• Distance: 7 km
• Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
• Habitat: Rainforest

The trek starts at Lemosho Gate after registration and permits are sorted. You’ll hike through dense montane rainforest, with the chance to see monkeys, birds, and other wildlife along the way. The trail is gentle, and you’ll arrive at Mti Mkubwa Camp (Big Tree Camp) in the late afternoon, where you’ll camp for the night.

• Distance: 8 km
• Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
• Habitat: Moorland

Leaving the rainforest behind, the trail ascends into the heather and moorland zone. The landscape opens up with expansive views of the Shira Plateau and Kibo Peak in the distance. You’ll trek through grassy plains and volcanic rock formations before arriving at Shira 1 Camp for your overnight stay.

• Distance: 7 km
• Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
• Habitat: Moorland

Today’s trek is relatively short and allows for acclimatization. You’ll cross the Shira Plateau, one of the highest plateaus in the world, with incredible views of the surrounding peaks and valleys. You’ll arrive at Shira 2 Camp by midday, giving you time to rest, explore, or take short acclimatization walks around the camp area.

• Distance: 10 km
• Hiking Time: 7-8 hours
• Habitat: Alpine Desert

This is a key acclimatization day. You’ll hike to the Lava Tower, also known as the “Shark’s Tooth,” at 4,630 meters, giving your body time to adjust to the higher altitude. After reaching the tower, you’ll descend to Barranco Camp for the night. Although you’ll sleep at a lower altitude, your body will have acclimatized to higher elevations, increasing your chances of reaching the summit.

• Distance: 5 km
• Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
• Habitat: Alpine Desert

The day starts with a challenging but exciting scramble up the Barranco Wall. Though it looks daunting, the climb is more fun than difficult. After scaling the wall, you’ll traverse across ridges and valleys, passing through scenic terrain to reach Karanga Camp, where you’ll rest and acclimatize before your final ascent.

• Distance: 4 km
• Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
• Habitat: Alpine Desert

You’ll embark on a short but steep hike through the alpine desert to Barafu Camp, the base camp for your summit attempt. The terrain is barren and windswept, and you’ll arrive at camp in the early afternoon, giving you time to rest, eat, and prepare for the summit push. The final ascent begins around midnight.

• Distance: 17 km (5 km ascent, 12 km descent)
• Hiking Time: 12-15 hours
• Habitat: Arctic zone at the summit, then alpine desert to rainforest

The summit attempt starts around midnight. You’ll trek through the dark, cold night, navigating switchbacks up steep slopes to reach Stella Point (5,739m) at sunrise. From there, it’s a gradual hike along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa. After taking in the views and celebrating at the summit, you’ll descend back to Barafu Camp for a short rest, then continue down to Mweka Camp for your overnight stay.

• Accommodation: Camping (Mti Mkubwa, Shira 1, Shira 2, Barranco, Karanga, Barafu, and Mweka Camps)
• Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
• Best Time to Climb: June to October, December to March
• Scenery: Varied, from rainforests to moorlands, alpine deserts, and stunning glacier views at the summit