We pick you up from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and transfer you to your hotel in Moshi town, where you spend the night.

At the hotel, your guide will brief you on the upcoming trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear. If you're missing anything important, not to worry, we offer gear rentals.

After breakfast, we pick you from your lodge in Moshi and take you to the Marangu Gate. Here, we need to complete the necessary paperwork to check-in and register, then your trek can begin!

The first leg of this route takes you through the woods and dense rainforest where you will be able to take in the eucalyptus trees and various species of birds. If you are lucky, you may just spot a Colobus monkey or two – keep an eye out for black or white fur! Make sure you have the appropriate equipment and footwear because the low altitudes can result in wet, muddy forest floor. It will take about 5-7 hours hiking time to reach Mandara huts, where you will overnight.

After resting up, your guide can take you to the Maundi Crater, where you will get a wonderful view across the Kenyan border.

The day begins with an early breakfast before hitting the trails. Shortly after leaving Mandara Huts, we reach the timberline and enter the heath and moor zone.

Approximately 4–6 hours later, the Horombo Huts will come into sight, standing at an altitude of 3,700m. From this campsite you will have fantastic views overlooking Mawenzi, Kibo, and the wide plains of the Maasai steppe.

It is common for people to experience the onset of altitude sickness at these heights. It is important to pay attention to how you feel and communicate with your guide at the first and slightest indication of illness. After reaching the Horombo Huts, you will have time to unpack and soak in the magnificent views before dinner.

Today is a long and tough stage of the hike. You will walk through varied and strikingly picturesque landscapes.

To begin, you will continue across the heath as it slowly turns into the parched, desolate highlands between Mawenzi and Kibo. The scenery here is littered with huge and small volcanic rocks, acting as a testament to the volcanic activity of years past. The final stretch to the Kibo Huts is very steep and physically challenging.

Once you arrive at the Kibo Huts, it is time to organize your equipment and warm clothes for tomorrow’s journey to the peak. Here, you will enjoy an early evening meal. The next day’s trek requires a full night’s sleep worth of energy so you will be hitting the bed early to get as much rest before a midnight trek. Your ultimate challenge will begin in just a few hours!

Today is the big the summit day. You will begin your final ascent around midnight and it is going to be long and strenuous.

As you wake up around midnight, there is just enough time for a small meal before you begin your nightly hike.

The goal is to reach Gilman’s Point on the crater rim by dawn to ensure that you can make it to Uhuru, the highest point of Kibo, shortly after sunrise. There will be a quick stop at Gilman’s Point to experience the glorious view. Then you will continue 1-2 hrs along the edge of the crater to Uhuru peak – this is the last part of the ascent and features a steady incline.

Depending on when you take your journey, you may face snow on the final stretch of the path to the Uhuru Peak – the highest point in Africa. The triumph of reaching the top against such adversity is something you need to experience yourself. After a few snapshots with the wooden signboard, you will start back towards the Kibo Huts. This part goes by incredibly quickly.

At the Kibo Huts, you will stop to relax and enjoy a much-needed lunch, before moving along to the Horombo Huts, where you will enjoy a well-deserved full night’s rest.

The last stage takes us back through the heath and moor zone to the Mandara Hut (2,700m), which we should reach in time for lunch.

On our descent, we once again pass the tropical rainforest. After 6 hours of trekking, we arrive back at the Marangu Gate (1,860m).

You will bid goodbye to your mountain guides, and after that it's a short transfer back to your hotel in Moshi. Once there, you can take a warm and relaxing shower and celebrate crossing Kilimanjaro off your bucket list.