• 2025 INTL. WOMEN’S DAY: 1 to 10 March (Climb only) CONFIRMED
• 1 to 15 March (Climb + optional safari) CONFIRMED

Glory Salema, our local guide

Our trek up to the Roof of Africa will follow the Shira route, also known as Londorossi route. This route starts higher than the rest, so your drive on the first day of the trek will be longer and you will have a shorter walk. Our itinerary will be as follows:

• Day 1: Arrival in Arusha

• Day 2: Gear check and warm up hike

• Day 3: Drive to Kilimanjaro park entrance (Morum Barrier Gate) and start hike to Shira Camp 1

• Day 4: Hike from Shira Camp 1 to Shira Camp 2

• Day 5: Shira Camp 2 to Lava Tower Camp

• Day 6: Lava Tower Camp to Karanga Camp

• Day 7: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

• Day 8: Summit and descend to Millennium Camp

• Day 9: Final descend, exit, tipping and certificate ceremony

• Day 10: Departure

Day 3 : Morum Barrier Gate to Shira Camp 1

Vehicle Transfer Time: 4 hours | Zone: Heather and moorland | Trekking Distance: 6 km | Trekking Time: 1-2 hours | Altitude Change: From 1,400m to 3,610m. Hiking from 3,400 m to 3,610 m

After a delicious breakfast, your private transfer drivers, Kili guides and vehicles will greet you at the hotel.

A four-hour drive away from Moshi lays the entrance to the Londorossi Gate where you will complete park formalities and then meet your crew of porters.

After obtaining your permit, the porter’s will weigh the luggage, then we will jump back into our 4×4 vehicles and drive up to Morum Barrier Gate where you will begin the hike.

Standing at 3,400m, Morum Barrier is the highest elevation point in which you can start hiking on Kilimanjaro. Enjoy a nice picnic lunch and start to climb!

The first section of the route takes you through shrubs and the giant heather that are decorated with grassy moorland and volcanic rock formations on the plateau. This path is less well-trodden and therefore we will enjoy a nice leisurely walk to the Shira Camp 1 where you will spend a night.

Overnight at Shira Camp 1

Set on the West side of the Shira Plateau, Shira Camp 1 is one of the camp sites of the second leg of the journey up Mount Kilimanjaro.

Climbers get to see a range of flora and fauna species with the chance of spotting the White Napped Raven. Because this route is a variation of the Lemosho, you will meet with campers from the Lemosho Route.

Day 4 : Shira Camp 1 to Shira Camp 2

Trekking Time: 5-6 hours | Distance: 5.4 km | Zone: Heather and Moorland to semi Alpine Desert | Altitude Change: From 3,610 m to 3,895 m

After having a delicious breakfast, we will leave Shira Camp 1 for Lava Tower.

Today is a short distance but we will take this option because we start our hike at a higher elevation point compared to other trekkers so our bodies will typically start to respond to the change of altitude, as a result, it will help us acclimatise well.

Beginning our hike in the early morning is the best way to keep us energized and ready to conquer this remarkable mountain.

As you hike in this zone, you will start noticing a blooming of beautiful everlasting flowers that run across the rocky areas with Stoebe Kilimanjari, Giant Senecio and Lobelia dominating this zone to offer food and shelter to biotic life that survives well in these harsh environments.

As we reach an elevation of 3,718m, we will come across the rescue road that provides a junction to the camp through Cathedral Tower.

For those who wish to take a direct route to the camp, they will have lunch and relaxation. The rest can continue to hike through Cathedral Tower and enjoy their lunch at the end of the rescue road before ascending to the camp for relaxation and an overnight stay.

Overnight at Shira Camp 2

Your camp for the night is located just above the clouds so remember to take time to enjoy some of the best views of Mount Meru and a series of stunning rock patterns that form Shira ridge. 

Because this area is characterized by semi Alpine Desert, there are rocks everywhere, but we will find a cosy spot to pitch our tents for the night. In this camp, you will have a reliable mobile reception and access to the rescue road where emergency vehicles can easily get to and from the mountain.

Day 5 : Shira Camp 2 to Lava Tower Camp

Trekking Time: 4-5 hours | Zone: Heather and moorland | Distance: 5.4 km | Altitude Change: From 3,895 m to 4,600 m

Walking now on the high moorland, the landscape changes the entire character of the trek. You will traverse to the East up a ridge and then head southeast towards the Lava Tower, a 300 ft tall volcanic rock formation.

By hiking at a higher altitude of 4,600m to Lava Tower Camp, you will enjoy an extra time to acclimatise whilst avoiding the crowd that typically go through Barranco Camp for an overnight stay.

