Mt Kilimanjaro (5895 m) Expedition (Winter 2026)

Day 1: Meeting in Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST) and fly to Tanzania.

Our itinerary is scheduled according to the flights from Istanbul. We will meet the participants who will fly from Istanbul at the Istanbul International Airport. We strictly recommend to appear at the airport three hours in advance the flight time unless you fly with a connecting flight. We will be in Kilimanjaro Airport next day. Please check the dates and flight times carefully.

App. Elevation: 1400 m asl

Day 2: Arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, transfer to the hotel. Rest in Arusha and last preparations for the expedition.

We meet our local company who will take us to our hotel after the visa and entrance procedures. Transfer to our exıtic lodge takes around an hour. We picked up a safari lodge which represents African soul. We keep this day as a recovery day after a long travel, for preparations as well and last minute checks. Depending on expedition members’ wish our leaders may take you down town or short excursions among the coffee fields.

App. Elevation: 1400 m asl
Transfer Time: 1 hr
Meals Included: Öğle Yemeği – Akşam Yemeği

Day 3: Transfer to Machame Gate (1800 m) of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Trek to Machame Camp (3000 m).

After a breakfast in this lovely lodge we will depart to Kilimanjaro National Park. We will enter the park at Machame Gate. Paper work and registrations may take long at the gate. We will have lunch while our crew and leader is running registration process. The trek will start after our permits are issued. We will hike in a lush rainforest and enjoy the scenery and winding trails. On our route our leaders will briefly give you information about the flora and fauna and natural wildlife. At these lower elevations, the trail can be muddy and quite slippery. We highly recommend trekking poles. You may keep your gaiters in your daypack to wear to avoid mud on your pants. We will arrive our camp late in the afternoon just before the evening time.

App.Elevations: Machame Gate 1800 m – Machame Camp, 3000 m
Transfer Time: 1 hrs 30 min.
App.Trekking Time and Distance: 6 hrs, 11 kms
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Day 4: Trek to Shira Camp (3850 m)

We will have a hearty breakfast. Machame Camp is located in a dense moor. We will emerge from the rainforest and keep on hiking on an ascending path. We will cross the valley along a steep rocky ridge. As promised, the terrain, landscape and flora will be different than the previous day. We will walk on a rocky terrain while crossing to the west onto a river gorge until we arrive at the Shira camp. Very easy scrambling may be required enroute. Shira Camp is located on the deposition lava field of Mt Shira which erupted and deformed on Kibo. We will be at the meeting point of the two volcanoes, literally two of the three volcanoes which form Kilimanjaro. After a rest in the camp, a short acclimatization hike to Shira Caves is recommended. We have a stunning sunset scenery from Shira plato.

App.Elevations: Machame Camp, 3000 m – Shira Camp, 3850 m
App.Trekking Time and Distance: 4 hrs, 5-6 km
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Day 5: Acclimatization Day: Trek to Lava Tower (4630 m) and Barranco Camp (3976m)

In the morning we will start climbing towards the main peak of Kibo, with the western glaciers clearly visible across the rugged high-altitude desert of volcanic formations. Today’s hike will end up at about the same elevation of the starting point but this acclimatization day is more than important. We will climb above 4000 meters today! First goal is to reach Lawa Tower lunch point 4600 m. We will keep walking with a slowest possible pace. After having lunch we will start descending down to Barranco Camp. Barranco Camp is located in the shade of great Barranco Wall. On our route, while getting closer to Barranco Valley we will see the Senecio plants which are endemic for Kilimanjaro. We will stay in Barranco Camp, rest and recover for the next day after a long day.

App.Elevations: Shira Camp, 3850 m – Lava Tower, 4600 m – Barranco Camp, 3950 m
App.Trekking Time and Distance: 6 – 7 hrs, 11 kms
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Day 6: Trek to Karanga Camp (3995 m) through Karanga Valley

We will have breakfast early today and just after the sunrise we will start our adventurous trek on Barranco Wall. We will walk on zig zag paths on the wall and before climbing the top of Barranco Wall requires easy scrambling. We will have long break above the wall with a great view. You better keep your cameras close by. Passing underneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers, we head towards the Karanga valley. During the second half of the today’s hike we will descent down to Karanga Valley. Descending paths to the creek base can be slippery and dusty. After a short break by the creek we will trek uphill to Karanga Camp on the ridge.

App.Elevations: Barranco Camp, 3950 m – Karanga Camp,4000
App.Trekking Time and Distance: 4-5 hrs, 5 kms
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Day 7: Trek to Barafu Camp

After a scenic and hearty breakfast we will give a start. Today we are heading to the lst high camp for the summit attempt. This is going to be easy and slow but short day. We will gradually ascent to the high camp of Barafu. Around noon time we will be at Barafu Hut. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are viewable from this spot. We may have short hikes around the camp and rest for the summit push at night!

App.Elevations: Karanga Camp,4000 – Barafu Camp, 4630
App.Trekking Time and Distance: 3-4 hrs, 4 kms
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Day 8: Trek to Kilimanjaro Uhuru Summit (5895 m), Barafu Camp and Millenium Camp (3820 m)

Very early in the morning (around midnight), we begin our summit attempt. This part is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the expedition. It is not rare to have extreme cold and sometimes strong winds at this elevation and time of the day. We will ascend in the dark for several hours with frequent, but short breaks. Near Stella Point (18,900 ft), which is the nearest pass to the crater rim on our route, you will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see coming over Mawenzi Peak. We will have a break at Stella and keep on hiking gently uphill to Uhuru Peak across the crater rim. Finally, we arrive at Uhuru Peak- the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. Uhuru means the freedom as you feel deep inside right here!
On the way from the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Millenium camp site after stopping at Barafu for lunch, for repacking and a short rest. The trail is very rocky and can be quite hard on the knees; trekking poles are recommended more than ever at this section. Millenium Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. We enjoy our last dinner on Kilimanjaro and a have a well-deserved sleep.

App.Elevations: Barafu Camp, 4630 m – Stella Point,5756 m – Uhuru Peak, 5895 m – Millenium Camp,3820 m
App.Trekking Time and Distance: 12 -14 hrs, 17 km
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Day 9: Trek to Mweka Gate (1640 m) and transfer to Arusha

From now on, you are not the same! You have already a conquerer of the summit of Africa. Congragulation! We will have again a an early start for the day. A long, tiring descent is awaiting. But first we will celebrate the expedition with the local crew. We will sing songs and dance togehther before our hike. We will descent on the whirling trails to the Mweka Gate. After the check out process from the park we will drive to a close village to have lunch. After lunch we will drive back to Arusha. Time to rest, repack and have a celebration. At midnight we will be transferred to the airport for returning flights.

App.Elevations: Millenium Camp,3820 m – Mweka Gate, 1640 m
App.Trekking Time and Distance: 5-6 hrs. , 10 kms
Transfer Time: 1 hr 30 min.
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Day 10: Transfer to Airport and return flights.

App. Transfer Time: 15 min