KILIMANJARO CLIMB - NORTHERN CIRCUIT

13 days from GBP1,899 to GBP2,089 including flights+ Kili Park Fees US$965 paid UK
Tripcode: TYN

Countries Visited: Tanzania

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Our Clients’ Reviews

Average Review Rating: from 9 reviews.

Luke Reader

KILIMANJARO CLIMB - NORTHERN CIRCUIT

Written February 2011
Very challenging summit day, but delighted we all made it to the top! Well organised.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Reaching the Uhuru Peak. Actually, getting to Gilman's Point was pretty amazing as it meant the worst of the climb was done and the sun was about to rise.
What did you think of your group leader?
Eli was very good. It was his 99th summit so despite the massive snowfall he still found the way!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Read the kit list. Get all of it. You really do need it all, especially the sunglasses (goggles may be best) and sufficient water bottles for the summit day.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I took Diamox, very happy with that decision.
Merlin Reader

KILIMANJARO CLIMB - NORTHERN CIRCUIT

Written February 2011
A great experience.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Getting to the top in a complete white-out.
What did you think of your group leader?
Excellent.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Remember metal gets brittle when it is cold - plastic framed glasses are better. The weather when we got to the top was atrocious, and ski goggles would have saved our faces from being blasted by the ice.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Great doing the Northern Circuit - the extra time to acclimatise meant I suffered no discomfort (I was taking diamox). Spectacular views, very exhausting. Getting down was shattering.
John Hood

KILIMANJARO CLIMB - NORTHERN CIRCUIT

Written September 2010
Excellent advice and guidance before and after booking from Exodus staff who had clearly been there and knew the trip. Everyone from the African Walking Company deserves the highest praise: hard working, cheerful and encouraging. In addition the equipment I hired was top class.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
All of it. I'd never trekked or been so high before, and to walk round and up one of the seven summits and meet its challenges was magical.
What did you think of your group leader?
Charles was brilliant all the way. Endlessly patient, and giving excellent advice. He was wonderfully observant and so unobtrusive in the ways that he helped that it often wasn't noticed.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
It seemed a good idea when I booked the trip. Then I got really apprehensive the closer it got, and now I'm really delighted I did it! I'd recommed it and the African Walking Company unhesitatingly. It is undoubtedly one of the great experiences of my life.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I'd love to do another trip with Exodus - just wrestling with insurance at the minute!
Sandra Tomkinson

KILIMANJARO CLIMB - NORTHERN CIRCUIT

Written September 2010
This is an amazing experience and youll meet some amazing people.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Getting to the top was amazing. I never realised how hard it was just to keep going!
What did you think of your group leader?
Brilliant
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Take a battery powered MP3 (but keep the batteries inside your clothes), research altitude sickness and take the longest route time you possibly can. We had all our thermals on from about the second day so take a couple of sets at least!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
We all made it so can you!
Karin Rideout

KILIMANJARO CLIMB - NORTHERN CIRCUIT

Written March 2010
A 'must do' challenge of a lifetime. If you're in two minds about which route to take on Kilimanjaro, choose the Northern Circuit. It offers maximum acclimatisation opportunity before the summit attempt and enough time to truely experience the diverse landscapes of the mountain with spectacular and varied views of Kibo.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Realising I'd reached Stella Point and then setting off again and just knowing I would get to Uhuru Peak - a dream come true. The unbelievable and awesome views from the summit of a snow covered Kibo - totally amazing - I'll never forget it. The whole team of nine making it to Uhuru Peak (albeit at slightly different times!) it was a real achievement for everyone. The guides and porters never fail to amaze and astound me in all that they do - they're truely remarkable and become your friends.
What did you think of your group leader?
Simon Moshy is an incredible leader, his organisational skills are excellent and everything ran like clockwork. He and his assistant guides, Davis, Daio, Noel and Pablo cannot be praised enough for their support, encouragement, advice and friendship - an amazing bunch of guys. Their evening singing sessions in the mess tent together with some of the porters was totally brilliant and entertaining.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Most of our group of nine suffered from the altitude at some time or other including me (some taking Diamox and others not), but this route really does allow sufficient time to recover and succeed. This was my second attempt on Mt Kilimanjaro (with another operator previously) and the African Walking Company, the Tanzanian company Exodus use, offer a superior service with guides who really care about what you want to achieve - at times when I did feel unwell their support and encouragement totally aided me and my belief that I could succeed. I cannot recommend them enough.
A good warm sleeping bag is a must (last time I was too cold every night with a 3 season bag & liner) a 4 season plus bag and liner kept me very snug this time and I slept well. Going slowly is definitely the way forward and drinking lots of water cures niggling headaches. Take a platypus but also a sigg bottle, the bottles are great as hot water bottles at night. Keep all your kit in the trek bag and your day sack in dry bags - the weather is varied and it certainly knows how to rain! But it was worth it all for the snow on the summit. Some days involve long days walking so you do need a reasonable level of fitness and a well used comfy pair of boots.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I travelled by myself (for the second time!) and met an amazing group of travellers, it can be a worry not knowing who you're travelling with but they will always be like minded people. We were never short of laughs and I wholeheartedly enjoyed the whole experience from start to finish. You should keep a 'positive mental attitude', as the guides say, and embrace the wonders of camping at altitude and enjoy every day - it's a true adventure. Tanzania is a third world country, don't expect too much and enjoy the Tanzanian laid back attitude, they are wonderful people. I had such a fantastic time that I'd go again tomorrow if I could :)
Jackie Abell