Lunch will be served at the camp followed by a much needed rest. You will then wake up to hike to the high elevation of 4,695m for acclimatization and then come back to the camp for dinner and an overnight stay. Doing so, you will have followed the mountaineering code of ‘walk high, sleep low’ to avoid altitude sickness by aiding your bodies in acclimatization.

The climb of the tower needs max 1 hour and the view down on the Tower Camp is amazing. The volcanic rock of the Lava Tower is easy to climb and no rope is necessary.

Overnight at Lava Tower Camp

The Lava Tower Camp is the start point just beneath the Tower. The camp is used by the trekkers who want to climb on Kilimanjaro over the Arrow Camp and the Western Breach.

We like camping at the Lava Tower because the camp typically has fewer campers than Barranco, therefore you will enjoy a peaceful and cosy night. When you wake up, you just might be able to see some snow. 

Day 6 : Lava Tower Camp to Karanga Camp

Trekking Time: 6 hours | Distance: 8 km | Zone: Alpine Desert | Altitude Change: From 4,600 m to 4,645 m

After breakfast, we will leave our camp and head towards the northern side of the mountain.

Start the day by descending into the start of the Great Barranco, a huge ravine. Then exit steeply, up what has been termed the kissing rock or Breakfast Wall, which divides you from the south-eastern slopes of Kibo.

Although not technical, this is the only section of the climb where you will use your hands to pass through beautiful rocks. Beyond the wall, you will begin to see the sparkling mountain glacier indicating that the roof of Africa is now within reach.

From here, we will pass through some Alpine Desert and cross some ridges to find the best spot to enjoy a breathtaking view of the Eastern side of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Lunch will be served at the camp followed by relaxation and an overnight stay. With warm weather and clear skies, you will see the summit route from the camp.

Yes, you start getting excited but importantly you will need to also start preparing your mind and align all your mental strength for the following day, the summit day. Take time to rest and enjoy some warm temperatures with a blanket of stars above you. With a clear sky, you will be able to see an aerial view of the Moshi town at night. 

Overnight at Karanga Camp

Karanga Camp has access to cell phone reception so you will be able to find just enough mobile connection to communicate with your family and friends. 

Day 7 : Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

Trekking Time: 2-3 hours | Distance: 4.86 km | Zone: Alpine Desert – Summit Zone | Altitude Change: From 4,640 m to 4,675 m

The day is characterized by a short hike on terrain formed by scree. Walk through arid, lunar land towards Barafu Camp and then ascend slowly.

As you walk through rock terrains, you will be rewarded with a stunning view of the southern glacier and Kibo peak, in which the highest point in Africa lies.

After seeing a promising summit, you will strategically start to prepare for the summit by resting well. You will have the entire afternoon to rest and prepare for the early morning summit.

Overnight at Barafu Camp

Barafu Camp is located in the desert zone therefore no vegetation is found on this higher elevation. The word ‘barafu’ is the Swahili word for ‘ice,’ which refers to the cold climate at this altitude. This region occasionally receives some snow and it might get windy too. 

Barafu Camp is the base for four routes so it might be noisy as many trekkers from different routes meet here.

Day 8 : Summit

Trekking Time: 5-6 hours to the top 4-6 h down | Distance: 4.8 km up and 7 km down | Zone: Summit | Altitude Change: From 4,675 m to the summit at 5,895 m and from the summit to 3,820 m

Since our summit is done during the day, we will start the preparation at 4 am where we will have a quick breakfast and start our hike just before the sunrise.

We will leave the rest of the crew at the camp and only go with your special summit team of guides to the summit. 

Being the only attempt at the summit, this is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek.

The wind and cold at this elevation and time of day can be extreme so insulate yourself and make sure you have enough water to drink on the way.

Continue to walk steeply upwards to the summit glaciers for several hours while taking frequent, but short breaks. Although you will be climbing scree for 5 to 6 hours, you will gain incredible height over a short distance.

After a long hike, you will come across a sign that congratulates you for reaching Stela Point (5,756 m). Reaching this point deserves a certificate!

Take a minute to look around you, the views are spectacular – especially with a backdrop of the Mawenzi Peak (5,149 m)! 

Another 45 minutes walk takes you to your goal, the summit of Uhuru (Uhuru means freedom in Swahili), the highest point in Africa (5,895 m). Congrats, you made it!

After a quick celebration and photos at the top, you will begin the descent by returning to Stella Point and then descending on scree slope.

