You’ll be driven from Moshi or Arusha to Londorossi Gate (2,100 m), complete registration formalities, then set off through lush rainforest. Keep an eye out for blue monkeys and colobus monkeys as you climb gently for about 5–6 km to Big Tree Camp (2,650 m). Relax in your tents and enjoy your first evening beneath the canopy.

After breakfast, you’ll leave the forest’s edge and enter the heather and moorland zone. The trail ascends steadily across open moorland, offering views of Kibo’s western face. You’ll make camp on the Shira Plateau at around 3,500 m. Expect about 6 km of hiking (3–4 hours), with plenty of time to rest and acclimatize.

Today’s trek is short (roughly 4 km), giving your body more time to adjust. You’ll walk across the plateau to Shira 2 Camp (3,850 m), passing volcanic rock formations and dwarf vegetation. Spend the afternoon relaxing or taking a short acclimatization hike up to 4,200 m before returning to camp for dinner

An early breakfast precedes the ascent to the Lava Tower (4,630 m), where you’ll have lunch and further acclimatize. Then you drop down into the Great Barranco Valley, making camp at Barranco Camp (3,950 m). This day covers about 10 km with significant altitude gain and loss, so take it at a steady pace

You’ll tackle the spectacular Barranco Wall (a steep but short scramble), then traverse across moorland and rocky terrain into Karanga Valley. The day’s hike is around 5 km and relatively gentle in elevation change (3,950 m → 3,995 m). Arriving early allows you to rest in preparation for the summit push.

Leaving Karanga, you’ll climb steadily up to Barafu Camp (4,600 m) over about 5 km. Once there, have an early dinner, organize your gear, and try to catch a few hours of sleep before the midnight departure

Your summit attempt begins around midnight. You’ll switch-back up the scree to Stella Point (5,755 m) at sunrise, then continue to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m). After photos at the roof of Africa, descend past Barafu to Millennium Camp for lunch, then through the rainforest to Mweka Gate (1,640 m). A vehicle will meet you for the transfer back to Moshi or Arusha.