9 Days Northern Circuit Trek | Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Route Adventure
The Northern Circuit Trek is one of the most scenic and rewarding routes to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. This incredible 9-day journey offers climbers a unique opportunity to explore the mountain from the quieter northern slopes while enjoying breathtaking panoramic views and diverse landscapes.
The Northern Circuit Trek begins on the western side of Mount Kilimanjaro, following the same starting trail as the famous Lemosho Route. However, instead of heading south, this route circles around the northern side of the mountain, providing climbers with spectacular views and a peaceful trekking experience away from the busy trails.
One of the greatest advantages of the Northern Circuit Trek is the extended 9-day itinerary, which allows for excellent acclimatization to the high altitude. This significantly increases summit success rates and makes it a great option for both first-time climbers and experienced trekkers.
Throughout the Northern Circuit Trek, hikers pass through diverse ecosystems, including lush rainforest, alpine moorland, and dramatic high-altitude desert landscapes. Along the way, climbers can enjoy incredible views of Kilimanjaro’s peaks and the vast plains of northern Tanzania.
If you are looking for a quieter, more scenic, and well-paced Kilimanjaro climbing experience, the Northern Circuit Trek is an excellent choice for your ultimate Mount Kilimanjaro adventure.
Upon landing at Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) for your Northern Circuit Trek, our friendly driver will be waiting just outside customs control holding a Nyange Adventure sign with your name on it. They’ll assist with your luggage and transfer you comfortably to your hotel in Moshi.
At the hotel, your expert guide will provide a detailed briefing about the Northern Circuit Trek, answering any questions and conducting an equipment check to ensure you are fully prepared for the climb. If anything is missing, quality gear can easily be rented locally at reasonable prices. If you arrive at night, the briefing and equipment check may take place the following morning. With everything ready, you can relax in Moshi and prepare for your unforgettable Northern Circuit Trek adventure on Mount Kilimanjaro.
After enjoying breakfast at your hotel, you will begin your Northern Circuit Trek with a scenic drive to Londorossi Gate, the official starting point of the route. The excitement builds as you admire the lush rainforest covering the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Your first day of the Northern Circuit Trek begins with a gentle 3–4 hour hike through this beautiful rainforest. The trail leads you to Mti Mkubwa Camp, where you will rest for the night and prepare for the next stage of your Northern Circuit Trek adventure.
Day 2 of your Northern Circuit Trek leads you toward the historic Shira Plateau, a collapsed volcanic crater rich in history. Along the way, enjoy panoramic views of the majestic Kibo Peak, the ultimate goal of your Northern Circuit Trek. As you ascend, the landscape changes dramatically, revealing Kilimanjaro’s diverse ecological zones. End the day camping on the Shira Plateau, surrounded by breathtaking scenery during your unforgettable Northern Circuit Trek adventure.
n Day 3 of your Northern Circuit Trek, enjoy an acclimatization hike while taking in the stunning beauty of the Shira Plateau. Explore the surrounding area and possibly spot unique wildlife adapted to this high-altitude environment. Continue your Northern Circuit Trek to Shira 2 Camp, where you’ll reach higher elevation and rest amidst breathtaking mountain scenery.
Day 4 on the Northern Circuit is a challenging but rewarding hike! Trek for 7-9 hours through diverse landscapes. Start on the Shira Plateau, and then climb the western slopes of Kibo reaching Lava Tower. Enjoy a picnic lunch and scenic views. Descend to Moir Hutfor rest. This day is key for getting your body used to the high altitude.
Day 5 on the Northern Circuit is a 5-7 hour adventure to Buffalo Camp (4,020m). Hike out of Moir Hut and conquer the Lent Hills for amazing views. The trail offers unique landscapes and lets you experience Kilimanjaro’s wild beauty. You’ll cross a rock field and enjoy scenic plains stretching towards Kenya before reaching Buffalo Camp for rest.
Hike like a pioneer on the rarely-used Buffalo Ridge! This adventure takes you through hidden valleys on Kilimanjaro’s wild north side. Imagine feeling like the first explorers as you conquer sparse landscapes unlike anywhere else on the mountain. Your final destination today is Third Cave Camp, a spot for the night with epic views of Kilimanjaro’s vast northern slopes.
Today’s a 5-7 hour trek through a cool, high-altitude desert. You’ll steadily climb towards School Hut Camp, feeling proud with each step. You will Third Cave Camp behind and get closer to the top of Kilimanjaro! School Hut Camp is your home a rest and an early dinner before your amazing summit night adventure.
Get ready for the ultimate challenge – summit day! This is a long but rewarding day. Around midnight, you’ll start your tough 11-15 hour trek to Uhuru Peak, Africa’s highest point at a staggering 5,895 meters (19,341ft). The climb tests your limits, but the breathtaking glacial views will leave you speechless.
After reaching the peak, celebrate your incredible achievement and soak in the stunning scenery! Then, begin your descent to Horombo Camp (3,720 meters) for a well-deserved rest and dinner.
