Northern Circuit (7-9 days)

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.

Chief's Tours is happy to offer you the chance to get to the roof of Africa via Northern Circuit route from 7 to 9-day tours. Please well note that the 7-day and 8-day trek skips the additional acclimatization day(s) that is usually spent at Shira Camp 2 and continues straight on to Moir Camp.

Kindly find detailed itineraries and price of each option in the following links and CHIEF'S TOURS GALLERY

- Northern Circuit route 7-day climbing: this option is more suitable for experienced trekkers, please directly contact us for more information.
- Northern Circuit route 8-day climbing
- Northern Circuit route 9-day climbing

Below is a sample program for an 8-day 7-night Northern Circuit Trekking with Chief's Tours.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT ROUTE 8 DAYS 7 NIGHTS-ITINERARY & PRICE

Itinerary

DAY 1: LONDOROSSI GATE TO STARTING POINT TO MTI MKUBWA CAMP

The Northern Circuit Route begins at Londorossi Gate (2,100 meters) in the West, the same start point as the Lemosho Route. The drive to Londorossi Gate takes approximately two hours from Moshi and considerably longer from Arusha. Registration with the Kilimanjaro National Park authorities occurs at the gate and then you will be driven further up the mountain to the trailhead starting point. Most tour operators serve lunch here before the short first day trek to Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,820 meters) begins. You may get lucky and spot large wildlife like elephant and buffalo that sometimes emerge from the rainforest onto the path as you trek towards your first camp. Dinner will be served when you reach Mti Mkubwa Camp.

Elevation: 2360m to 2820m
Distance: ~5.5km
Hiking time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Rainforest
Meals: Lunch - Dinner

DAY 2: MTIMKUBWA CAMP TO SHIRA ONE CAMP

Today the trek will take a gain of an altitude of approximately 800m. Lunch will be served in an exciting valley just outside the Shira crater at 3004m. After lunch, we’ll go across the rim into the Shira Caldera which filled from lava from Kibo. We will camp and have dinner at Shira One camp (3610m).

Elevation: 2820m to 3610m
Distance: ~8km
Hiking time: 6-7 hours
Habitat: Rainforest & Low Alpine Zone
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch - Dinner

DAY 3: SHIRA CAMP 1 TO MOIR CAMP

Day three is 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 4,200 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: 3610m to 4200m
Distance: ~15km | Walking time: 5-7 hours
Habitat: Low alpine zone / High alpine zone
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch - Dinner

DAY 4: MOIR CAMP TO BUFFLO CAMP

Day four involves a moderately steep climb out of Moir Valley. Trekkers can take a small detour here to climb the summit of Little Lent Hill at 4,375 meters before returning to the Northern Circuit trail. From here the route follows a series of inclines and declines, skirting around the northern slopes of Kibo to Buffalo Camp (4,020 meters).The trek gives great vistas out across the plains that lie north of Kilimanjaro and stretch out to the Kenyan / Tanzanian border. You will arrive at Buffalo Camp just after midday, where you will have lunch and have time to rest after a long day hiking.

Elevation: 4200m to 4020m
Distance: ~12km
Hiking time: 5-7 hours
Habitat: High alpine zone
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch - Dinner

DAY 5: BUFFALO CAMP TO RONGAI THIRD CAVE

Day five starts with a climb up the Buffalo ridge and down into Porfu Camp where lunch is usually served. The route then continues east around the northern slopes to the Rongai Third Cave at 3,800 meters. The trek is shorter than the day before and by now you should be feeling well acclimatized to the altitude. You will arrive at the Third Cave just around mid-afternoon.

Elevation: 4200m to 3800m
Distance: ~8km
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
Habitat: High alpine zone and low alpine zone
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

DAY 6: RONGAI 3^RD CAVE TO SCHOOL HUT

Day six involves a steady incline up and over the Saddle which sits between the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi Peak. Trekkers then continue walking south-west up to School Hut (4,800 meters). After arriving at School Hut you will be served an early dinner and then you should get some shut-eye as you will be awoken before midnight to start your summit attempt. Remember to prepare all your gear, including warm clothes, insulated water bottles, snacks, headlamp and camera before going to bed.

