Day 0 : Pickup to Airport
You will be picked up from airport. From there you will go to the hotel in Moshi for an orientation on your trek.
Your guides will be there to provide you with details on your trek and will also check your trekking
gears.
DAY 1: Materuni Waterfall & Coffee Tour
• Morning Pickup: Depart from Moshi around 9:00 AM (pickup times may vary by provider). Drive through rolling farmland to Materuni village (~45 minutes).
• Waterfall Hike (~40 min): Begin a guided walk through lush terrain, learning about Chagga culture, local agriculture, and plant life. On a clear day, catch glimpses of Kilimanjaro summit
• Materuni Waterfall: Reach the base of this majestic 70–90 m waterfall and enjoy a refreshing swim in its cool, clear pool—don’t forget your swimwear.
• Coffee Plantation Experience: Return to Materuni village for a traditional Chagga coffee-making demonstration. Learn each step—from picking beans to roasting, grinding, and brewing—while joining in singing and dancing. Sample the coffee you helped make.
• Lunch: Enjoy a traditional Chagga lunch, often including local dishes and optional banana beer, served at a family home or farm setting.
• Afternoon Return: Depart Materuni by late afternoon, heading back to Moshi with a memorable blend of nature, culture, and coffee aromas.
Approximate Schedule:
Pickup: ~9:00 AM → Hike: ~40 min each way → Swimming/Lunch → Coffee demo → Return by 4:00–5:00 PM
Distance: ~15 km from Moshi,
DAY 2: Machame Gate (1,800m/5,905ft) to Machame Camp (3,000m/9,840ft)
At 8:30am, transfer from Hotel to Machame Gate, where you will meet our complete trekking team (porters, guides, and cooks). The drive through coffee farms and villages to Machame Gate takes about 1.5 hours. Once you arrive, wait at the gate while Summit Odyssey registers your climb and the porters and guides make final preparations.
Your first day’s destination is Machame Camp. Each day, porters and cooks will walk ahead to set up the camp in time for your arrival. On the first day, hike through the moss-covered trees of Kilimanjaro’s cloud forest. The forest will thin at the end of the hike and vegetation will change to include heathers, tall grasses and wildflowers. If the weather is clear, view the surrounding area and your ultimate destination, Kibo Peak.
DAY 3: Machame Camp (3,000m/9,840ft) to Shira 2 Camp (3,840m/12,600ft)
Although considered to be the easiest day on the Machame Route, this day trek includes several uphill sections. Carry plenty of drinking water, as the exposed hike can be hot on a clear day. There are several viewpoints from which you can see the plains and forests below and Kibo and Mawenzi peaks above.
As you gain altitude, notice the change in vegetation. The trees diminish in size, giving way to Kilimanjaro’s famous high altitude plants, Scenario Kilimanjaro and Lobelia decennia. After eating lunch, climb the Shira Plateau, created when Kibo’s lava flows filled the Shira crater. Continue to Shira Camp, where you will relax for the rest of the day. Kibo lies to the west and Mount Meru to the east.
DAY 4: Shira 2 Camp (3,840m/12,600ft) to Barranco Camp (3,950m/12,960ft)
Although this up and down day ends with an elevation gain of only 110 meters, by early afternoon you will have climbed 690 meters to a height of 4,530 meters before beginning your descent to Barranco Camp. This day is crucial for acclimatization.
After breakfast, hike east on the Shira Plateau before reaching the junction for the Shira and Lemosho Routes. Continue on through the barren landscape before stopping for lunch. Shortly after lunch, reach the highest point of the day before descending quickly to Barranco Camp. Faster hikers can take a detour via Lava Tower, a 300-foot lava formation jutting out of the mountainside.
Barranco Camp, set among stands of Senseco Kilimanjaro, is considered to be the most scenic campsite on the Machame Route
DAY 5: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
Elevation: 3,963m/13,044ft to 3,994m/3,106ft
Distance: 5 km/3 miles
Hiking time: 4-5 hrs
Habitat: Alpine desert
We begin the day by descending into a ravine to the base of the Great Barranco Wall. We will then climb the non-technical but steep, nearly 900ft, cliff. The Barranco Wall, also known as the Kissing Wall, is approximately 3 ft. wide. This narrow section is famous because climbers often place a kiss on the rock as they pass by. Climbers also “hug” the outcrop and breathe a sigh of relief on the other side as they realize it wasn’t nearly as intimidating as it looked.
From the top of the Barranco Wall, we cross a series of hills and valleys until we descend sharply into Karanga Valley. One more steep climb up leads us to Karanga Camp. This shorter day will prepare us for higher elevation at the summit.
DAY6: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
Elevation: 3,994m/3,106ft to 4,672m/15,331ft
Distance: 4 km/2 miles
Hiking time: 4-5 hrs
Habitat: Alpine desert
We leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up the rocky section to Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the Southern Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, and enjoy an early dinner to prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are visible from this position.