Get ready for the ultimate challenge – summit day! This is a long but rewarding day. Around midnight, you’ll start your tough 11-15 hour trek to Uhuru Peak, Africa’s highest point at a staggering 5,895 meters (19,341ft). The climb tests your limits, but the breathtaking glacial views will leave you speechless.
After reaching the peak, celebrate your incredible achievement and soak in the stunning scenery! Then, begin your descent to Horombo Camp (3,720 meters) for a well-deserved rest and dinner.
Price Includes/Excludes
Price Includes
- Airport transfers:Kick off your Kilimanjaro adventure with a stress-free airport pickup upon arrival in Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). After your summit success, relax and enjoy a convenient transfer to JRO
- Accommodation: Rest and recharge before and after your adventure with comfortable accommodation in Moshi (double occupancy) for one night each. A delicious breakfast (B&B plan) will be included each morning.
- Transfer to the gate: Relax – transportation to and from the mountain gate is included.
- All-inclusive Permits: Park entrance, camping, forest conservation, and even rescue fees are covered, ensuring a smooth and stress-free climb for you.
- From farm to table : From farm to table You will have three delicious meals a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) while on the mountain. Most of the food you will eat come from our very own farm.
- Comfortable Tents: Rest comfortably after a challenging day inside our high-quality four-season mountain tents.
- Experienced & Ethical : Our guides, assistant guides, cooks, and porters are not only highly skilled but also ethically compensated. Your climb supports fair treatment for the entire team.
- Safety First: For your peace of mind, an oxygen cylinder and oximeter are included in the price.
Price Excludes
- Tipping for the crew: Showing appreciation for your guides, assistant guides, cook, and porters with a tip is a great way to acknowledge their hard work. We can advise on customary tipping amounts.
- Personal hiking gear: Please see our detailed gear list for recommened personal gears. e offer rentals upon request.
- Additional Food & Drinks: While meals are included on the mountain, personal preferences for snacks, energy drinks, and alcoholic beverages are not.
- Travel Logistics: Flights, travel insurance, and visas are not included.
FAQs for the Northern Circuit Route
It typically takes 8 to 9 days, making it the longest route on Mount Kilimanjaro.
It’s the newest and least crowded route, offering a 360-degree circumnavigation of the mountain with stunning, rarely seen views.
Yes, it’s suitable due to the gradual ascent and extended time for acclimatization. However, trekkers should still prepare for the altitude and physical demands.
It boasts the highest summit success rate among all Kilimanjaro routes, thanks to its longer duration and excellent acclimatization opportunities.
No, it’s one of the least crowded routes, offering a more serene and private trekking experience.
Trekkers stay in tents set up by porters at designated campsites along the route.
While it’s less physically demanding due to the gradual ascent, the length of the trek and altitude still require good preparation and stamina.
The best times are during the dry seasons: January to mid-March and June to October, when the weather is more predictable.
The route offers unparalleled views of Kilimanjaro’s northern slopes, including remote wilderness areas, lush rainforests, moorlands, and alpine deserts.
It’s one of the more expensive routes due to its length and logistical requirements, but the experience is well worth the investment.
The extended itinerary significantly reduces the risk of altitude sickness, making it a great option for trekkers concerned about acclimatization.
It’s perfect for trekkers who prefer a less crowded, more scenic, and highly successful climb with plenty of time for acclimatization.
Map
Reviews
Verified Excellent and exceptional experience! My experience couldn't be better and I couldn't recommend Nyange more! They are excellent and I'm super satisfied with everything.I booked my climbing to Kilimanjaro with them and everything was perfect from the starting communication to the very last second I was with them.I'm a woman solo traveler and I felt safe every single time.All the staff is very nice, helpful and attentive. They really make the phrase "come as a client, leave as a friend" come true, I'll miss everyone! Special thanks to my guide in Kilimanjaro: Amnaay (if you wanna go with him, I assure you'll have a fun and pleasant time! He knows a lot, is very encouraging and literally held me when I couldn't walk anymore. I don't know if I could reach the summit without him and all the other guys that came with me - the cooker, waiter and porters, everyone special, very professional and has their space in my heart).They arranged everything I needed: my commuting from the city center to the farm (their farm is amaaaaazing, beautiful and the room was super comfortable and clean and with a breathtaking view of Kilimanjaro. All the delicious food they make is local - with ingredients from the farm), even in my last night Amnaay asked them if they could cook Ugali for me, and they did!The owner, Praise, is also very caring and himself always make sure that everything is ok, always having nice conversations, asking if I need something, etc.I could be here writing a review of 50 pages only speaking good things about them. Highly recommend! It was for sure the best experience in my life and thanks for them!Posted onVerified Highly Recommend Nyange Adventures - a life changing experience I highly recommend Nyange Adventures. Amina coordinated our tour and was extremely helpful, communicative, and accommodating. We did a 9-day safari and 3-days in Zanzibar all coordinated through Nyange Adventures for our honeymoon. It was the perfect amount of time if you plan to do both Central Serengeti (most popular) and Northern Serengeti (Wildebeest migration in September), which