9 Days Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route
9 Days Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route
9 Days Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route
from9 Days Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route
9 Days Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route is the longest and most remote route. The 9 Days Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route offers some of the most stunning views of Mt. Kilimanjaro. This 9 days Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route is the longest Kilimanjaro Climbing Route. Hence, you get to Climb Kilimanjaro via the crowd-free and beautiful trails while enjoying 360 views of the mountain.
That’s why 9 Days Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route is fondly called the 360 route or Orbit Kilimanjaro. What’s more, this route has the highest Kilimanjaro Success Rate and comes highly recommended by African Scenic Safaris. 9 Days Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route is our longest Kilimanjaro Climbing Package, both in distance and time, ‘Orbit Kilimanjaro’ offers excellent acclimatization, exceptional scenery, very little traffic and some challenging terrain.
Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route
The Northern Circuit orbits the mountain beginning in the west, traversing the north and descending via the Mweka Route to the south. This 9 Days Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route involves hiking for long periods of time and good level of fitness is recommended. Starting on the Lemosho route, soak in your first up-close view of Kibo, the daunting but surmountable summit cone, from the Shira Plateau and climb on wards to the impressive Lava Tower. From here part ways and begin to explore the northern slopes, circumnavigating Kibo, which rises high above as a constant reminder of the task ahead.
Throughout this traverse you will find few other trekkers. From the high camp the trail climbs steeply, eventually scrambling over Jamaica Rocks and popping out on the rim of the crater at Gilman’s Point. The chance of reaching Uhuru Peak is extremely high. Descend from Stella Point alongside trekkers from Lemosho and Machame. Highly recommended if time and budget allow! Understandably this is also known as the Grand Traverse or the 360 Route and offers the complete Kilimanjaro experience in terms of all the habitats and the views of the mountain from all sides.
Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route
The 9 Days Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route is a longer journey which has excellent acclimatization and stunning scenery with views across the southern flanks, western forests, the northern plains to the Kenyan border and the arid eastern slopes. The paths are comparatively quiet and less used. Also, the altitude gain each day is less than on other routes, with a gentle gradient until reaching Kikelewa or Third Caves camp, therefore over nine days the likelihood of altitude sickness is significantly less. Yet the overall length of the route is 96 kilometers, not much more than the other routes.
An alternate route which summits directly up the northern slopes from School Hut is about 79 kilometers. The 9 Days Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route is one of the best routes on Kilimanjaro, offering nearly 360 degrees of beautiful scenery including the quiet, rarely visited northern slopes. As the longest route on Kilimanjaro, the Northern Circuit also has the most acclimatization time and the highest summit success rate. Thus, the Northern Circuit route is highly recommended.
Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route
The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the west, beginning with a long drive from Moshi to Londorossi Gate. From there, the first two days are spent trekking through the rainforest to Shira Ridge, before crossing the Shira Plateau. The route then heads north and circles clockwise from Moir Hut to Buffalo Camp to School Hut, before summiting from the east. Descend is made via the Mweka route.
The Northern Circuit Route is the longest route on Kilimanjaro, a nine day trip initially ascending Lemosho route on the western side of the mountain up onto the Shira Plateau before reaching the Lava Tower, then heading north and circumnavigating the main summit massif in a clockwise direction.
Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking Hiking
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- Vacation Style Holiday Type
- Activity Level Challenging
- Group Size Large Group
All about the 9 Days Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route.
The Northern Circuit route follows the same route as Lemosho route for the first few days, but rather than sticking to the south side of Kibo, it turns to the little-used northern trails instead.
Northern Circuit route
This path is virtually devoid of other trekkers and as a result, the campsites are quiet, peaceful, and practically deserted. Because the Northern Circuit route is longer than the other trails, it gives trekkers a chance to take in more of the mountain. Not only do they get a chance to hike across the awe-inspiring Shira Plateau, they’ll also catch glimpses of Kibo Peak and Uhuru Summit along the way. It also provides amazing views down onto the open plains that are found to the north of the mountain, something that is seen by only a handful of other hikers while climbing Kilimanjaro.
