The longest route on the mountain — the best acclimatisation, the highest success rate and near-total solitude. · 8–9 days · Moderate · Outstanding
The Northern Circuit is the newest and longest route on Kilimanjaro, and it has quickly become the connoisseur's choice. It begins like Lemosho in the west, then swings around the quiet northern slopes of the mountain — terrain most climbers never see — before approaching the summit from the east.
All those extra days and that gradual, encircling profile give it the best acclimatisation and the highest summit success rate of any route, along with sweeping, ever-changing 360-degree views and a real sense of wilderness solitude. The trade-offs are simply time and cost: at eight or nine days it is the longest and priciest climb. If you can give it the days, it offers the surest and most peaceful path to the top.
Day by day
Londorossi Gate to Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree) Camp · 2,100 m · 2,780 m · ~6 km · 3–4 hrs · Rainforest · The long drive to the remote western gate, then a quiet, pristine forest walk rich in birdlife — a gentle, beautiful start on the least-trodden side of the mountain.
Big Tree Camp to Shira 1 Camp · 2,780 m · 3,505 m · ~8 km · 5–7 hrs · Moorland · The forest opens onto the vast Shira Plateau, the floor of an ancient caldera, with Kibo rising ahead across the caldera and views stretching for miles.
Shira 1 to Shira 2 Camp · 3,505 m · 3,850 m · ~7 km · 3–4 hrs · Moorland · A gentle traverse of the plateau, ideal for acclimatisation, with wide 360-degree views and an easy pace that lets your body keep adjusting.
Shira 2 to Lava Tower, on to Moir Hut · 3,850 m · 4,160 m · ~11 km · 6–7 hrs · Alpine desert · Via the Lava Tower at 4,600 m for acclimatisation, then — instead of turning south with the crowds — you strike out to the quiet Moir Hut on the mountain's remote northern flank, terrain most climbers never see.
Moir Hut to Buffalo Camp · 4,160 m · 4,020 m · ~12 km · 5–7 hrs · Alpine desert · You begin the great loop around the northern slopes, walking through empty, sweeping high desert with views far into Kenya. Solitude and steady acclimatisation are the whole point of this route.
Buffalo Camp to Third Cave Camp · 4,020 m · 3,870 m · ~8 km · 5–6 hrs · Alpine desert · Continuing around the north side over a saddle and down to Third Cave, all the while banking acclimatisation. These extra days are why the Northern Circuit has the highest success rate on the mountain.
Third Cave to School Hut (Kibo) · 3,870 m · 4,700 m · ~5 km · 4–5 hrs · Alpine desert · A steady climb back up to the summit approach at School Hut. You arrive with the early afternoon to rest and prepare for a midnight departure — and, after so many days acclimatising, most climbers feel strong.
Summit night: School Hut to Uhuru Peak, down to Mweka · 4,700 m · 5,895 m · ~6 km up · ~12 km down · 12–15 hrs · Arctic summit · The summit push to Uhuru Peak at dawn, then a long descent right down to Mweka Camp. Thanks to the circuit's generous acclimatisation, this is often the strongest summit night of any route.
Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate · 3,100 m · 1,640 m · ~10 km · 3–4 hrs · Rainforest · A gentle descent through the forest to Mweka Gate, certificates and songs, and a transfer back to your hotel and a hot shower.
Who it suits
The best choice for climbers who want to maximise their chance of the summit, love solitude and wild scenery, and have the extra days and budget. Superb for anyone who has struggled with altitude before, or simply wants the calmest, surest route.