we did. I wish we had more time in Zanzibar, and we could have easily spent 5-7 days there and scuba dived. Our safari was exceptional because our guide, Joseph, was top notch. Joseph is so kind and professional. He went out of his way to make sure we had an incredible experience. Joseph knew where to go, when to wake up, and he was just as excited to see the wildlife as we were, which made it even better. Our stays were mid-tier, and we always had a shower and bathroom. Some stays were better than others, admittedly, but the food was always delicious and the hospitality of the staff was incredible. Be prepared to spend a lot of time in the car and on bumpy, wild, and remote roads... remember that is what a safari entails. Be patient and let go of control. In order to access once-in-a-lifetime nature, you have to rough it a bit. We enjoyed learning more about the history of Tanzania (Tan-gan-ika) and Swahili culture. Do not skip the tribe immersions (we met the Hadzabe, Datoga, and Masai tribes). Pay your white people tax and spread USD tips around. Bring a lot of cash with you as we had trouble accessing ATMs. I wish we brought more cash, so we didn't have to waste time figuring out how to pay once we arrived. Amina warned me, but I didn't understand and if I went again, I would bring even more USD. Hadiya was our guide in Zanzibar. We did a walking tour with her. She was very informative, kind, and helpful. Skip the spice tour if you can... it is a big tourist trap. After a safari, you might want some time to decompress at these incredible beaches. Be prepared that the tides are strong and occur in the middle of the day. Amina booked a perfect hotel for us - the Sunshine Marine Lodge. In Zanzibar, it really matters where you stay! My only regret is not scuba diving. We ended our days on safari with a campfire and a dancing ceremony. I would highly recommend learning Swahili words and using Swahili language with locals. There is a lot to learn from the people who live in Tanzania - every person we met had a unique story and shared more about their way of life. Be patient. Embrace their culture and learn something. I really didn't want to leave and I can't wait to go back. I think about this experience every day.Posted onVerified Best team ever! I can honestly say that this was one of the best experiences I have ever had traveling. It was made special because of the amazing people who supported our trek up Kily- from our awesome guides, Amnaay and Musa, to Oscar, our chef, who prepared delicious meals to Steve, our waiter,who ensured all of our needs were met to Mohammed who ensured our tents and sleeping quarters were up to snuff and ever porter who supported our hike. Everyday I looked forward to seeing our team on the mountain, they always had smiles on their faces and were cheering us along the way. We became family as we shared time together and I learned to trust my team. Nyange Adventures is top notch and I highly recommend Nyange for your trek up Kily!Posted onVerified Trip of a lifetime in the Ngorongoro crater with Rashidi Spent three days with Rashidi at the Ngorongoro crater and had the time of a life. Rashidi is an excellent guide. Not only can he spot the mammals, sometimes from kilometers away. But he can spot birds too. He can recognize the calls and finds them when they are hidden in thick bush. His English is great and he is knowledgeable about the land and people as well. We saw giraffes, lions, elephants, rhinos, serval cats, water buffalo, wildebeest, zebras, hippos, plus over 30 species of birds! Can’t recommend this company and Rashidi enough.Posted onVerified Overnight guide tour to Ngorongoro Crater We had a very last minute opportunity with 3 extra days on a Tanzania mission trip and Nyange did a beautiful job arranging two nights at Ngorongoro Crater with a full day of birding and wildlife in the Crater. They welcomed us at Kilamanjaro International Airport and drove us to Dodoma and the end of the three days. Arrangements were great. Praise was very prompt with queries and helping get myself my wife and three friends all set up. Rashid was our guide and driver, took excellent care of us and demonstrated great guiding skills identifying birds large and small along with really good wildlife finds including 3 rhinos and a Serval Cat. I would highly recommend this group to anyone.Posted onVerified Roof of Africa From the Safari to Kilimanjaro to ZanzibarEverything was arranged and sorted by these guysWhat a truly spellbinding experience into the heart of TanzaniaOne for the booksExtremely reliable company and staffPosted onVerified Terriffic Tanzania We had the most amazing, interesting and memorable adventure in Tanzania. We had a 12-days adventure meeting tripes, local people in the villages, safari tours, waterfalls and farms. We had Francis Boniphase as our guide during the entire trip. He is very friendly and is curious to learn and give his knowledge to us. We also met the owner of the Nyange (Praise Nyange) who gave us some awesome experiences on his farm.Posted onVerified Made it with Nyange! My son and I just reached the summit on the 8 day Lemosho climb with the fabulous crew of Nyange. Special shout out to our guide Amnaay and the assistant guide Henry, without whom we would not have succeeded. On summit day, they carried our day packs, kept us at a steady pace (believe me, that is a good thing), when at several points I was ready to give up. We were one of the first ones to get there just in time to watch to most glorious sunrise. Then, they pretty much held on to us on the rapid and harrowing decent. I found Nyange hightly recommened in Stedman's book. It is a small local outfit that supports KPAP. The owner, who was once a porter, even came to say hi to us during our last day in Moshi. There are lots of operators, a couple of them had huge groups of trekkers, and I am sure they all do a fine job, but I chose to go with a local company and I am so glad I did. And, don't let anyone tell you Kilimanjaro is easy. It was very, very hard!