Elevation: 3800m to 4800m
Distance: ~15km
Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: High alpine zone & glacial zone
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

DAY 7: SCHOOL HUT TO UHURU PEAK DOWN TO MILENNIUM CAMP

Around 11:30pm, you will be awoken with hot tea and biscuits and will then begin the steep incline up the slopes of Kibo under the cover of darkness. Your first check-point is Hans Meyer Cave where you will take a short break. The climb steepens as you approach Gilman’s Point (5,681 meters), which will be around 5-6 hours after departing School Hut. Take a moment to enjoy the approaching dawn and incredible view out and across to Mawenzi Peak, but remember you still have 2 hours trekking to reach Uhuru Peak so dig deep for the energy.

The slope flattens as you head west around the crater rim and you should arrive at the summit at or just after sunrise. Your stay here will be brief so get as many pictures as you can of the incredible views and surrounding glaciers.

You will then retrace your steps back around the crater rim to Stella Point (5,739 meters) where you will turn south and head down the heavily screed slopes of Kibo to Barafu Camp (4,680 meters). Most trekkers take a short break here before continuing down to Millennium Camp (3,950 meters) for your final night on the holy mountain. In total you will be trekking for 14-16 hours on day seven so it is important to pace yourself, remain hydrated and keep your blood sugar levels up.

Elevation: 4800m to 5895m then down to 3950m
Ascent Distance: ~6km - Descent distance: ~10km
Hiking time: 6-8 hours ascent then 4-6 hours descent
Habitat: Ice-caped summit
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

DAY 8: MILENNIUM CAMP TO MWEKA GATE

The final day is a short hike through the dense mountain rainforest from Millennium Camp (3,950 meters) to Mweka Gate (1,640 meters). At the gate you will need to sign-out with the authorities, who will also provide you with your official certificate – a green certificate for those who made it to Gilman’s Point and a gold certificate for those who reached Uhuru Peak. It is customary to give your guide and porter tips before being driven back to your hotel in Moshi town.

Elevation: 3950m to 1630m
Distance: ~10km
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Rainforest
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch

PRICE OF 2018

To meet a significant number of climbers’ demand, we are happy to provide you with a wide range of Kilimanjaro tours divided into 03 types: Budget – Standard – Luxury. Below is the price of Standard offers. For Budget and Luxury options, kindly contact us. Asante sana!

Route	1 person	2 people	3 people	4-5 people	6-8 people	9+ people
Marangu Route 5 days	$ 1350	$1250	$ 1180	$1150	$ 1140	$ 1120
Marangu Route 6 days	$ 1510	$ 1450	$ 1400	$ 1380	$ 1340	$ 1350
Marangu Route 7 days	$ 1680	$ 1630	$ 1600	$ 1570	$ 1550	$ 1530
Rongai Route 6 days	$ 1690	$ 1650	$ 1620	$ 1590	$ 1580	$ 1570
Rongai Route 7 days	$ 1800	$ 1780	$ 1750	$ 1730	$ 1720	$ 1700
Rongai Route 8 days	$ 1920	$ 1890	$ 1860	$ 1830	$ 1820	$ 1800
Umbwe 6 days	$ 1800	$ 1770	$ 1740	$ 1710	$ 1700	$ 1670
Umbwe 7 days	$ 1850	$ 1830	$ 1800	$ 1770	$ 1750	$ 1740
Umbwe 8 days	$ 2000	$ 1970	$ 1940	$ 1910	$ 1900	$ 1880
Shira Route 6 days	$ 1690	$ 1670	$ 1630	$ 1600	$ 1590	$ 1570
Shira Route 7 days	$ 1800	$ 1770	$ 1730	$ 1700	$ 1690	$ 1680
Shira Route 8 days	$ 1920	$ 1890	$ 1860	$ 1830	$ 1820	$ 1800
Machame Route 6 days	$ 1690	$ 1670	$ 1630	$ 1600	$ 1590	$ 1570
Machame Route 7 days	$ 1780	$ 1750	$ 1720	$ 1690	$ 1680	$ 1660
Machame Route 8 days	$ 1920	$ 1890	$ 1860	$ 1830	$ 1820	$ 1800
Lemosho Route 6 days	$ 1690	$ 1660	$ 1630	$ 1600	$ 1590	$ 1570
Lemosho Route 7 days	$ 1800	$ 1770	$ 1740	$ 1710	$ 1700	$ 1670
Lemosho Route 8 days	$ 1920	$ 1890	$ 1860	$ 1830	$ 1820	$ 1800
Lemosho Route 9 days	$ 2100	$ 2070	$ 2040	$ 2100	$ 2000	$ 1980
Northern Circuit Route 7 days	$ 1690	$ 1660	$ 1630	$ 1600	$ 1580	$ 1570
Northern Circuit Route 8 days	$ 1920	$ 1890	$ 1860	$ 1830	$ 1820	$ 1800
Northern Circuit Route 9 days	$ 2100	$ 2070	$ 2040	$ 2010	$ 2000	$ 1940

