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17th Oct 2026 - 26th Oct 2026
10 days/Tanzania /Challenging to Extreme
Enjoy one of the world’s most iconic treks and hike to the summit of the highest mountain on the African continent, Mount Kilimanjaro.
This beautiful trek will take you through five distinct ecological zones, making each day a new visual feast; from the lush rainforest, to strange semi-desert landscapes and right up into the Arctic zone where you will see enormous blue-tinged glaciers and the famous Kilimanjaro summit sign!
We will take the stunning Machame Route to the top which is considered one of the most stunning on the mountain but also one of the best for acclimatisation. This incredible journey will take you up to altitudes of 5895m and while it is achievable by anyone with a good level of fitness, the Kilimanjaro challenge is not to be underestimated!
At 7 days, this trek is one day longer than most which offers you the greatest chance of reaching the summit because of the all-important acclimatisation opportunities.
Our dedication to porter welfare with KPAP
Anyone who has trekked Kilimanjaro will tell you that the hard-working porters are vital to your success in reaching the summit.
The Different Travel Company are proud to be one of a small number of UK tour operators who are official partners of the International Mountain Explorers Connection (IMEC) which works closely with the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) to improve conditions for porters and mountain crew on Kilimanjaro.
Being a partner of IMEC means that when you trek Kilimanjaro with Different Travel, you can rest assured that the staff will be provided with good meals throughout the trek, are paid well, sleep in high quality tents and have mountain-appropriate clothing and footwear to ensure their safety on the mountain – just as we would expect for our participants.
You are encouraged to learn about the importance of porter protection at http://www.kiliporters.org.
You don’t have to fundraise to join an open challenge but you can support a charity of your choice if you wish. See the costs tab for more details.
View our other Open Challenges
A challenging to extreme trip. You will be trekking on challenging terrain which is steep at times, you will be exposed to altitudes up to 5895m and will camp in basic campsites. Each day you will trek up to 8 hours per day. The summit night could be up to 16 hours of trekking.
Each participant should arrive in Tanzania with a good level of fitness having engaged in suitable fitness training; they should be healthy, have a determined attitude and be willing to be pushed out of their comfort zone.
The minimum age is 18 (or 16-17 if accompanied by an adult) and there is no upper age limit.
This trek is accompanied by English-speaking local guides who have summited Kilimanjaro hundreds of times on various routes around the mountain and a Different Travel Company UK tour manager. They are first-aid trained and will support you throughout your journey.
You will also be supported by a huge team of assistant guides, cooks and porters who together make your journey possible.
The terrain will vary each day but in general, you will experience undulating terrain with an uphill gradient as you approach the summit, and a downhill gradient on the way down from the summit. Underfoot the terrain will vary from muddy forests, rocky and dry trails, barren gravelly tracks, scree and possibly even snow.
Halfway through the trek, you reach the Barranco wall which is a vertical rock wall with a narrow winding path and a drop on your right-hand side. No technical climbing skills are required but scrambling over large rocks is necessary. Your guides and support staff will help you every step of the way and most people say that this is a highlight of the trek.
For the majority of the trek you will ‘trek high, sleep low’. This means you trek to high elevations each day to expose your body to a higher altitude environment, then descend to a lower altitude to rest allowing your body time to recover and acclimatise. The first four nights of the trek are spent at campsites no higher than 3963m. That said the effects of high altitude exposure should not be underestimated.
You will stay in a hotel in Moshi before and after the trek and you will camp in tents during the trek.
All accommodation is on a shared basis, but single occupancy may be available subject to payment of a single supplement.
At camp, you will stay in 3-man tents (two to a tent). You will need to bring your own sleeping bag and sleeping mat, or these can be hired locally if you prefer.
Meals are cooked by your dedicated trek chef who will prepare hearty, delicious Tanzanian and Western meals. They will be taken in a mess tent where a table, chairs, plates, mugs, cutlery and other equipment are provided for you.
Commitment to physical preparation is fundamental for this challenge, to ensure your best chance of success, and enjoyment, during the trek.
Attempting to complete the trek without training will make each day more challenging than necessary, being inadequately prepared may prevent you from reaching the summit, and it may hinder the experience of your teammates.
The ascent does not require technical climbing skills but it is a huge mountain at a high altitude so you must take your training seriously and not underestimate the scale of the challenge.
London – Kilimanjaro
Depart London for Kilimanjaro International Airport on an indirect flight. (Overnight: Flight)
Moshi
On arrival you will be met by your local guide and transfer to your hotel in Moshi where you have free time to freshen up before a briefing and welcome dinner tonight.
