After formalities and registration are taken care of at Londorosi Gate, you are driven up through a dense rainforest to an altitude of 3,400 meters where Morum Barrier Gate awaits you. While climbers on other routes spend two days hiking up to the Shira Plateau, your exciting adventure on the Grand Traverse starts at the edge of the tree-line. The views of the wilderness will be breathtaking and you’ll begin to feel immersed into the Kilimanjaro mountainside as soon as you begin your once-in-a-lifetime excursion.

Your first day of hiking will be a short one, with a trekking time of up to two hours. The rainforest you drove through begins to become sparse as you enter into the heather and moorland vegetation zone. The trail climbs steadily while you traverse the Shira Plateau with wide views of Kibo in the distance. There are opportunities to view interesting bird life on your trail today, with the most notable being the White Naped Raven. Not to be mistaken with crows, these ravens are distinguished by their larger size and thicker beaks.

As you approach camp, it’s time to rest after your exciting first day and enjoy the panoramic views before the sun sets. Be aware that the Shira Plateau can be below freezing at night, so make sure you have your hats, gloves and flashlights ready.

Today’s hike from Shira 1 Camp to Moir Hut Camp will cross through the grassy moorland and volcanic rock formations on the Shira Plateau. As you continue to walk towards Kibo’s snow covered peak, you are overwhelmed by a tangible sense of wilderness. Kilimanjaro was long-ago formed by three volcanoes, with Shira being one of them. The plateau is leftover from the mountain’s once-active days, and the leftover crater is now filled with lava from Kibo’s last eruption.

As you approach Kibo, you leave the busy Southern Circuit to head north towards the Moir Hut Camp. The camp is situated at the base of Lent Hills. It’s a scenic and quiet camp that is not used as often as the others. You may want to take a walk around the camp in the afternoon. This acclimatization opportunity is a quaint getaway from the other busier camps, and should be taken full advantage of!

Today you will head north onto the Northern Circuit, away from all other routes that approach the summit on the southern slopes. The day will begin with a fairly steep climb, as you hike to the summit of Lent Hills. You will be rewarded with breathtaking scenery of the vast moon-like terrain and the snow-covered mountains. After you’ve accomplished the most challenging part of the day, and admired the views, it’s time to head east across the rock fields and back onto a trodden trail.

For the remainder of your hiking day, the path gently undulates and you cross a series of inclines and declines through the slopes of Kibo. As you approach Buffalo Camp, and weather permitting, you are met with a scenery of plains that stretch out all the way to the Kenyan/Tanzanian border.

Buffalo Camp has no cabins or built structures, not even toilet latrines, completely immersing yourself into the Kilimanjaro wilderness. There is good chance that you get to enjoy the campsite to yourself, a real treat on the busy mountain!

Today will be a fairly short and easy day as you head up the Buffalo Ridge onto your next camp. Crossing numerous ribs and gullies, you’ll find that this part of the mountain is quieter, since the route isn’t traveled as much. The mountain wilderness surrounds you as you continue to trek east through the remote valleys on the slopes of Kibo. This was precisely the reason why you have chosen this longer hiking route – to get away from civilization and allow enough time to acclimatize to the thin air. Surely, your body will be feeling these benefits by now.

The Third Cave campsite is named after a cave that sits nearby the camp, as was once used as accommodation for hikers back in the day. Once you arrive after a short hiking day, you may be met with an out of body experience as the clouds tend to hang around the camp. Weather permitting, Kibo’s majestic backdrop sits in your view as you take in the wonders of the mountain in this pristine area.

Other than your Northern Circuit route, Third Cave is only used by some variations of the Rongai Route. Therefore, you might have the campsite again to yourself. Enjoy!

Today you will be climbing from Third Cave to School Hut, your base camp for the final summit push. You may start to be feeling butterflies in anticipation of your big summit night. Within less than 24 hours, you’ll be standing on the top of Africa! The hike will be shorter today, but significant altitude height will be gained to acclimate you for the summit. Soon after leaving Third Cave, the landscape will become barren, and you may feel like you’re on another planet with the clouds sitting below you. You’ll notice that the altitude can be difficult. While the trek doesn’t seem very steep, the lack of oxygen will make it feel otherwise. Do not be discouraged, and take as much time as you need! The views of the towering will motivate you as you take each step. Weather and cloud cover permitting, you have Kibo in your view the entire time.

