Londorossi Gate to Mti Mkubwa (2650 m/8692 ft.)
Hike time: 3hrs
Elevation Change: + 650 M+2132
Estimation distance: 10 km
Final Elevation: 2650 m/8694 ft.
After a 2 1/2 hour drive from Arusha drive to the Londorossi Gate. Day 1 is fairly easy with a 3/4 hour climb to Mti Mkubwa Camp.

Mti Mkubwa (2650 m/8692 ft.) to Shira One Camp (3609 m/11841 ft.)
Hike time: 5 – 6 hrs.
Elevation change: + 950 M/+3116
Estimation distance: 12 km
Final Elevation: 3609 m/11841 ft.
A few hours walk will see the end of the forest and the beginning of a climb through heather forest to the edge of the Shira Caldera. Destination is the scenic Shira One Camp.

Shira One Camp (3,609 m/11,841 ft.) to Shira Two Camp (3,849 m/12,628 ft.)
Hike time: 5 – 6 hrs.
Elevation change: + 240 M/+787 ft.
Elevation distance: 5 km
Final elevation: 3849 m/12,628 ft.
Today is spent on a gentle hike across the Shira Plateau with possible side trips to Shira Cathedral. Camp is at the first high camp of Shira Two.
NOTE: From Shira Two Camp the trail links with Machame Route.

Shira Two Camp (3,849 m/12,628 ft.) to Barranco Hut (3,948 m/12,956 ft.)
Hike time: 5 hrs.
Elevation change: +100 M/+328 ft.
Estimated distance: 6 km
Final elevation: 3948 m/12,956 ft.
The real work of climbing Kilimanjaro begins here. Today the main feature is a slow climb to Lava Camp followed by a descent to the beautiful Barranco Camp. This is the Climb-High-Sleep-Low principal of altitude adjustment.

Barranco Hut (3,900 m/12,800 ft.) to Karanga Valley (3,963 m/13,000 ft)
Hike time: 3.5 hrs.
Elevation change: +100 m/+328 ft.
Estimated distance: 4km/2.5 miles
Final elevation: 3,963 m/13,000 ft
After a climb of the Great Barranco Wall, we continue around the southern circuit train until we reach another scenic location of Karanga Camp.

Karanga Valley (3,963 m/13,000 ft.) to Barafu Hut (4,600 m/15,091 ft.)
Hike time: 3.5 hrs.
Elevation change: +600 m/+1,968 ft.
Estimated distance: 4km/2.5 miles
Final elevation: 4,600 m/15,091 ft.
The trail from Karanga to Barafu reaches the bleak high desert of Kilimanjaro. Barafu Camp is a basic camp geared towards the business of reaching the summit.

Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,091 ft.) to the Summit (5,896 m/19,343 ft.) and then to Mweka Camp (3,100 m/10,170 ft.)
Summit time: 7 hrs.
Elevation change: +1,300 m/+4,265 ft.
Estimated distance: 5km/3.2 miles
Final elevation: 5,896 m/19,343 ft.
Descent time: 5 hrs.
Elevation change: -2,800 m/-9,186 ft.
Estimated distance: 12km/7.5 miles
Final elevation: 3,100 m, 10,170 ft.
This is a midnight ‘Alpine Summit’ to make sure we reach the summit by dawn, in time to return to Mweka Camp for the sake of improvement.

Mweka Hut (3,100 m/10,170 ft.) to Mweka Gate (1,828 m/6,000 ft)
Descent time: 3hrs
Elevation change: -1,250 m/-4,101 ft.
Estimated distance: 10km/6.21
Final elevation: 1,828 m/6,000 ft.

Today is a short walk towards Mweka Gate and pickup. It is a short day with arrival at the Gate. Checkout and return to Arusha