KILIMANJARO CLIMB - NORTHERN CIRCUIT

Written September 2009
Do it, do it, do it!! This will be one of the best experiences of your life. Exhausting and exhilarating!! I'm sooo glad I challenged myself to do this.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
All 11 members making it to Uhuru Peak. That was something special! We took it slowly, doing what one of the members called 'the Kili Shuffle' (head down, tail up!), and made it! The Northern Circuit gives you lots of time to acclimitarize as well as seeing lots of stunning scenery that you wouldn't see on the shorter routes. I'd really recommend this route.
What did you think of your group leader?
The African Walking Company (who Exodus use for this trip) were brilliant. You can't help but admire their local knowledge and physical strength in getting tents, kit and the equipment up the mountain. They made the experience fun, but also took care of us making sure we were okay every step of the way.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Get fit! Make sure you have the right kit (warm sleeping bag, very comfy boots, lots of layers, take an iPod/MP3 player especially for the final ascent, etc). Drink lots. Keep snacking. Take it slowly - it's not a race. And most importantly, keep smiling! : )
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I went with a fantastic group of travellers who kept smiling and laughing - even when hitting the diamox to cope with the headaches and nausea! Time spent getting fit beforehand is definitely time well spent so you can enjoy the days walking. Don't be fooled into thinking this is easy because Comic Relief went up it! You'll soon have huge respect for them. Be prepared to be dusty (no amount of washy wash will shift the dust that accumulates over 8 days!), to be so tired you're ready for bed by 7.30pm, to laugh, to sleep wearing your thermals and woolly hat whilst clinging to the side of a mountain, and most of all to have a fabulous time!!
Felicity Paton

KILIMANJARO CLIMB - NORTHERN CIRCUIT

Written August 2009
Although climbing Kili has become a typical 'charity' trek. You have to do it to know how wonderful and awesome it is to summit this bad boy. It is no easy 'red nose' saunter and still one of my proudest moments to date.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
I guess it has to be the summit!! After all that is your ultimate goal - It took us all night to get there, leaving approx midnight and arriving approx 8am - It really is tough and still something I look back to saying to myself, if i can do that....I can do anything!! It was dark, cold and my water froze which made it really tough but all that is swift forgotten when you get to have your pic taken at that infamous kili summit sign (yes blown up on my wall) It was the biggest thing i'd ever done and the whole group got to the top which was great, i also raised £2,500 for Charity!!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
I chose to do the Northern Circuit as had had some trouble on my trip to altitude the year before, and i had heard that a lot of people don't make it to the top of kili which worried me. I liked that fact that it gave you an extra day or two to acclimitise and it obviously worked as our whole group got to the top and none of us were ill either. Id definitely reccommend this route as it's a long way to go to not reach your goal...
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Made some great friends on this trip, and am still friends with my tent mate, we both decided to run the Brighton Marathon last year and both completed it within minutes of each other - must have been the kili training. Head down, tail up - do the kili shuffle - this was a group mantra!!!!