It’s still fairly early as you approach the campsite, so that you can get as much rest as possible before the exciting night ahead. Even though you may not be feeling hungry due to the altitude, try to eat as much as possible to gain strength for your summit push. After an early dinner, it’s time to get your gear ready for your early wake up, and to catch as much sleep as you can.

Today is an early start for the moment you’ve been waiting for – your final push to the top of Kibo. One of the benefits of staying overnight at is that you can conquer the top of Kilimanjaro in daylight rather than overnight. However, it will still be an early start just after sunrise, to leave enough time to explore the crater in the afternoon. Even though summiting in daylight will feel a lot less frigid than overnight, be sure to pack thick gloves and extra warm gear as the wind will still feel icy even during the day. And make sure to apply extra thick sunscreen and bring your sunglasses as the sun is getting ever more intense the higher you climb. Snacks are encouraged as well to maintain energy throughout the long day. After a relatively moderate start, the trail becomes steep and challenging as it joins with the marangu route. The air will become so thin that you may need to pause for a second or more after each step, and altitude sickness may begin to hit you. Your final push to the top may seem endless and will test all your patience as climbers on the Marangu Route who summited overnight are making their way down while you're slowly making your way up. Knowing that you'll be able to enjoy the roof of Africa without the crowds will be your reward for all the hard work.

After approximately an hour and a half slowly making your way up via a series of switchbacks that make the steep scree slopes easier to tackle, you will hit rockier terrain. As you scramble over up to hip-high boulders, be mindful of your steps as these so-called Jamaican Rocks can be slippery at times. After a while, the rocks become more moderate and easier to manage – a sign that the end is near. What satisfaction as you reach Gilman’s Point, at the top of Kibo and a vast open crater expands in front of your eyes! From here, the path becomes very manageable as you continue along the crater rim to Stella Point – your highest point today before you'll descend to Crater Camp.

Congratulations! You’ve already conquered an impressive feat and will receive your climbing certificate for making to the top of Kibo. Even though Gilman's and Stella Point are not yet the summit, and the excitement of Uhuru Peak is still waiting for you the next morning, you can already be proud that you’ve climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.

After the euphoric moments at Stella Point, the fun continues as you get to walk to Crater Camp. The morning was hard on your body, and luckily Crater Camp isn't far, situated only 150 meters (510 feet) of descent away. Set in soft sands, the camp is located near the impressive ice walls of the Furtwangler Glacier. The campsite is the highest on Kilimanjaro, located at 5,740 meters (18,800 ft). After replenishing your energy levels over a well-deserved break in the mess tent, the lunar landscape is yours to explore with the Rescue Crater and ash pit located only an hour away. After your accomplished day, what a treat to be able to experience the majestic offerings on the top of Kilimanjaro that so few climbers ever get to see!

If climbing all the way to Stella Point wasn’t enough, it's time to scale the very top of Mount Kilimanjaro – Uhuru Peak. You will rise early to reach the summit by sunrise. However, while your body may be aching from the day before, it will be nowhere as challenging because the peak is only 150 meters (510 feet) of ascent away, and won't take more than one or two hours at most. Dawn is approaching as you push yourself to the highest point of Mt. Kilimanjaro and of Africa – Uhuru Peak. The opportunity to see the new day’s climbers and the sunrise from the summit is a privilege that you won’t soon forget. Take some pictures, pat yourself on the back, hug your companions and enjoy the glistening pink and orange sunrise hues overlooking the ice fields and glaciers. The rolling clouds splash against the noble beauty of Kibo – it’s a sight you won’t soon forget.

Once you arrive at Mweka Gate and you have completed your walk, it will be time to bid farewell to your crew. It is customary to tip your guides, cook and porters for their assistance during your trip before you are transported back to your hotel. Please check the tipping procedure and tipping ranges recommended by your tour company before the start of your climb.