Kilimanjaro trekking routes
ITINERARY
TREKKING
ALTITUDE
2023 & 2024
In Febuary 2019 – 10 years after the 1st Comic Relief celebrity climb – more celebrities returned to the mountain – this time trekking the epic Northern Circuit. Our classic 8 day itinerary follows in their footsteps taking you on an unforgettable journey around all sides of Africa’s highest mountain.
The Challenge
You can join one of our Open Group Climbs throughout the year – which bring together like-minded people to share an adventure together. You can sign up as an individual, a couple, or with a group of friends or family, The Northern Circuit is one of the quieter Kilimanjaro routes, including the rarely visited northern slopes of the mountain t- with fantastic views that overlook Kenya. It approaches Kilimanjaro from the west and offers 360 degrees of beautiful scenery. With 8 days trekking on the mountain it provides excellent acclimatisation and a high chance of success!
The Experience
On an Action Challenge trip you’ll be part of a team which takes on a Kilimanjaro adventure together – and that’s what makes the experience so special. Getting to know others, supporting each other when the going gets tough on summit day, laughing together, and sharing those special moments & the new friendships that will stay with you for many years. Led by a UK Mountain Leader and supported by a Medic overseeing the group’s wellbeing – you’ll be in safe hands, and our expert local Kilimanjaro logistics team & guides will ensure it all runs like clockwork. These are ‘fully inclusive’ Kilimanjaro trips – leaving you to focus on your challenge, and to enjoy it!
An Action Challenge trip is much more than a holiday! It brings like-minded people together in fantastic landscapes, provides the best support & great hospitality, and enables the group to take on a tough & unforgettable challenge which forges new friendships, broaden horizons, and leaves you wanting more of life’s adventures!
The blueprint for Action Challenge trip is based on delivering a high quality enjoyable experience – and doing it all safely. An experienced UK Mountain Leader ensures that all aspects of the challenge run to plan – and one of our UK Medics with an expedition med kit is on-hand to look after the group’s wellbeing – enabling everyone to have the best chance of successfully competing their challenge.
We go to great lengths to ensure that we only use the best local organisations to supply the all-important ground logistics and the on-challenge support, catering, and hospitality teams – with experienced guides leading the way on the trails with their deep local knowledge and authentic style.
Like minded people with a similar sense of adventure – but often from very different backgrounds, and with a wide range of experience, ages, levels of fitness, and personal ambitions. Our trips are perfect for individuals, couples, and small groups of friends to join – and then to take on a unique challenge as part of a larger group which shapes & bonds as the adventure unfolds!
Whether its’s the hotels, restaurants & transfers before & after the main challenge – or the challenge accommodation & meals whilst out on the trails – our all inclusive packages mean that you will get a top quality experience at a great value price! Flights are generally included, but there’s a ‘land only’ option if you’d prefer to book your own – and single supplement accommodation upgrades are available.
The group comes together – takes on a tough challenge together – and then celebrates its achievements in style on the final night of the trip in a local restaurant or hotel, with medals, awards, and a maybe a bit of a party! Many of our participants make new special friends on our trips – and quite a few come back together for another challenge in the following years!
A successful challenge starts with good preparation. The better prepared you are the more confident you’ll be, and the more you’ll enjoy it! Our ‘Challenge App’ will have all the info & details of what to expect on your challenge – and how to prepare for it – and we have optional training walks, training weekends , and a place on one of our UK Ultra Challenge events to get out on the tails and test your fitness, kit, & equipment.
Itinerary & Route
Departing London, we fly overnight before landing into Tanzania. Upon a morning arrival, we transfer to our hotel, check in, before a welcome briefing & kit check. We have an evening meal together before an early night.
Trekking out from the Londrossi gate, to the west of the mountain, we set out from the foothills through lush vegetation. Our 1st night is spent camping at ‘Mt Mkuba Camp’ (2,785m). The next day we make our way slowly towards Shira Camp where the landscape turns more into ‘Moorland’ with unique shrubs & flora. We camp at the Shira Plateau which is above the cloud line, at 3,850m. From here we head towards Lava Tower for an acclimitsation walk, up to 4,600m, before heading down to Moir Hut when we camp.
