About Northern circuit route
Explore Kilimanjaro hiking for 8-DAYS NORTHERN KILIMANJARO SUMMIT 2025-2027 packages with Eddy Tours and Safaris. The Northern Circuit route is one of the best routes on Kilimanjaro, offering nearly 360 degrees of beautiful scenery including the quiet, rarely visited northern slopes. As the longest route on Kilimanjaro, the Northern Circuit also has the most acclimatization time and the highest summit success rate. Thus, the Northern Circuit route is highly recommended.
The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the west, beginning with a long drive from Moshi to Londorossi Gate. From there, the first two days are spent trekking through the rainforest to Shira Ridge, before crossing the Shira Plateau. The route then heads north and circles clockwise from Moir Hut to Buffalo Camp to School Hut, before summiting from the east. Descend is made via the Mweka route. We offer the Northern Circuit as Eight day group climb or private climb.
8-DAYS NORTHERN KILIMANJARO SUMMIT 2025-2027 variation that includes an overnight at Crater Camp is available as a private climb by special request.
Day 1: Moshi – Londorossi gate to Mti mkubwa camp, 8-DAYS NORTHERN KILIMANJARO SUMMIT 2025-2027
• Elevation (ft): 7,800ft to 9,500ft
• Distance: 6 km
• Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Mti mkubwa Camp
• Habitat: Rain Forest
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.
Day 02 : Mti Mkubwa camp to Shira 1 camp, 8-DAYS NORTHERN KILIMANJARO SUMMIT 2025-2027
• Elevation (ft): 9,498ft to 11,500ft
• Distance: 8 km/ 5miles
• Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Shira 1 Camp
• Habitat: Health
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.
Day 3: Shira 1 Camp to Lava Tower – Moir hut, 8-DAYS NORTHERN KILIMANJARO SUMMIT 2025-2027
• Elevation: 3504M/11296ft to 4161M/1365ft
• Distance: 9.8 km/6.1 miles
• Hiking Time: 5-7hours
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Moir hut Camp
• Habitat: Alpine Zone
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.
Day 4: Moir Hut to Buffalo Camp, 8-DAYS NORTHERN KILIMANJARO SUMMIT 2025-2027
• 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
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.
Day 5: Buffalo camp to Third cave camp, 8-DAYS NORTHERN KILIMANJARO SUMMIT 2025-2027
• Elevation: 13,200 ft to 12,700 ft
• Distance: 8 km/5 miles
• Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Third Cave Camp
• Habitat: Heath
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.
Day 6: Third cave camp to School hut, 8-DAYS NORTHERN KILIMANJARO SUMMIT 2025-2027
•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
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 Mount Kilimanjaro erupted. 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.
Day 7: School hut camp to Uhuru Peak to Horombo hut, 8-DAYS NORTHERN KILIMANJARO SUMMIT 2025-2027
• Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak •Uhuru Peak to Horombo Hut
• Elevation: 15,331 ft to 19,341 ft
• Altitude: 5895 ft to 3700 ft
• Distance: 5 km/3 miles
• Distance: 14 km down Altitude: 4,640 m to 5,895 m
• Habitat: Arctic | Alpine desert
• Hiking Time: 7-8 hours
• Hiking Time: 4-6 hours
• Habitat: Arctic
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
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.From the summit, we descend, stopping for lunch and a rest at Kibo before continuing on to the Horombo encampment. You will want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep at Horombo Hut.
Day 8: Mweka camp – Mweka gate -back to Moshi, 8-DAYS NORTHERN KILIMANJARO SUMMIT 2025-2027
• Altitude: 3,080 m to 1,630m
• Distance Covered: 9.3km km down
• Time to be used: 2 – 3 hrs
• Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
• Habitat: Rain Forest
The final leg of your amazing adventure begins after breakfast with a traditional farewell ceremony from the mountain crew. Then a gentle 2 to 3 hours’ descent through the rainforest continues to Mweka Gate, where your driver will be waiting for you. He will take you back and after a warm shower, the rest of the day is free to relax, relax at the pool or celebrate your achievement. Don’t forget to tip your guides and porters. It is time for celebration
Inclusions, 8-DAYS NORTHERN KILIMANJARO SUMMIT 2025-2027
- Quality, waterproof, four-season mountain sleeping tents (on twin sharing basis)
- Emergency Oxygen Cylinder
- Quality Mess tents Day 1
- Conservation fees (part of park fees)
- All transfers to the mountain and back to your Moshi hotel
- Camping or Hut fees (part of park fees)
- Clean, purified drinking water
- Guides, Porters, Cook salaries and park fees
- Sleeping Mattress
- All meals while on the Mountain
- Rescue fees (part of park fees)
- Large portions of fresh, healthy, nutritious food
- Kilimanjaro summit certificate
- VAT (18% charged by the Government)
- Professional, experienced, mountain guides
Exclusions, 8-DAYS NORTHERN KILIMANJARO SUMMIT 2025-2027
- Transfers (available as an optional addon)
- Personal Expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, etc.)
- Surcharge for online payment of advance and balance (5% on each payment)
- Tanzania Visa
- Liquors, beers and bottled beverages
- Personal trekking equipment such as sleepings bags, hiking boots, clothes, etc (available for renting)
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
- Travel insurance
- International and domestic flights
- Tips and gratuities
- Hotel (available as an optional addon)