Inclusion

Exclusion

2-night accommodation in Moshi town: before the first and the final hiking day
Arrival and departure airport transfers
High-quality 4-season camping equipment
Experienced and professional mountain guides
All park fees and rescue fees
All large-portioned, nutritious food and purified drinking water on the mountain
Guides, porters and cook salaries
Pulse Oximeter for daily health check
Crisis management and safety procedures
Fair and ethical treatment of porters
Beds (for luxury tours)

International Flights & Visa & Insurance
Tips to porters and guides (customary and much appreciated)
Meals while in Moshi town
Items considered to be non-essential, such as alcohol, beverages, cigarettes, snacks, etc.
Optional Tours (for example, short safaris after your climb or Moshi day tour, etc.)
Oxygen tanks (included in luxury tours - can be rented in budget and standard tour)
Portable toilets (included in standard & luxury tours - can be rented in budget tours)

Thank you for considering us. We look forward to guiding you to the holy mountain Kilimanjaro!

Contact: +255 732 973893 / +255 7555 49872 / + 255 686 952 599 (Call/WhatsApp)

Email: info@chiefstours.com | Website: https://chiefstours.com/

Testimonials

We have recently come back from a holiday in Tanzania. Our father has been to visit Tanzania on many occasions and has had many trips organized by a local guide named Adidas who is the owner of the Chiefs tours. Adidas and Shiriwa (driver) took care of every little detail and were a well run professionally and friendly local buisness. Both Adidas and Shiriwa had an amazing range of local knowledge. Everything was planned exceptionally well from our trips.

The day before Adidas and Shiriwa came to meet us to talk about the plan for the next few days, we just told them all the trips that we wanted to do and they planned the rest. They asked us about food likes so they could make us a packed lunch for the trip. The following morning, they picked us up at 6:15 am to start our trip to Lake Manyara National Park. After Lake Manyara, we went to a campsite called Heaven Nature Safari Campsite and Lodge. This campsite was recommended by Adidas and we weren't disappointed. We were greatly welcomed by all staffs and the food was delicious. Adidas and Shiriwa sat up chatting with us that night, we talked about the differences in both our cultures.

The next morning we headed to Ngorongoro Crater where we saw all of the "big five". The road down to the crater was bit teeth clenching but Shiriwa is an excellent driver so put us at ease. After the Ngorongoro crater, we went to visit the Masai Village which was so impressive.

The final tour that we did was the coffee tour. It was just outsite of Moshi. Here we leant how coffee is handmade. We were even involved in making our own coffee and then sat down to drink it. The boys who taught us about how they make coffee were very enthusiastic and lovely. Throughout the trip with both Adidas and Shiriwa, nothing seemed to be a flaw Thank you for an excellent trip that we will never forget. I can't recommend Chief's Tours anymore.