Meals: Dinner
Overnight: Hotel in Moshi
Machame Gate – Machame Huts (3,000m)
After a hearty breakfast we set off for the 45 minute drive to Machame Gate where we will be officially registered for the trek and meet your assistant guides, cooks and porters. After registration is complete and your porters have been allocated their loads, you will start the trek at a slow and gentle pace on a gentle uphill incline trail through the beautiful rainforest. Keep your eyes peeled for monkeys who make this area their home, and see if you can spot the beautiful seahorse-shaped red flower impatiens kilimanjari which only grows on the mountain. The trek day typically takes 7–8 hours, ending at a clearing in the forest and the welcome sight of your tents, hot tea and dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight: Campsite
Machame Huts – Shira Plateau (3,840m)
After a hot breakfast you will start the trek through the remaining rainforest towards the giant moorland zone. The trek today is shorter but steeper and the environment changes rapidly as you leave the rainforest. Depending on the group pace, it is a 5-6 hour trek, during which you gain approximately 800 metres in altitude. You will arrive at Shira Camp at around lunchtime and enjoy the stunning view over the Shira Plateau. Weather permitting you should also get your first close views of Kibo, the iconic peak of Kilimanjaro.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight: Campsite
Shira Plateau – Barranco Camp (3,950m)
Today isn’t as steep as yesterday but it is a challenging trek which sees us gradually gain 660m of altitude as we leave the moorland zone and enter the dry, rocky alpine desert to the Lava Tower, a volcanic plug at an altitude of 4,500 metres. Although it’s a challenging day, reaching the Lava Tower it is very important for acclimatisation and will give you a better chance of reaching the summit. After lunch and a rest at the Lava Tower, we descend to Barranco Camp (3950m) for a hot meal and a good rest.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight: Campsite
Barranco Camp – Karanga Camp (3,963m)
The first obstacle today is to breach the Barranco Wall, a 200m rock face with a winding trail to the top. To ascend the wall will take around two hours, using your hands and feet to help you clamber up some of the large boulders. No technical skill or rock climbing experience is required – it is still classified as a trek. This section is often the part people enjoy the most! Once over the wall you find yourself on a large flat plateau with breath-taking views. As you trek down towards the Karanga Valley you will enjoy dramatic views of the jagged crags and see some of the giant lobelias dotting the landscape. As you reach camp you will be treated to magnificent views of Kibo (clouds permitting) and a hearty meal. This is a long day but highly rewarding.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight: Campsite
Karanga Camp – Barafu Camp (4,700m)
Today’s trek is slow and steady as you ascend to Barafu camp, with the splendid summit peak of Kibo dominating the horizon all morning. As you progress the terrain becomes drier and almost moon-like with very little flora or fauna to be seen. The trail is steep in places so it is important to follow the gentle pace of the guide, one step at a time. Today will feel much colder than previous days as the area is quite exposed and can experience high winds. You will arrive into Barafu camp this afternoon where you will rest and relax before an early dinner and early night to bed. At 11pm you will start the final ascent to the summit, Uhuru Peak.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight: Campsite
Barafu Camp – Uhuru Peak (5,895m) to Millennium Camp
After snacks and hot drinks, we start the most demanding part of the trek. Light is provided by your head torches and the moon on a clear night. As you ascend on zigzagging trails, keeping a steady pace, you will gradually wind your way up the mountain. As you approach Stella Point, the rim of the volcano, the sun will climb spectacularly behind you, staining the horizon with vibrant reds, pinks and oranges. After a short rest at Stella Point you will continue around the crater rim for an hour until you reach the summit of Kilimanjaro, Uhuru Peak; the highest point in Africa and the world’s highest solitary peak (5895m/19,340ft). After taking your summit photos you will descend to Barafu Camp for lunch, pack away your kit and continue trekking for 5-6 hours down to Millennium Camp (2800m) where you will have a well-deserved rest. This could be the toughest day that you have ever experienced. You will have ascended 1295m and descended 3095m in 14-18 hours. Although exhausting, you will have just achieved something extraordinary.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight: Campsite
Millennium Camp – Mweka Gate – Moshi
This morning you will say thank you and farewell to your team of porters in a joyful Kilimanjaro-style celebration. From camp you will trek to Mweka Gate through the rainforest (approx. 6 hours) where you will sign out from the national park and transfer back to the hotel (approx. 1 hour) for a rest and a hot shower. Tonight you will enjoy a farewell dinner together at your hotel and can celebrate your achievements.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight: Hotel in Moshi
Moshi – Kilimanjaro – London
Today we will transfer to the airport for your indirect flight back to London, possibly arriving the next morning depending on flight schedules.
Meals: Breakfast
N.B. This itinerary may change due to flight schedules, unusual weather patterns, wildlife movements, the ability of the group and so on. We will do our best to keep to the set itinerary however we cannot be held responsible for changes that might occur outside of our control. In all such circumstances your guide and tour leader will have the final say in the interest of the health and safety of the group.
Registration fee: £499
and then either…
Self-funded: £3,375
or
Sponsorship: £3,375
or
Flexi: £3,375 trip costs and £3,375 sponsorship for a charity of your choice
This option is for those who choose to pay the trip costs (flights, accommodation, food, guides etc.) themselves. There is no sponsorship required although if you wish to raise sponsorship for a charity you are welcome to do so.
This option is for those who wish to raise sponsorship to cover both the costs of the trip (flights, accommodation, food, guides etc.) and a donation to their chosen charity. There is a minimum sponsorship amount for each tour that you are required to raise in order to participate.
This option is for those who choose to pay the trip costs (flights, accommodation, food, guides etc.) themselves while still raising some funds for the charity.
*If your chosen charity is not on this list, please seek permission to fundraise for them by taking part in this challenge before making your booking.
If you’ve a question about this challenge that you can’t find the answer to within the given information then complete this quick form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