The trail here is very rocky and can be quite hard on the knees so trekking poles are helpful but after a couple of hours we will be back to Barafu Camp for breakfast.

Enjoy a short rest before finally heading down to Millennium Camp for a well-earned rest and lunch. On the descent, you will have fabulous views of the plains and Mawenzi Peak.

Overnight at Millennium Camp

Day 9 : Final descent

Trekking Time: 4-6 hours | Distance: 13.5 km | Zone: Rainforest | Altitude Change: 3,950 m to 1,640 m

A gentle trek takes you down through the rainforest to the Mweka Gate, where park formalities will be completed and you will be met by our vehicles to return to Kili Seasons.

Here you will receive your certificate of ascent courtesy of the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority, have the tipping ceremony for your mountain crew and collect any luggage you stored.

Have a well deserved shower and rest up a the lodge, by the pool or in your cottage. You will enjoy a farewell dinner at the lodge and celebrate your incredible achievement.

Day 10 : Departure

Wake up for a last breakfast in Tanzania and get transferred to your flight.

Note: Airport transfers only included in the price for KLM and Qatar Airways flights on departure day.

If you are adding a safari extension, today you will meet Glory for your departure towards Lake Manyara.

Shelly – “It’s the best thing I’ve done in my life. You feel like such a sense of accomplishment. I highly recommend it, you’ll feel so proud of yourself at the end. Glory is amazing and she does a great job at guiding the pace.”

Michelle – “SFTC was super easy to work with and easily accessible in times of need!

I climbed KILIMANJARO with the most amazing group of women, supported by an equally amazing group of women (and some men) on National Woman’s Day!!

The hike was led by Glory Thobias, accompanied by Makeri and Rehema. Glory is a true leader! She was always in control, always smiling, and so connected to everyone everywhere! Makeri and Rehema were so fun and motivated us all the way to the top! It was the trip of a lifetime! Sign up for the next trip and post your picture at the top when you get there!!“

Zarina – “One of my favourite trips, as a Muslim women I was respected and treated like royalty. I was recommended and taken to places to pray, ensured that I was given halal food even though I am not a huge meat eater.

My guide Glory was friendly and funny and as a person who is scared of spiders and insects my guide took care of that 🙂

She also made my dream come true with not only climbing Kili but also getting to see hyenas during the safari extension.”

Vanessa – What is the best way to climb Kilimanjaro? Well of course it is with Glory and her incredible team and Solo female travelers. Your nerves and fears disappear with every song and smile of the crew. The unwavering power of women supporting women comes to life with every step you take. Looking back it’s all so hard to describe. It was both the best and most challenging thing I have done so far.
I would also highly recommend rewarding your climb with a safari seeing all the animals especially the cats in the wild was yet another amazing Tanzanian experience.
IWD will forever have a special meaning for me now. Without SFT and Glory and her team none of this would have been possible.

Janie – “This is the only company you should be going to Tanzania with! Glory is one of the most incredible women I have ever met and I have great stories to tell from this trip for the rest of my life.

The level of care and professionalism of the whole guide group who helped us ALL summit Kilimanjaro was incomparable. We were certainly the most fun, energetic, and close group heading up and down the mountain. We were definitely the most bad ass group on safari.

Don’t make the mistake of being one of the jealous onlookers by booking with anyone else. Through the whole trip the food, transport and accommodation were fantastic. I have made friends and memories for life from this incredible, life changing trip.”

Ruth – “This was not only my first solo adventure but also my first overseas adventure! I had a fair bit of anxiety leading up to it, so having the hard work of planning accomodation, activities, guides etc done for me was such a relief. There was plenty of communication and updates leading up to it, so that was also really helpful and meant I felt prepared and organised before leaving.

Our head guide Glory, was beyond amazing! On the days with nothing particular in the itinerary, she came up with some awesome activities. On the mountain, I felt safe under her guidance and she was great with checking in how we were doing and providing plenty of encouragement when needed!
The whole crew of guides were fantastic-it’s difficult to put into words how much I appreciated their kindness and expertise. The wider crew of porters and cooks were also fantastic. I especially appreciated the chefs great job of accommodating my dietary requirements, and the porters impromptu morning dance parties to get us up and going for the day! The entire climb was just an indescribably fantastic experience! The safari was also spectacular! The drivers had an amazing eye for spotting wildlife from miles away, and so got us up close with so many animals. Seeing all of the big five was such a privilege. The guides were knowledgeable and gave plenty of information about what we seeing. The vehicles themselves were super comfortable to travel in. The accomodation was gorgeous! Super comfortable with great food. All in all, a spectacular experience that I would recommend to any one!.”

