation is on sharing basis (you will be sharing with your travel companion a twin/double room in the hotel and a hut during the hike. If you travel alone, we will match you with a same-sex adventurer).

Meals

Breakfast at the hotel before and after the climb.

All meals during the climb. Our Kilimanjaro diet includes energy-rich and highly nutritious meals prepared by our professional high-altitude cooks. A typical diet on Kilimanjaro consists of different soups, garnishes, several types of fish and meat, fresh fruits and vegetables; vegetarian/gluten-free/halal options are available at no extra cost.

All drinks during the climb (coffee, tea, hot chocolate and water) are also included.

Your guide

All our guides have 7+ years of experience, are Wilderness First Aid certified and licensed by Kilimanjaro National Park. There will also be a dedicated support crew with you: a group of 5 climbers is accompanied by a crew of 20 people - porters, camp masters and etc.

How hard it is

Our practice shows that ordinary fitness level is sufficient to reach the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. If you can walk a 10-14 km/6-7 miles per day, certainly you can climb! The Northern Circuit route is generally considered to be one of the "easier" climbs due to its longer itinerary (which gives trekkers plenty of time to acclimatise).
We do recommend you to take some exercises before your Kilimanjaro climb (and our experts will share some tips with you)so that you take this challenge with ease and comfort.

Transfers

Your guide will pick you up from Kilimanjaro Airport (Tanzania). All ground transfers during the expedition are included: transfer to the trailhead - Kilimanjaro National Park entrance, pick-up at the Kilimanjaro National Park exit and transfer to the hotel. Our representatives will organize the drop-off at Kilimanjaro International Airport on your way back home.

Medicine & Insurance

It is important that you have a travel insurance when climbing Mt Kilimanjaro. Make sure to check that your insurance package includes high-altitude trekking (up to 6,000 m) and helicopter evacuation. Our experts will give you a competent insurance advice for your Kilimanjaro trip if needed.

It is imperative to have a vaccination against yellow fever to enter Tanzania in case you are travelling to Tanzania from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. In all other cases there are no immunization/vaccination restrictions to enter Tanzania.

Equipment to bring

You are required to have the following items. Each of these items can be rented.
❑Small backpack (25-50 liters)
❑Sleeping bag (comfort -5°С)
❑Waterproof duffel bag (≈100 liters / carried by porter)
❑Mountain sunglasses or goggles with UV protection
❑Trekking poles
❑Trekking pants
❑Warm fleece jacket (2 pieces)
❑Membrane jacket
❑Membrane pants
❑Trekking sneakers
❑Hiking boots (ankle-fixing)
❑Storm jacket or Down jacket for summit day (comfort -15°C)
❑Storm pants or Ski pants for summit day (comfort -15°С)
❑Gloves or Mittens for summit day (comfort -15°С)
❑Fleece gloves
❑Gaiters
❑Fleece hat
❑Headlamp and spare batteries
❑Flask (1 liter / 2 pcs) or Camel-bag (2 liters)
❑Waterproof poncho

You will also need:
❑Athletic Long sleeve shirts or t-shirts (recommended 2-3 pcs)
❑Thermal underwear set (recommended 2 pcs)
❑Hiking socks (recommended 4-5 pcs)
❑Thermal winter socks for summit day (comfort -15°С)
❑Sunscreen cream (SPF 30+)
❑Towel / Wet wipes
❑Toothpaste / Toothbrush
❑Spare batteries (recommended - 6 pcs)
❑Hand Warmer (recommended – 2 pc)

You will be given a separate Checklist with all the neccessary equipment that you can print and make sure you have everything.

On the first day of your program our guide will check your equipment. In case you didn't bring any of the items on the list, he will help you to rent or buy them.

Northern Circuit options

Don't let Coronavirus (COVID-19) impact your mountain trip!

We at Mountain Planet prioritize safety and not only in the mountains. Thing are changing every day and there is so much that is still unknown. We want you to keep on planning your next mountain trip and not worry about cancellations.
We guarantee 100% refund if your plans have changed due to Coronavirus precaution measures (borders closed, flights cancelled, visa problems, etc).

COVID-19 Cancellation Policy

Private Climbs — Enjoy the Retreat

There are no fixed group departures available for climbing this route as it is not so common. But it's a great option for you, if you want more nature, less people, more challenge and dates that are convinient for you.

The price of the 10-day climbing program depends on the number of people:
1 person $3 509
2 people $2 770 per person
3 people $2 577 per person
4 people $2 437 per person

You are just sending a request, no payment is needed at this point. Our Expert will get in touch with you to answer all your questions and help you book the best option for you.