Thank you so much!

Lorraine Coulter (Ireland)

Sarah O'Sullivan (England)

Sarah & LorraineEngland & Ireland

THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, CHIEF'S TOURS!

My brother, sister and I came to Tanzania with a goal in mind - to climb Mount Kilimanjaro with very little preparation. We did some research on several companies before our arrival, and as well with a very encouraging recommendation from a friend we decided to go with Chief's Tours.

They were very accommodating in every way; from arrival into the country, persistent contact with the airport when our luggage didn't arrive with us, allowing us to hire any gear we were missing and of course - the impossible feat of getting us to Uhuru Peak, the roof of Africa! We did the Lemosho route in 7 days/6 nights with another Aussie, our two guides, Nicholas and Mohamed and a team of 12 including a chef, waiter, and porters! We did not expect the hot meals, hot tubs of water to wash, and the incredible porters that rushed to the next campsite to ensure excellent camping spots!! Our families made contact with the company during the trek, and Adidas was kind enough to send regular reports on our progress!

We were so impressed with the company that we decided to do a 4 day/3 night safari with them - Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, and Ngorongoro crater and conservation area. Our guides, Dhili and Shirima, and our chef Hamisi made this trip very enjoyable and a relaxing change of pace after the trek. We saw all of the Big 5, and were very well fed and hydrated with water and even beers!

No question would go unanswered prior to the trips as Adidas and his team wanted to ensure you are as prepared as you can be. Adidas and his team are very well respected in Moshi town, as they support the local community and look after their employees well! Anyone you talk to in town talks very highly of them! We would happily recommend this company to all our friends and families who are interested in traveling to Tanzania.

Ann & RosemaryChicago, USA

Definitely book with Chiefs Tours!

Our group of 9 friends had been planning to climb Kilimanjaro for a year. We did a lot of research in terms of tour companies and prices. We found Chiefs Tours to be very competitive and decided to book a 7-day Lemosho route trip with them. This was due to the success rate of this route and because it is one of the most scenics.

Adidas from the first contact was most helpful, nothing was too much trouble. Everything was jointly planned and agreed. From the moment we stepped off the plane at Kilimanjaro (at 1:15 in the morning!) to the moment we stepped back on it, Adidas and his team were on hand to guide us all the way.

Every part of our trip was taken care of from a pre-hike 1-day safari to accommodation before and after the hike to even getting his driver to take us to a restaurant for a post-hike meal!

Adidas employs a professional team who ensure you have an enjoyable, comfortable trek (well, as comfortable as a hike up Kili can be). If it was not for the support of his staff, some members of our group would not have made it to the peak. We were so happy with Chiefs Tours that another group of our friends will be doing the hike next year. Thanks you Adidas and team for a trip of a life time and Hakuna Matata!

PaulEngland

Without Chief's Tour Supporting team, it was impossible for me to get to the top of Kilimanjaro. Because it was physically and mentally challenging, everyone tried to take care of me as I was the only women in the group full of big men. From the first moment meeting Adidas and the team in town, I already had a very good impression and feeling about the memorable trip.
Thank you so much, the main guide Msafiri for your nice care as a father to daughter, the assistant guide Heaven for his great patience and encouragement, the chef Jay for his tasty food, the porter Godfrey for saving my life when I got serious altitude sickness, and the other porters for their positivity and energy in spite of their extremely hard job!
The mountain not only brought us an unforgettable experience, it also gave me good friendships and more motivation to come back to Tanzania where I left a big part of my heart.
Travel with Chief's Tours and you'll understand why the company and Adidas himself are well respected by local residents thanks to their contribution to local community. I wish you all the best: best health, best luck and best spirit!

From Vietnam with love

Co Mi Vietnam

Amazing experience!