Which Kilimanjaro route has the highest success rate?
orthern Circuit Route has the highest Kilimanjaro Success Rate which is 98% and approaches from south of Kilimanjaro. It is the newest and longest route which offers the most spectacular view of overall 360-degree scenery of Mount Kilimanjaro. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro on this route takes 8 to 9 days for the summit.
Due to its extended length, much of which hovers around the same altitude for improved acclimatization, the Northern Circuit route has the highest success rate of any of the routes on Mount Kilimanjaro. The trek begins at the Londorossi Gate and makes its way up the western flanks of the mountain, passing through the rainforest and climbing onto the the Shira Ridge.
From there, it is up to the Shira Plateau itself, before heading north to circle in a clockwise direction starting at the Moir Hut, then moving on to Buffalo Camp, and finally School Hut. Along the way, trekkers make an almost 360 degree hike around Kilimanjaro, before summiting from the east.
So with everything that the Northern Circuit route has going for it, what’s the downside? The only issue with hiking this route is that it requires a bit of extra time, something that few travelers have. While most of the other routes can be done in as few as six or seven days, the Northern Circuit route often requires as many as nine or more. That often limits the number of people who can work this trail into their schedule, although those that do will find that it is completely worth it.
The tour package inclusions and exclusions at a glance
What is included in this tour?Items that are included in the cost of tour price.
Qualified guides with mountain crew
National park fees
Hut/camping fees and tents
Tents foam sleeping pads, cooking equipment, and (Cutlery / Crockery) eating utensils.
Rescue fees (required by the National Park)
Pulse oximeters
First aid kit
Guides, porters, cook, waiter salaries
Boiled water on the mountain
Airport transfers (JRO – Kilimanjaro International Airports)
All meals on the mountain (breakfast, lunch & dinner)
Guides, porters, waiter, cook accommodation and entry fees on the mountain
What is not included in this tour?Items that are not included in the cost of tour price.
Single rooms supplement at Springlands Hotel.
Guides, Porters, Cook & Waiters tips
Meals and drinks not specified
Mountain equipment (eg sleeping bags)
Gear for your climb, Some equipment is available for rent.
Car Supplement USD$145 per car for clients who go through Lemosho/Rongai/Shira Routes
Items of personal nature (expenses)
Emergency Oxygen
Additional nights beyond the two standard hotel nights included
Extra activities (waterfall tour, cultural village visit).
Visa fees & travel insurance.
Flight tickets.
- Trek Day 1: Lemosho Trailhead (2,400m/7,880ft) to Big Tree Camp (2,800m/9,190ft)
- Trek Day 2: Big Tree Camp (2,800m/9,190ft) to Shira 1 Camp (3,550m/11,650ft)
- Trek Day 3: Shira 1 Camp (3,550m/11,650ft) to Shira 2 Camp (3,850m/12,650ft)
- Trek Day 4: Shira 2 Camp (3,850m/12,650ft) to Moir Huts (4,200m/13,780ft) via Lava Tower (4,600m/15,090ft)
- Trek Day 5: Moir Huts (4,200m/13,780ft) to Buffalo/Pofu Camp (4,020m/13,190ft)
- Trek Day 6: Buffalo/Pofu Camp (4,020m/13,190ft) to Third Cave Camp (3,870m/12,700ft)
- Trek Day 7: Third Cave Camp (3,870m/12,700ft) to School Huts (4,750m/15,580ft)
- Trek Day 8: School Huts (4,750m/15,580ft) to Uhuru Peak (5,895m/19,340ft) then descending to Mweka Camp (3,110m/10,200ft)
- Trek Day 9: Mweka Camp (3,110m/10,200ft) to Mweka Gate (1,830m/6,000ft)
9 Days Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route
9 Days Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route
9 Days Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route
9 Days Mount Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit Hiking Route
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