We will take a steep climb out of the Moir Valley, and skirt the northern slopes of Kilimanjaro. From here, there will be altitude gains and descents skirting around the Northern slopes of Kibo to Buffalo Camp., but no steep changes in altitude. We will come close to the border with Kenya, giving us unique views across the Tsavo & Amboselli Valleys. We will continue our traverse East around Kilimanjaro’s Northern slopes, camping at Rongai 3rd Cave camp. steady incline up and over the Saddle which sits between the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi Peak. We then continue trekking south-west, up to School Hut, otherwise known as the Outward Bound Camp. This sits at 4750m, and represents the highest point of the trek so far. This is also our last stop before the summit push.
Expect a midnight wake-up call for our final push to the summit. After ‘breakfast’, we take a long trek up the winding path to crater rim. The slope is steep over loose rocks with some boulders as you near Gilman’s Point (5,712m). Each pair of trekkers will be assigned a personal guide for this part of the trek. The trek from Gilman’s Point at the edge of the crater, to the summit is less demanding, and depending on your pace, you can reach it after a further 1½-2 hours. After a short time at the summit of Kilimanjaro, you have the option, depending on time, to descend to a nearby glacier. Then we hike down to Barafu Camp via a different route for a short two-hour rest, before descending to Millennium Camp at 3820m. Here you will tuck into dinner, and settle in to your tent for a glorious night of rest after a stunning achievement.
We descend to the gate from Horombo Camp which takes us between 4-5 hours, before boarding a bus to head back to the hotel. After a rest & a hot shower we have the afternoon to relax by the pool before a celebratory dinner. The next day we have a free morning, before heading to the airport for an overnight flight back to the UK.
Costs & Fundraising
We’ve three payment & fundraising options for you to take on this challenge.
Sign up with a £395 online deposit & balance payment due 12 weeks before, with no fundraising target.
Sign up with a £395 online deposit & fundraise for a charity of your choice, with different target options.
The Challenge brochure details the full itinerary, inclusions, dates & prices – download for a full run down of the challenge details.
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£100 OFF – is off the initial Registration Deposit for your Kilimanjaro trip. Enter the discount code SUMMER23 at checkout.
FREE UK TREK – is a place on one of our famous ‘Ultra Challenge’ events. There are 14 to choose from – and you are entitled to a 50km entry. Visit the website for details:
Register for your Kilimanjaro trip – you’ll be sent a Discount Code worth £129 to sign up to a 2023 Ultra Challenge.
CONDITIONS – If You Cancel Your Kilimanjaro Trip
– If you cancel before taking up your place on an Ultra Challenge – that place will be cancelled.
– If you’ve taken part in an Ultra Challenge (before Kilimanjaro cancellation) the cost (£129) will be deducted from any refund due.
It’s like paying for an all-inclusive holiday.
You pay the registration deposit. The final balance for the trip cost will be due no later than 10 weeks before your departure date
If you want to fundraise for charity, you may still do this separately – either on or offline. All fundraising will be a direct donation to your chosen charity. Please contact them for more information.
This option lets you pay some of the trip cost yourself, including the registration deposit. You then fundraise on top for a chosen charity.
Action Challenge will invoice your charity for 50% the trip cost 12 weeks before departure.
You must complete 80% of your fundraising by 12 weeks before departure, with the remaining 20% completed 4 weeks after departure.
Let us know what charity you want to support when registering so that we can set up your agreement.
Deposit (included in costs below) paid online to sign up: £395
With flights = £5,995 total (£495 deposit & £5,500 balance)
Land only = £5,395 total (£395 deposit & £4,900 balance)
For ‘Land Only’ Packages, the fundraising target is reduced by £1200
Deposit (included in costs below) paid online to sign up: £395
With flights = £4,095 total (£395 deposit & £3,700 balance)
Land only = £3,095 total (£295 deposit & £2,800 balance)
For ‘Land Only’ Packages, the fundraising target is reduced by £1800
Deposit (included in costs below) paid online to sign up: £595
With flights = £4,995 total (£595 deposit & £4,400 balance)
Land only = £3,995 total (£495 deposit & £3,500 balance)
For ‘Land Only’ Packages, the fundraising target is reduced by £1200