Request Booking

from $2 232 per person

5 people $2 369 per person
6 people $2 300 per person
7 people $2 247 per person
8+ people $2 232 per person

Private option can be even more customized for you

It takes at least eight days to climb Kilimanjaro through Northern Circuit which is why the route boasts very high summit success rate. 11-day extended version with crater camping is also available for additional cost.

We can also offer you a premium Kilimanjaro adventure that includes some extra features, such as spacious walk-in tents, advanced meal plan on the climb, portable shower and toilet, camp cots, insurance package, satellite phone for staying in touch with family and friends and some other upgrades on Kilimanjaro. Before and after your trip you can stay in a 5* hotel in Arusha (all-inclusive basis), where a special celebration dinner will be served at the end of your trip.

What's included

Meals

Breakfast at the hotel before and after the climb
All meals during the climb. Vegetarian/gluten-free/halal options are available at no extra cost
All drinks during the hike (coffee, tea, hot chocolate and water)

Accommodation

2 nights at a 3* hotel in Moshi
Tented accommodation on Mount Kilimanjaro (modern, comfortable 4-Season tents North Face VE-25 or Altezza Kilimanjaro Tents)

Fully-licensed, English-speaking guide and a climbing crew

Professional guides, licensed by Kilimanjaro National Park
Dedicated support crew (assistant guides, camp master, porters, cooks, etc.)

All Ground Transfers

Pick-up and drop-off at Kilimanjaro International Airport
Transfer to the trailhead - Kilimanjaro National Park entrance and back to the hotel after the climb

Hiking and safety equipment

4-inch (10-cm) thick comfortable sleeping mats
All public equipment (spacious and comfortable dining tents, camping tables and chairs, crockery and cutlery)
Oxygen tanks and oximeters
GPS-tracking devices
Medical kits

Entry fees

All park fees collected by the Kilimanjaro National Park (conservation fees, camping fees, crew fees, vehicle fee, rescue fee and all other fees collected by the Tanzania National Parks Authority)

Trip completion certificate

Porter service during the climb

What's not included

International airfare

Airplane transfer to Tanzania

Visa

Visa fees to Tanzania

Nonscheduled airport shuttles and hotels

Lunch and dinner at the hotel (before and after the ascent)

Any transfers not on scheduled arrival and departure date

Alcoholic beverages and bottled drinks

All expenses incurred in the event of early departure (evacuation fees, transport, extra hotel nights, etc.)

Personal gear rentals

Charges incurred as a result of delays beyond the control of the local agency

Park fees and trekking permits

Tips and gratuities

Although not mandatory, we recomend to thank your mountain crew and leave tips for them ($200–$250 per participant)

Mountaineering insurance

Make sure to check that your insurance package includes high-altitude trekking (up to 6,000 m) and helicopter evacuation

Good to know

You can, but providers with cheaper prices usually employ their crews for free - to work for tips only, so expect additional tips charges of about $1000 after you finish your climb. We choose to work with the providers who pay salary to their crews, so you don't have to tip that much, maybe a couple of hundred bucks for the whole crew if you feel like it.

Generally speaking, Tanzania is a safe and hassle-free country, unlike neighbouring Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. There has not been any political or social disturbance for a long time and none are expected any time soon. That being said, some basics like not leaving your hotel or walking alone after 9PM is still highly advised.

You need two pairs of good hiking boots, a couple of jackets (one winter and one fleece), a couple of hiking pants, a small backpack, a duffel bag and a sleeping bag. These are the essentials. Drop us a line in WhatApp or an email and we will send you the full gear list. No special climbing gear is required, and if you don't have something you can always rent it in Tanzania for cheap.

No, you don't. There are no necessary vaccines by the law, but you can always consult your physician and take precautious measures, just in case.

No, you don't. Single entry Visas can be obtained upon the arrival at the Kilimanjaro International Airport.

Usually it's enough to ged cardio twice per week, but the best way to prepare is to hike and hill-walk in the weeks leading up to your departure. You should be comfortable walking for four to eight hours a day. If you want a training plan - drop us an email or a line in What's App.

Sure, vegetarian/gluten-free/halal options are always available at no extra cost.

If the other climbers are too slow or decide to go down, a part of the crew will accompany them. The rest of the team will support you. We have enough guides in our groups to ensure that everyone walks at a comfortable pace.

Absolutely yes! Tanzania with is pristine wild nature is the #1 country for safari! Our professional guides, a whole fleet of off-road jeeps and a team of travel consultants are here to make your day trip unforgetable!
If you would like to book extra day trips - let us know!

Nature and Wildlife Support

Our local providers contribute to Makoa Wildlife Rehab for animals, participate in Serengeti de-snaring project and etc.

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