DAY 7: Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak - Mweka Camp
Elevation: 4,672m/15,331ft to 5,895m/19,341ft
Distance: 5 km/3 miles
Hiking time: 7-8 hrs
Habitat: Arctic
Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp
Elevation: 5,895m/19,341ft to 3,067m/10,065ft
Distance: 12 km/7 miles
Hiking time: 4-6 hrs
Habitat: Rain forest
Very early in the morning (around midnight), we begin our push to the summit. This is the most mentally and physically challenging part of the trek. At this elevation and time of day, the wind and cold can be extreme. We ascend in the darkness for several hours while taking frequent but short breaks. Near Stella Point (18,900ft), 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. Here, you can take a moment to reflect on your tremendous accomplishment. You’ll obviously have the opportunity to take a few pictures from the ‘Rooftop of Africa’ to memorialize this special moment.
From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut campsite, stopping at Barafu for lunch. The trail is very rocky and can be quite hard on the knees; trekking poles are helpful. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we will enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.
DAY 8: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate
Elevation: 3,067m/10,065ft to 1,639m/5,380ft
Distance: 10 km/6 miles
Hiking time: 3-4 hrs
Habitat: Rain forest
On our last day, we continue the descent to Mweka Gate where we will be met by our driver who will transport us back to the hotel in Moshi. Here, we can relax with some refreshments, perhaps a local Kilimanjaro beer, while we wait to receive our summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. From the gate, we continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet us at Mweka Village to drive us back to the hotel in Moshi.
DAY 9 : Tarangire National Park
After breakfast the tour departs. First stop is Arusha Town for any last minute purchases before we head off on safari. Afterwards we head towards the Tarangire National Park for a game drive with picnic lunch at the park. Tarangire is well known for its huge elephant population and baobab trees. It forms the Centre of an annual migratory cycle that includes up to 3000 elephants, 25,000 wildebeest and 30,000 zebras. Dinner and overnight at tented camp/Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.
Day 10: Lake Manyara National Park.
After breakfast the tour departs. Afterwards we head to Lake Manyara. Lake Manyara National Park offers breathtaking views and a large variety of habitats. Acacia woodlands, water forests, baobab strewn cliffs, algae-streaked hot springs, swamps and the lake itself. The Park is able to support a large number of animal species and incredible bird life. Manyara has the largest concentration of baboons anywhere in the world and the lions here are also renowned for their tree climbing. Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.
Day 11: Ngorongoro Crater – Arusha – Airport
After an early breakfast, You will descend over 600 meters into the crater to view wildlife. Supported by a year round water supply and fodder, the Ngorongoro conservation Area supports vast variety of animals, which include herds of wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, warthog, hippo and giant African elephants. Another big draw card to this picturesque national park, is its dense population of predators, which include lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and the ever-elusive leopard, which sometimes requires a trained eye to spot. We will visit Lake Magadi, a large but shallow alkaline lake in the southwestern corner, which is one of the main features of the crater. A large number of flamingos, hippos and other water birds can usually be seen here. Late afternoon transfer to Arusha for dinner and Overnight or airport drop off.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Included.
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Inclusions
Accommodation
• Nights hotel accommodation:
1. Night prior to the climb
2. Night after the climb
3. Night Acommodations in Zanzibar
• Shared tent during the trek (2 climbers per tent; individual tents available on request)
• 2-inch sleeping mat for comfort during the trek
• Nights of accommodation in camping safari settings
Camping Gear
• High-quality 2-person tents
• Mattress, table, chair, and pillow
Kilimanjaro Climb
• Friendly, professional mountain guides with wilderness first aid certification and extensive experience
• 3 porters per climber, each carrying up to 15 kg of personal luggage
• 3 hot meals daily while on the mountain, with treated and filtered drinking water provided throughout
• Daily hot water for washing
• Cook trained to prepare various dietary options (including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free); advance notice required
• Portable oxygen tanks and oximeter
• Emergency first-aid kit
• Park entry fees, camping fees, and Team Kilimanjaro Rescue fees
• Transportation to and from the Kilimanjaro gate
Safari
• Professional driver/guide during the safari
• 4×4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof, fridge, and inverter for mobile charging
• Daily game drives during the safari
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided daily during safari days
• Mineral water (3 liters per person per day)
• Park entry and conservation fees (Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro)
• Domestic flight: Arusha → Zanzibar
Zanzibar
• Guided Stone Town walking tour
• Spice Tour with Swahili lunch
Transfers & Transport
• Meet & greet at airports (JRO & ZNZ)
• Private airport pickup and drop-off
• All transfers within Tanzania and Zanzibar as per itinerary
Taxes & Charges
• 18% VAT on tour fees and services
• All applicable government taxes
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Exclusions
• International flights to/from Tanzania
• Travel and medical insurance
• Visa fees
• Optional activities (e.g., hot-air balloon safari, scuba diving, dhow sailing, Jozani Forest visit)
• Personal expenses (e.g., laundry, telephone, beverages)
• Sleeping bag rental for camping safari (USD 30)
• Lunches, dinners, and drinks at hotels before and after the climb
• Portable flush toilet with toilet tent (USD 100 for the entire trek)
• Meals not specified in the itinerary
• Alcoholic and soft drinks unless otherwise stated
• Additional nights before or after the tour
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Tipping Guidelines
Kilimanjaro
• Guide: USD 20 per day
• Cook: USD 15 per day
• Porter: USD 10 per day
Safari
• Guide/Driver: USD 20 per day
• Cook (if applicable): USD 15 per day
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