Deposit (included in costs below) paid online to sign up: £495
With flights = £4,595 total (£495 deposit & £4,100 balance)
Land only = £3,995 total (£495 deposit & £3,500 balance)
For ‘Land Only’ Packages, the fundraising target is reduced by £1200
Deposit (included in costs below) paid online to sign up: £395
With flights = £4,095 total (£395 deposit & £3,700 balance)
Land only = £3,495 total (£395 deposit & £3,100 balance)
For ‘Land Only’ Packages, the fundraising target is reduced by £1200
Deposit (included in costs below) paid online to sign up: £395
With flights = £3,695 total (£395 deposit & £3,300 balance)
Land only = £2,695 total (£295 deposit & £2,400 balance)
The above is for Flights Included packages, for ‘Land Only’ Packages, the fundraising target is reduced by £1,800
Deposit (included in costs below) paid online to sign up: £395
With flights = £3,895 total (£395 deposit & £3,500 balance)
Land only = £2,895 total (£295 deposit & £2,600 balance)
Pay £750 (£395 deposit + £455 final balance) + fundraise £6200
Pay £1000 (£395 deposit + £705 final balance) + fundraise £5700
Pay £1500 (£395 deposit + £1205 final balance) + fundraise £4700
Pay £2000(£395 deposit + £1705 final balance) + fundraise £3700
The above is for Flights Included packages, for ‘Land Only’ Packages, the fundraising target is reduced by £1,800
Deposit (included in costs below) paid online to sign up: £295
With flights = £3,695 total (£295 deposit & £3,400 balance)
Land only = £2,895 total (£295 deposit & £2,800 balance)
The above is for Flights Included packages, for ‘Land Only’ Packages, the fundraising target is reduced by £1200
Deposit (included in costs below) paid online to sign up: £295
With flights = £3,495 total (£295 deposit & £3,200 balance)
Land only = £2,895 total (£295 deposit & £2,600 balance)
The above is for Flights Included packages, for ‘Land Only’ Packages, the fundraising target is reduced by £1200
Deposit (included in costs below) paid online to sign up: £395
With flights = £3,895 total (£395 deposit & £3,500 balance)
Land only = £2,895 total (£295 deposit & £2,600 balance)
Pay £750 (£395 deposit + £455 final balance) + fundraise £6,200
Pay £1,000 (£395 deposit + £705 final balance) + fundraise £5,700
Pay £1,500 (£395 deposit + £1,205 final balance) + fundraise £4,700
Pay £2,000 (£395 deposit + £1,705 final balance) + fundraise £3,700
For ‘Land Only’ Packages, the fundraising target is reduced by £1,800
Deposit (included in costs below) paid online to sign up: £395
With flights = £3,895 total (£395 deposit & £3,500 balance)
Land only = £2,895 total (£295 deposit & £2,600 balance)
Pay £750 (£395 deposit + £455 final balance) + fundraise £6,200
Pay £1,000 (£395 deposit + £705 final balance) + fundraise £5,700
Pay £1,500 (£395 deposit + £1,205 final balance) + fundraise £4,700
Pay £2,000 (£395 deposit + £1,705 final balance) + fundraise £3,700
For ‘Land Only’ Packages, the fundraising target is reduced by £1,800
Deposit (included in costs below) paid online to sign up: £295
With flights = £3,295 total (£295 deposit & £3,000 balance)
Land only = £2,695 total (£295 deposit & £2,400 balance)
The above is for Flights Included packages, for ‘Land Only’ Packages, the fundraising target is reduced by £1200
Registration deposit (included in costs below): £395
With flights = £3,695 total (£395 deposit & £3,300 balance)
Land only = £2,695 total (£395 deposit & £2,400 balance)
Please note:
Deposit (included in costs below) paid online to sign up: £395
With flights = £4,095 total (£395 deposit & £3,700 balance)
Land only = £3,495 total (£395 deposit & £3,100 balance)
For ‘Land Only’ Packages, the fundraising target is reduced by £1200
Deposit (included in costs below) paid online to sign up: £495
With flights = £4,595 total (£495 deposit & £4,100 balance)
Land only = £3,995 total (£495 deposit & £3,500 balance)
For ‘Land Only’ Packages, the fundraising target is reduced by £1200
Registration deposit (included in costs below): £295
With flights = £3,695 total (£295 deposit & £3,400 balance)
Land only = £3,095 total (£295 deposit & £2,800 balance
For ‘Land Only’ Packages, the fundraising target is reduced by £1,200
Registration deposit (included in costs below): £295
With flights = £3,295 total (£295 deposit & £3,000 balance)
Land only = £2,695 total (£295 deposit & £2,400 balance)
For ‘Land Only’ Packages, the fundraising target is reduced by £1200
Deposit (included in costs below) paid online to sign up: £295
With flights = £3,495 total (£295 deposit & £3,200 balance)
Land only = £2,895 total (£295 deposit & £2,600 balance)
The above is for Flights Included packages, for ‘Land Only’ Packages, the fundraising target is reduced by £1200