12 Day Northern Circuit Sky & Soul

When you land at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), our team will be there to welcome you.  You will then be transferred to the accommodation near Moshi.  In the afternoon we will meet the team and have our first midfulness session.

After breakfast we will enjoy a stretching and breathing session.  We then visit Moshi town, exploring the vibrant colors of the market and learning more about the Chaga people who live around Mount Kilimanjaro. Mid afternoon for a pre-climb briefing and an equipment check. Followed by our evening breathing and mindfullness session.

Join the group for our morning breathing session.  We then drive to the gate to comple the necessary registration formalities at Londorossi National Park gate, the drive takes us through varied farmland with open views over the plains to reach the Lemosho trailhead. We often have our lunch before starting to hike. It is an easy day of walking up a small path through a beautiful and lush forest. This area has a variety of game, including buffalo. We camp at Lemosho Forest camp (8,600 ft).  After arrival and medical checks the group will have short reflection on the day followed by breathing excercises and a bit of time to relax before dinner.

The morning starts with a breathing session before we take to the trail.  We soon leave the forest behind and enter the moorland zone of giant heather. The trail climbs steadily with wide views to reach the rim of the Shira Plateau. There is a tangible sense of wilderness, especially if afternoon mists come in! We camp in the center of the plateau at Shira One (11,600 ft).  As we pass through different ecosystems, it provides a cornerstone for reflection on our personal ecosystems and the role we play in each.

The morning starts with an morning breathing session, as we watch the sun rise over Kibo. Today we explore the grassy moorland and volcanic rock formations of the plateau. We walk to the summit of Shira Cathedral (12,800 ft), a huge buttress of rock surrounded by steep spires and pinnacles. There is a tangible sense of wilderness here, especially when the afternoon mists roll in. From our camp near Shira Hut (12,600 ft), we take in the unforgettable views of Mt. Meru as she floats among the clouds.

Over our morning breathing session we work to prepare for the morning hike where we follow the main trail up to Lava Tower(15,150 ft), and for those feeling strong, there is a possibility to climb up to the ruined hut at Arrow Glacier (15,700 ft). We then continue from Lava Tower to reach our campsite at Moir Hut (13,800 ft).  Once at Moir Hut we will have a stretching and breathing session to help our bodies adapt from the days gain.

We begin the day with our breathing session, followed by the daily medical check and breakfast.  Todays hike takes us out of the Moir Valley and take a short detour to reach the summit of Lent Hills (15,400 ft). After admiring the views we return to the trail and head eastwards around the northern circuit trail. Here the trail passes through a field of rock slabs that clink as they are walked on. The final section of today’s walk undulates until reaching the location of Buffalo Camp (13,600 ft). At the camp, there is a huge feeling of space as the Kenyan plains stretch out far below to the north.

In addition to the morning breathing session, we will have a midfullness session.  Life is a reflection of how we hike the mountain, just as the peaks and valleys help our body to aclimate and prepare to go beyond our normal abilities, mastering the peaks and valley of life allow us to eleminate the barriers that hold us back.  From Buffalo Camp, we climb to the top of ‘Buffalo Ridge’ and cross numerous ridges and gullies. The trail continues eastwards through a landscape that has increasingly sparse vegetation to eventually reach Third Cave Camp (12,800 ft).

We leave camp early with a steady ascent to reach the saddle, a lunar landscape between the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi. From here we continue upwards and reach School Hut (15,500 ft) in the early afternoon. After lunch we will have a short breathing session and then get some rest and preparing for the summit day.

We prepare ourselves a bit before midnight, and gather in our dinning tent to engage in breathing excercises and a visualization of the hike ahead, making our final steps to mentally prepare ourselves before we start the most demanding part of the climb by headlamp. We start by plodding very slowly in the darkness on a switchback trail, This will be on loose volcanic scree to reach the crater rim at Gilman’s Point (18,600 ft). We rest here for a short time to enjoy the spectacular sunrise over Mawenzi.

We then continue the hike along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (19,341 ft). Along the way, you’ll pass close to the spectacular glaciers and ice cliffs that still occupy most of the summit area. After the summit, we will retrace our steps along the crater rim to Stella Point and then descend down to Barafu Camp for a short break. From there we will continue to Millenium Camp (12,500 ft).

This morning we will reflect on the impact that the people around you have on your life and sucess.  We then continue our journey hiking gradually down the path that takes us through a lovely tropical forest alive with birdsong and boasting lush undergrowth with considerable botanical interest. Our route winds down to the Kilimanjaro National Park gate at Mweka (5,400 ft); and on through coffee and banana farms to Mweka village, where we are transferred to your lodge in Moshi.

After breakfast, we will have a final breathing and mindfulness session before we bid farewell.  We will transfer you to the airport in time to catch your flight home, or for those interested you can continue on for a safari or some time on the amazing beaches of Zanzibar.