Top of Africa-Kili Climb: Crater Camp Route

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro airport you will be met by our  representative, who will be holding a sign board with your name on it. After checking that you have all your belongings, your guide will transfer you to your lodge.

Begin the day with an early breakfast, followed by a Kilimanjaro briefing. You and your guide will check your mountain-climbing equipment before you are transferred to the Kilimanjaro entrance gate.  Complete the necessary registration formalities at Londorossi National Park Gate.  After enjoying your picnic lunch, you will start climbing through the forest up to the Forest Camp – a gentle walk of a few hours to stretch your  legs in anticipation of the long climb ahead.

After breakfast in the forest camp, you begin a slow (to aid acclimatization) walk through the forest and into the Hagenia zone.  The vegetation begins to thin out as you approach the Shira Plateau. Shira is one of the three craters of the Kilimanjaro volcanic massif, the others being Mawenzi and Kibo.  From your camp today, you will have great views of the Shira Needles and Mount Meru in the distance.

After a spectacular sunrise that reveals the magnitude of the distant snow-capped crater, you slowly climb into the alpine heather zone, approaching the Kibo massif from the west, to your camp. Today is a shorter walk, allowing for further exploration of the lobelias, senecios and other endemic plants on an acclimatizing walk.

This morning you will experience a gentle ascent and panoramic views, walking on lava ridges beneath the glaciers of the Western Breach. After lunch at the Lava Tower campsite there is a steep and spectacular afternoon walk on the rocky lower slopes of the Western Breach to reach the ruins of the old hut at Arrow Glacier. This afternoon excursion is highly recommended both for acclimatization purposes and for the superb views of hanging glaciers on both sides of the Breach.

In the early morning, you have sweeping views of Mt. Meru, Kibo Massif and the imposing wall of the Western Breach, which constitutes our climb over the next two days. In order to aid acclimatization, you slow down the pace and walk a short distance to the base of the breach where we make our camp at Arrow Glacier. The afternoon is free for a short walk in the name of the “walk high, sleep low” philosophy of sound acclimatization. As the temperature drops you are treated to one of the finest sunsets in Africa before you climb into your tents for sleep.

Another early start after a cold night, and you face up to the imposing western Breach that looms above you. You take the non-technical ascent route climbing slowly for six hours, your path sometimes covered in the famous snows of Kilimanjaro. As you reach the top of the wall, we slowly traverse a crater before arriving at our own special camp, far higher than any other on the mountain. Here you will rest up and prepare for the final push tomorrow.

Thanks to careful acclimatization and slow ascent to this final camp, you are closer to the summit than any of the other climbers and do not have a gruelling final day with only a final two hour hike to the crater summit and a ten minute final stretch to Uhuru Summit 5895m, the Roof of Africa. Arriving at the summit for sunrise, we are captivated by the sweeping vistas in all directions, applauding the sheer magnitude of our achievement before we start our descent. After a thrilling scree run for two hours, you will follow the Mweka descent path, feeling the air thicken as you descend, as you reach Mweka Camp after a tiring but rewarding seven hour trek and descent. Here you celebrate you achievements amidst the thick forest reliving one of the definitive moments of your life.

After breakfast continue your descent to Mweka gate 1630m, where you sign your name and details in a register. This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Those climbers who reached Stella Point are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak receive gold certificates. You will be met by a driver/guide and driven to your lodge in Arusha. It is a welcome treat to take a hot shower and celebrate the climb.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro Airport... or extend your trip with a safari and/or  a few days on Zanzibar.