8 DAYS KILIMANJARO NORTHERN CIRCUIT ROUTE DOUBLE BIKE TREK

Upon arrival at Arusha /Kilimanjaro Airport you will meet your Burigi Chato Safaris guide who will pick you up and transfer you to your hotel in Moshi Tanzania (for budget hotels we recommend KILIMANJARO WHITE HOUSE HOTEL). Settle into your accommodation, relax and get used to the African atmosphere. Ready to start your 8 DAYS KILIMANJARO HIKING CLIMB UP VIA NORTHEN CIRCUIT ROUTE AND RIDE DOWN VIA MARANGU ROUTE the next day.

After breakfast you will be picked up at the lodge and taken to the Londorossi Gate at the height of 2,250 m. After the necessary registration has been completed, a bumpy drive will take you into the dense rainforest, from where your adventure commences. The moderately steep track makes its way through an unspoilt natural forest to the Big Tree Camp (2,780 m). You will be accompanied by an armed ranger for the first 2 days of your trek as wild game can be found in the area. You will spend the night in tents at Big Tree Camp.

•Elevation (ft): 7,800ft to 9,500ft
•Distance: 6 km
•Hiking Time:3-4 hours
•Habitat: Rain Forest
•Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
•Accommodation: Mti mkubwa Camp

We continue on the trail leading out of the rain forest and into a savannah of tall grasses, heather and volcanic rock draped with lichen beards. As we ascend through the lush rolling hills and cross several streams, we reach the Shira Ridge before dropping gently down to Shira 1 Camp. Here we catch our first glimpse of Kibo across the plateau.

Elevation (ft): 9,498ft to 11,500ft
• Distance: 8 km/ 5miles
• Hiking Time 5-6 hours
• Habitat: Health
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Shira 1 Camp

A long trek heading east which passes through the ‘Garden of the Senecios’ and then enters the high alpine desert zone. The morning is spent trekking up to Lava Tower and the iconic Shark’s Tooth rock formation at 4,600 meters, where you will have lunch. After lunch, you will join the northern circuit heading down to Moir Camp at 4,161 meters (see map above). This is an important day in your trek as you will get to experience high altitude and then sleep low, which is good for the acclimatization process.

• Elevation: 3504M/11296ft to 4161M/1365ft
• Distance: 9.8 km/6.1 miles
• Hiking Time: 5-7hours
• Habitat: Alpine Zone
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Moir hut Camp

You climb out of the Moir Valley and take a short detour to reach the summit of Lent Hills (4,375 m). After admiring the views, you return to the trail and head eastwards around the northern circuit trail. Here the trail passes through a field of rock slabs that clink as they are walked on. The final section of today’s walk undulates until reaching the location of Buffalo Camp (4,020 m). At the camp, there is a huge feeling of space as the Kenyan plains stretch out far below to the north.

• Elevation: 13,580 ft to 13,200 ft
• Distance: 12 km/7 miles
• Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
• Habitat: Alpine Desert
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Buffalo Camp

From Buffalo Camp, you climb to the top of ‘Buffalo Ridge’ and cross numerous ridges and gullies. The trail continues eastwards through a landscape that has increasingly sparse vegetation to eventually reach Third Cave Camp (3,800 m).

• Buffalo Camp to Third Cave
• Elevation: 13,200 ft to 12,700 ft
• Distance: 8 km/5 miles
• Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
• Habitat: Heath
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Third Cave Camp

On a relatively easy path, today’s leg takes you over the so called “saddle”. This piece of rock is actually a lava-flow formed when Kili was still young. It has now solidified and connects two of Mount Kilimanjaro’s three peaks, Mawenzi and Kibo. You will arrive at the School Hut in about 4.5 to 5 hours and go to bed straight after dinner as the summit calls for an early start, at approximately 11 p.m.

• Third Cave to School Hut
• Elevation: 12,700 ft to 15,600 ft
• Distance: 5 km/3 miles
• Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
• Habitat: Alpine Desert
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: School Hut

After Very early in the morning (around midnight), we begin our push to the summit. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. The wind and cold at this elevation and time of day can be extreme. We ascend in the darkness for several hours while taking frequent, but short, breaks. At Gilman’s point (18,600 ft), you will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see coming over Mawenzi Peak. Finally, we arrive at Uhuru Peak- the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa.

Arriving at Uhuru peak you will find your bike at the peak spends some few minutes and take photos, then ride down to Stella Point then Kibo hut for Lunch. After lunch ride down to Horombo Hut.

Today cycling from Uhuru to Kibo 30% to 40% Icecap vegetation and 15% to 20% is alpine desert and from Kibo to Horombo 100% “Alpine desert vegetation.

•School Hut to Uhuru Peak
•Uhuru Peak to Horombo Hut
•Elevation: 15,331 ft to 19,341 ft
•Altitude: 5895 ft to 3700 ft (Riding Down)
•Distance: 6 km/4 miles
•Distance: 14 km down
Altitude: 4,800 m to 5,895 m

•Habitat: Arctic | Alpine desert
•Hiking Time: 6-8 hours
•Hiking Time: 4-6 hours
•Habitat: Arctic

>Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner >Accommodation: Horombo hut

After breakfast, make your final riding down to Kilema gate across the alpine and the rainforest to Kilema gate, then you will be transferred to Marangu gate for check out.

A vehicle will meet you at Marangu gate to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi. Don’t forget to tip your guides and porters. It is time for celebration!

• Altitude: 3,700 m to 1,700 m
• Distance Covered: 18km km down to kilema Gate
• Time to be used: 3 hrs
• Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

_THE END OF TREK_