Seven Summits

Climb Kilimanjaro

Climb to the roof of Africa and complete one of the Seven Summits.

Kilimanjaro - Expediton

“Kilimanjaro is a snow-covered mountain 19,340 feet high, and is said to be the highest mountain in Africa. Its western summit is called the Masai 'Ngaje Ngai', the House of God.” So begins Ernest Hemingway’s The Snows of Kilimanjaro, one of the many stories that have helped cement the legend of this beguiling mountain - and make it one of the most popular of the Seven Summits.

This peak is regarded and one of the easiest treks and is also our most popular for novice mountaineers, It will give you a great insight into mountaineering life, you will experience expedition camp life and trekking to higher camps before heading to the summit, which all combined will help build your skills for future mountains and expeditions.

After a successful summit of Kilimanjaro, we invite our clients to take on either Lobuche east at 6,119m or Aconcagua 6,962 m

"Always a little higher"

Country

Tanzania

Duration

9 days

grade

Easy 1A

Max Altitude

5895 m
19341 ft

Daily activity

Approx
4-7 hrs

Season

August &
December

Dates Available

Enquire for dates

Starting from

USD $3,800

Aimed at climbers looking to start the journey into high altitude mountaineering or complete the Seven Summits challenge. Whilst not that technical in terms of climbing, you must have a very high level of fitness.

What the trekking adventure involves

Hemingway might have helped build Kilimanjaro’s reputation, but he got a couple of key things wrong. The mountain is slightly shorter than his 1936 short story claimed - just 19,341 feet, or 5,895m. And although he paints it as a place of death, and a dangerous peak, it is actually one of the safest - and most frequently climbed - of the Seven Summits. 

Snow and ice cover the peak, despite the mountain’s equatorial location, but don’t present a serious impediment to climbing it. Meanwhile, the gently sloping slopes mean that, although a high level of fitness is essential, no technical climbing skill is needed. For many people, this is the first of the Seven Summits they tackle, and it makes an excellent warm-up peak for more rigorous challenges later in a climbing career.

Having said that, the mountain is not without its dangers - sudden storms, altitude sickness and sections of scrambling can all trip up climbers who are not careful. Which is why we at Elite Exped adopt the same meticulous approach to planning and preparation for Kilimanjaro as we would for any of our more extreme expeditions.

Regardless of where we operate in the world, we oversee every aspect of the expedition ourselves, making sure that nothing is left to chance. Kilimanjaro might not be as dangerous as some of the mountains that our team regularly scale in the Himalayas, but we never underestimate the technical challenges of any peak we tackle.

Elite Exped’s Kilimanjaro expedition can be completed in just nine days, and we make sure that allows for plenty of time for acclimatisation. From the base of the mountain to the summit is more than 5,000m, a distance which takes time to adjust to.

Climbing Kilimanjaro represents a significant achievement, and a big first step for many along the route towards attaining the goal of climbing the Seven Summits. If that’s your objective, Elite Exped will help you get there, climbing with you every step of the way.


From our clients
Annemarie van Wel
Kilimanjaro 2023

Above the clouds is where any chaos aside magically turns into peace. Dear Elite Exped team thank you for bringing me above the clouds. The best, most detailed organization- I felt so taken care of and safe the entire expedition which made it possible for my teammates and I to all summit Kilimanjaro together. I cannot thank you enough for the weeklong, we spent on the mountain and the life-long magical memories I get to keep with me.

Graham Anderson
Kilimanjaro 2023

Jay was super calm and amazing for the whole trek, it was comforting to be around an expert Mountaineer.

Rachel Smith
Kilimanjaro 2023

The whole team have been absolutely Incredible, from stepping off the plane to the summit, I felt like I was in Safe hands 24/7. Nothing has been too much trouble & the whole experience has just been fantastic. I never thought I would do anything like this but watch out for our booking for Everest basecamp!

Jonathan (Jonny) Mounsey
Kilimanjaro 2023

Awesome experience. This has been on my bucket list & l couldn’t have wished for a better team to do it with. This is an experience I will remember forever. It’s been MINT !!

Will Frampton
Kilimanjaro 2023

Excellent trip can’t fault how everything ran in Africa – Exceeded my expectations.

Nikki Ramos
Kilimanjaro 2023

I absolutely loved climbing Kilimanjaro with Elite Exped. The local guides selected + their team were fantastic in every way with everything running smoothly. Jay was easy-going and helped keep us motivated throughout the whole expedition. The other members of Elite on the ground were attentive and always helpful (Anish + Prem).

Alex Gibson
Kilimanjaro 2023

Everything was run smoothly, great food, water, sleeping conditions, toilet facilities, having the directors on the trip helped massively as they gave us tips and motivation, all the guides and porters were lovely and energetic throughout the whole expedition, it couldn’t have gone any better.

Toby Maloy
Kilimanjaro 2023

This trip is all I have been thinking about since booking it last year... and it more than exceeded my expectations. The Elite Exped team and the local guides and staff were extremely helpful in regards to all aspect of the expedition and no stone was left unturned.

This was my first big mountain and most definitely will not be my last. I look forward to joining Elite Exped much more in the future and achieving my goal in reaching the top of the world!

Damien Bombelli
Kilimanjaro 2023

A huge thanks to the Elite Exped team Nims, Mingma David, Tejan & Prem and all the local guides and porters who made this week the most incredible adventure. I can’t wait to embark on my next adventure with Elite Exped team.