We found Chief Tours while researching our Lemosho trek up Kilimanjaro. While training at home, my wife experienced an injury and we were not able to continue with the trek. However, Adidas was kind enough to transfer our deposit to a 5-day safari tour and we are so glad we did! It was an experience of a lifetime. Our driver, Shirima, was incredibly knowledgeable, went above and beyond to show us the best of the parks, and was just a genuinely nice guy! The only thing as wonderful as the safari experience was getting to know Shirima!

The safari itself took us through 4 parks, each unique in their own way. We saw countless animals and seeing them in their natural habitat was surreal. Shirima was able to spot things we couldn't possibly have seen. (Lions, elephants, wildebeest, buffalo, cheetahs, zebra, giraffes, baboons, and we were lucky to see 5 of the hard to spot leopards!)

We were lucky enough to be in the Serengeti as the 'great migration' of wildebeests were taking place! It was amazing to see hundreds of thousands of them stampede together in herds through the plains. Truly amazing nature.

The accommodations were comfortable, clean, safe, and to stay within the Serengeti was an experience in itself with all the amazing sounds you hear at night! The food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner was delicious and also plenty of food!

We compared prices for both the trek and safaris with many other tour companies and Chief Tours was always the better price by a significant amount.

Our experience with Chief Tours from beginning to end was a wonderful, professional, safe and inspirational one. We highly recommend Adidas and his team for your trekking or safari needs!

Michael Scotland

Northern Circuit (7-9 days)

NORTHERN CIRCUIT ROUTE 8 DAYS 7 NIGHTS-ITINERARY & PRICE

Itinerary

DAY 1: LONDOROSSI GATE TO STARTING POINT TO MTI MKUBWA CAMP

Elevation: 2360m to 2820m

Distance: ~5.5km

Hiking time: 3-4 hours

Habitat: Rainforest

Meals: Lunch - Dinner

DAY 2: MTIMKUBWA CAMP TO SHIRA ONE CAMP

Elevation: 2820m to 3610m

Distance: ~8km

Hiking time: 6-7 hours

Habitat: Rainforest & Low Alpine Zone

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch - Dinner

DAY 3: SHIRA CAMP 1 TO MOIR CAMP

Elevation: 3610m to 4200m

Distance: ~15km | Walking time: 5-7 hours

Habitat: Low alpine zone / High alpine zone

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch - Dinner

DAY 4: MOIR CAMP TO BUFFLO CAMP

Elevation: 4200m to 4020m

Distance: ~12km

Hiking time: 5-7 hours

Habitat: High alpine zone

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch - Dinner

DAY 5: BUFFALO CAMP TO RONGAI THIRD CAVE

Elevation: 4200m to 3800m

Distance: ~8km

Hiking Time: 5-7 hours

Habitat: High alpine zone and low alpine zone

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

DAY 6: RONGAI 3RD CAVE TO SCHOOL HUT

Elevation: 3800m to 4800m

Distance: ~15km

Hiking Time: 5-6 hours

Habitat: High alpine zone & glacial zone

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

DAY 7: SCHOOL HUT TO UHURU PEAK DOWN TO MILENNIUM CAMP

The slope flattens as you head west around the crater rim and you should arrive at the summit at or just after sunrise. Your stay here will be brief so get as many pictures as you can of the incredible views and surrounding glaciers.

Elevation: 4800m to 5895m then down to 3950m

Ascent Distance: ~6km - Descent distance: ~10km

Hiking time: 6-8 hours ascent then 4-6 hours descent

Habitat: Ice-caped summit

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

DAY 8: MILENNIUM CAMP TO MWEKA GATE

Elevation: 3950m to 1630m

Distance: ~10km

Hiking Time: 3-4 hours

Habitat: Rainforest

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch

PRICE OF 2018

To meet a significant number of climbers’ demand, we are happy to provide you with a wide range of Kilimanjaro tours divided into 03 types: Budget – Standard – Luxury. Below is the price of Standard offers. For Budget and Luxury options, kindly contact us. Asante sana!

Inclusion

Exclusion

DAY 6: RONGAI 3^RD CAVE TO SCHOOL HUT