Robin – “Traveling to Tanzania and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, Alone, was very intimidating to me. Of course I had a ton of support from family and friends but it is scary to travel to a place you have never been to before and not know one single person. Mar and Meg made it a whole lot less scary. They set up a FB group that was just for the woman who were signed up for the trip and also coordinated a Face Time chat for all of us to meet “in person”. It was so nice to be able to connect with everyone prior to traveling across the world. Mar and Meg were in contact with us at least once a week prior to the trip and were always available through emails.

Once I arrived in Tanzania, I was greeted at the airport by Glory. She was our guide for the entire time we were in Tanzania. Glory and her team of all female guides are truly the best you can find and they treated us like family from the moment we stepped off of the plane. Glory was born on Kilimanjoro and knows everything there is to know about climbing it and how to help you get to the top. Her knowledge of the wildlife and the plants are endless. There wasn’t a question I asked that she couldn’t answer. She truly cared for each one of us as an individual and not just a group of women to take up a mountain.

Not once did I feel unsafe or alone while on this trip. If you are looking for a life altering experience, check out the Tanzania Kilimanjaro Climb, and book it through Solo Female Travelers Club. I know my life and how I live it from now on will never be the same.“

“

Ilenia – WOW! I’m not sure how to translate into words how amazing and empowering my experience has been! I joined the Kilimanjaro climb and Safari extension organised by Mar & Meg and it was a truly memorable adventure. I highly recommend this trip, every single detail is well taken care of, and in doing so Mar and Meg make sure to support local women and their business. In Tanzania Solo Female Travelers has been supporting Adventure Women Africa and The Tanzania Women Guides Foundation to promote female guides and provide employment opportunities for women in tourism in Tanzania. Indeed, our climb was led by Glory, together with Happiness, Anna, Jackline, and a supporting team of female and male porters. They treated us like family, made sure we were well taken care of and supported us every step of the way, literally and metaphorically! It was the trip of a lifetime and I can’t wait to book my next adventure!

Maddy – “I am not an experienced hiker and climbing Kilimanjaro was truly a daunting task for me. Planning a solo trip to Africa was equally stressful – I was over thinking about safety, mosquitos, and everything in between.

Thanks to Solo Female Travelers, I was able to put my fears aside, step outside of my comfort zone and turn a lifelong dream into reality. I can’t thank Mar and Meg enough for running such a fantastic organization and making adventure travel possible for solo travelers like me.  Their trips are so well organized and accommodated pretty much all my needs. Glory Thobias was the lead guide for our trip along with a group of female guides. Their expertise and experience helped me out in the most difficult moment of the climb. During the entire trip we felt well taken care of in all aspects, both in terms of safety, our physical as well as mental health. They frequently checked in with us on how everyone was doing, which made us feel safe and at ease. They also contributed to the group by being such wonderful, diverse, and fun people. I highly recommend Solo Female Travelers Club !! “

Rachel – “My Solo Female Traveler’s trip to the top of Kilimanjaro on International Women’s Day was absolutely incredible! Glory and all of the other guides, Happiness, Anna, and Jackie were amazing and made us feel so powerful in our abilities to make it to the top of the mountain. The porters were inspiring to watch them carry our packs along with all of the items we would need at camp and pass by us on the mountain and have everything ready when we arrived at camp for the night.

The food and care that was given to us as camp was beyond anything I could have asked for when I was feeling sick from the altitude changes. I can not say enough wonderful things about this trip and was so thankful for the team for believing in all of us when we all made it to the summit! It was such an accomplishment and a moment I will never forget. I was even surprised with a birthday cake at the very top of Kilimanjaro for my birthday a few days after the trip. What an amazing, incredible, and never forgettable experience! I am excited to plan my next trip with Solo Female Travelers!”

Johanna – “My first experience with solo female travellers was great! I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro on International Women’s Day with their all women team and crew. Glory and the team are amazing. If you are considering climbing Kilimanjaro I would highly recommend this team. 100% of us made it to the summit (also in the previous years group) which is incredible as success rate is only 60/70%. But that’s what happens when you’ve got the support of incredible women. Solo Female travellers also donate some of the money to support the local women.”

2025 Intl. Women’s Day

Kili trek: $4,495 USD*
+ Safari extension: $3,195

Payment Plan

• 30% non-refundable deposit to reserve your spot

• 70% final balance due 90 days before the trip (full payment now due for our March 2023 departure).

By joining our trips you agree to our T&C.

Please note that the safari extension cannot be booked separately as a stand alone trip.