Amitha Harsha
Kilimanjaro 2023

Nims, MD, TJ, Prem and the whole EE team helped me achieve my new possible and introduced me to a new love of high-altitude climbing! The entire experience was top notch, & and the local glides they hand selected were phenomenal. Thank you!

Mark Langley
Kilimanjaro 2023

I did not know what to expert, having not done an expedition like this, before but honestly. AIl my expectations were exceeded. All you guys, the Elite Exped team have made me feel very welcome and are very professional, so keep doing what you are doing and you will only get better! It was a pleasure to be part of this and, I wish you guys every success!

Mark Gray
Kilimanjaro 2023

The entire trip was superbly organised from start to finish. You feel like family, and I’m so pleased I went with a company like Elite Exped. As a group we had so much fun and with all the Expert guides you felt, anything was achievable. So do yourself a favour and definitely choose Elite Exped as your guiding company.

Dennis Tyschchenko
Kilimanjaro 2023

The Expedition was organised well. The team was very helpful in preparation and during the trek. The Elite Exped guides and local guides contributed to the whole team summiting the Kilimanjaro. Tejan Gurung, Mingma David and Nimsdai made the trip unforgettable.

Valeriya Alford
Kilimanjaro 2023

Everything was great! Thank you!

Ken Kato
Kilimanjaro 2023

Just like experience for high altitude climbing. 20+ hours of flying all the way from Japan. The journey was worth every penny. Safety was a priority and logistics and preparations was fantastic. Highly recommend this crew and will want to challenge Aconcagua or Manaslu in the future.

This tried and tested itinerary is informed by decades of mountaineering experience. As with all adventurous activities of this type however, circumstances may arise where Elite Exped is forced to make alterations, possibly at short notice. While making every effort to adhere to this published schedule, we kindly ask for your patience if the weather, or other naturally occurring circumstances, intervene.

Your daily schedule

  • Day 01

    Arrive at Kilimanjaro's international airport and transfer to hotel.

  • Day 02

    Drive from hotel up to Londorossi gate - drive to Morum barrier gate, then trek into Shira camp 1(* high altitude drop-off *)

  • Day 03

    Trek from Shira 1 camp to Shira 2 camp

  • Day 04

    Trek from Shira 2 camp to Lava tower then trek to Barranco camp

  • Day 05

    Trek from Barranco camp to Karanga camp acclimatization hike 1-2 hour (Barafu direction)

  • Day 06

    Trek from Karanga camp to Barafu camp

  • Day 07

    Trek from Barafu camp to Stella point summit at Uhuru peak and descend to Barafu camp to Millenium camp

  • Day 08

    Trek from Millenium camp to Mweka camp then trek to Mweka gate, exit from the Kilimanjaro national park

  • Day 9

    Departure from Tanzania

Environment

Protecting our mountains

We believe the mountains are there for all to enjoy, but must be respected, and protected. We are the voice, carers and keepers of these sacred places for future generations. Our environmental policy ensures we do no harm, and leave no trace. Learn more

Training

Developing your skills to achieve a new possible

Our tailored approach to training will help you improve as a climber, developing the mental and physical skills you need to achieve your dreams. Learn more

Above + Beyond + Adventure

Practical info

Frequently asked questions

The following frequently asked questions may help answer any queries you have about Elite Exped, what this expedition involves, and what is required. If your question isn’t answered here please check our dedicated FAQ support page, otherwise don’t hesitate to get in touch.

What accommodation is included?

All accommodation is included from the initial meeting point through to the end of the expedition, as listed on the itinerary. We always choose the highest quality hotels, even when travelling through more remote areas with less established infrastructures.

Our base camp accommodation is also of the highest quality and comfort and can be completely tailored to the demands of global lifestyles. We can discuss options and your needs during the booking phase.

What equipment is provided?
Will the expedition cost include travel?

Why choose
Elite Exped?

Unparalleled
leadership

Nimsdai Purja, Mingma David Sherpa’s and Mingma Tenzi’s mountaineering groundbreaking records speak for themselves, but our leaders are more than just supremely talented climbers.

While some choose to direct operations from back office, our three directors lead from the front. Their experience in every aspect of guiding and climbing — from fixing ropes to organising logistics — is unparalleled. It's no surprise that they have the industry-leading success rate when it comes to summiting 8,000m peaks.

Beyond this, our handpicked team of guides have also chalked up dozens of successful summits between them.

Safety through
self-sufficiency

If it’s controllable we control it: this is key to attaining and maintaining our industry-leading strategy for success and safety.

We maximise our options, agility and responsiveness by running self-sufficient expeditions that don’t rely on any other teams to achieve our objectives.

Our team is capable of setting up our own fixed lines (with a proven track record on all 8,000m peaks) and has backups to cover all scenarios. These include everything from secondary oxygen supplies to the ability and experience to operate our own rescue missions if the situation arises.

A unique
perspective

With his Nepalese roots and UK residency, our co-founder Nimsdai Purja brings a unique perspective and an unparalleled ability to bridge the gap between Western and Himalayan climbing cultures.

We can assemble trusted teams and networks anywhere in the world, but our founders’ roots are a particular advantage when it comes to summiting the world’s very highest peaks.

An intimate knowledge of how things work on the ground ensures that everything runs smoothly when you’re 8,000m above sea-level.

Your adventure
Ready to take on
the challenge?
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