Northern Circuit Route

Highest Success Rate  ·  “The Full Mountain”

  • 9-10 Days
  • 98 Kilometers
  • Success Rate: Highest
  • Moderate – Demanding

Highest summit success rate

Ten days of gradual acclimatization give your body more time to adjust than any other route. Climbers turned back by altitude on shorter routes often succeed here. Best for summit success.

A complete circumnavigation

The Northern Circuit is the only route circling all of Kilimanjaro. You see every face — southern forests, remote northern slopes, western breach, and final ascent. No other route offers this.

Remote northern wilderness

The middle section crosses rarely seen terrain. Stark, open, and truly remote. Days 4–6 feel like a different mountain from the crowded Machame route.

Flexibility in pacing

Extra days on the Northern Circuit give you natural rest when needed. Extended timing removes any pressure to push through discomfort.

Discover the route with the highest success rate!

The Northern Circuit is the longest route on Kilimanjaro and has the highest summit success rate of any option on the mountain. It takes you all the way around the northern and western flanks before joining the southern circuit for the final approach to Uhuru Peak, giving you a complete circumnavigation of the mountain that no other route offers.

Nine or ten days on Kilimanjaro sounds like a long time. It is also the reason this route works so well. The extended acclimatization profile – with multiple days at progressively increasing altitudes – gives your body the best possible chance to adjust before summit day. Climbers who have failed on shorter routes have summited on the Northern Circuit.

It is also the least crowded route on the mountain. The remote northern sections are rarely visited and the landscape has a quieter, more untouched character than the popular southern paths.

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Northern Circuit route is best for you if you:
  • You want the best possible chance of reaching the summit.
  • You have more time and want to do Kilimanjaro properly.
  • You have attempted Kilimanjaro before and want a better acclimatization profile.
  • You want to see all sides of the mountain in one trip.
  • You prefer complete solitude on the remote northern sections.

Pricing & What’s Included?

Essential

$ 3,700 per person
  • 3-4 star accommodation in Arusha
  • All meals on the mountain
  • Portable toilet at the camps
  • Professional Tanzanian mountain guides
  • Private porter service
  • Mess tent for eating and resting
  • Four season mountain sleeping tents
  • 2 climbers for every 1 guide
  • Daily water for washing
  • Traditional Swahili and international dining experience
  • Extra comfort features in Elite
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Elite

$ 4,100 per person
  • 5 star accommodation in Arusha
  • All meals on the mountain
  • Portable toilet at the camps
  • Professional Tanzanian mountain guides
  • Private porter service
  • Lebanese culinary dining experience
  • Spacious standing expedition tent
  • Mess tent for eating and resting
  • Portable sleeping bed with mattress
  • 1 dedicated guide per climber
  • Hot shower every day on the mountain
  • Portable solar charging station
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Your Northern Circuit Route Itinerary

Each day on the mountain, clearly laid out.

You begin at Londorossi Gate on the western side of the mountain and walk into the mountain rainforest, sharing the first day’s trail with Lemosho. The forest is dense, shaded, and full of wildlife.

Duration: 4-5 hours  Elevation: 2,100m to 2,750m

The forest thins and you step onto the wide Shira Plateau for the first time. The views are immediate and expansive, Kibo visible ahead, Kenya and the Rift Valley hazy in the distance on a clear day.

Duration: 5-6 hours  Elevation: 2,750m to 3,500m

A full day crossing the plateau, gradually gaining altitude. The pace is deliberately gentle here — the next several days will take you higher and the body needs time.

Duration: 5 hours  Elevation: 3,500m to 3,840m

This is where the Northern Circuit separates from Lemosho. Instead of heading toward Lava Tower, you turn north and begin the remote traverse of the mountain’s northern flank. The trail becomes noticeably quieter.

Duration: 5-6 hours  Elevation: 3,840m to 4,000m

A long traverse across the remote northern face with views north into Kenya. The landscape is open and stark — volcanic rock, sparse vegetation, and very few other climbers. One of the most distinctive days on any Kilimanjaro route.

Duration: 6-7 hours  Elevation: 4,000m to 4,200m

The traverse continues around the eastern side of the mountain. Altitude increases gradually and the views change as you round the corner of the mountain toward the southern approaches.

Duration: 5-6 hours  Elevation: 4,200m to 4,600m

A descent to Barranco Camp where you rejoin the southern circuit. The change from the remote northern trail to the more established southern path is a noticeable shift in atmosphere.

Duration: 4-5 hours  Elevation: 4,600m to 3,950m

The famous Barranco Wall scramble in the morning, then a steady walk to Karanga Camp. By this point your body is well acclimatised and the altitude feels manageable.

Duration: 5-6 hours  Elevation: 3,950m to 4,035m

A final steady climb to Barafu Camp. Your last full night before the summit. Rest, eat, and prepare.

Duration: 4-5 hours  Elevation: 4,035m to 4,600m

Departure around midnight for Uhuru Peak. Ten days of acclimatisation have prepared you well. After summiting, descend to Mweka Camp or gate.

Duration: 14-16 hours

Elevation: 4,600m to 5,895m to 1,640m

Northern Circuit Route FAQ

Marangu has a reputation as the easiest route but that is partly misleading. The gradient is gentler and the facilities are more comfortable, but the shorter ascent profile actually makes altitude sickness more likely.

The 6-day option with an acclimatisation day at Horombo is much more manageable than the 5-day version.

The three main huts: Mandara, Horombo, and Kibo offer dormitory-style bunk beds with mattresses and basic pillows. There are separate toilet and washing facilities.

Horombo is the most developed with a dining hall and reasonable facilities.

Kibo Hut is the most basic, positioned at the base of the final summit cone.

The direct ascent profile gives your body less time to adjust to the altitude compared to longer routes like Lemosho or Machame.

The 6-day option with an extra night at Horombo significantly improves your chances and is always our recommendation.

Yes, it is the most family-friendly route on Kilimanjaro. The hut accommodation, clear trail, and gentler gradient make it more accessible than camping routes.

Children who are used to multi-day hiking can manage it with the right preparation and pacing.

Private rooms are available at Mandara and Horombo huts but they book up quickly during peak season.

We can arrange this as part of your climb booking, let us know when you enquire and we will confirm availability.