Shira Camp One, perched at around 3,510 metres on the Lemosho Route of Mount Kilimanjaro, is an important early stop for trekkers as they begin to gain serious altitude. Set on the edge of the Shira Plateau, this campsite opens up to wide, open vistas of the surrounding highlands and, on clear days, impressive views towards the rugged Shira Cathedral – a dramatic rock formation rising from the ancient volcanic caldera.
Here, you’ll transition from the lush lower slopes into the more open heath zone, where hardy shrubs, proteas and other alpine plants dominate the landscape. Shira Camp One is a perfect place to acclimatise, take short exploratory walks, and soak up your first real sense of Kilimanjaro’s vast scale. Facilities are basic – usually pit toilets and designated tent sites – but the reward is a quiet, atmospheric camp that feels truly “on the mountain”.
1 Night
Full Board - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
Campsite
Shira Camp Two, perched at around 3,847 metres on the Lemosho Route of Mount Kilimanjaro, sits on the eastern edge of the vast Shira Plateau and offers some of the most dramatic views on the mountain. From this exposed vantage point, trekkers are treated to sweeping panoramas over the Kilimanjaro Valley, with unforgettable sunrises behind the peaks and fiery sunsets dropping away over the plains below.
This is often the first camp where climbers really feel the effects of altitude, making Shira Camp Two a key acclimatisation stop on the way to the summit. The surrounding alpine moorland is dotted with hardy shrubs, giant groundsels and other high-altitude plants, creating an otherworldly landscape to explore on short acclimatisation hikes. Facilities are basic – typically pit toilets and designated camping areas – but the reward is an authentic high-mountain experience in one of Kilimanjaro’s most scenic locations.
1 Night
Full Board - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
Campsite
Moir Hut – Remote Acclimatisation Camp in the Lent Hills (≈4,161 m)
Moir Hut, perched at around 4,161 metres on the upper Shira Plateau of Mount Kilimanjaro, is one of the mountain’s most remote and tranquil campsites. Tucked in a broad valley beneath the steep slopes of the Lent Hills, it feels far removed from the busier main trails, making it a favourite stop for trekkers who value quiet, space and big views.
This high, open camp is perfect for acclimatisation treks. From Moir Hut, hikers can climb the surrounding volcanic ridges and outcrops, gaining extra elevation before dropping back down to sleep – an ideal “climb high, sleep low” opportunity. The landscape here is classic alpine desert: sparse vegetation, volcanic scree and wide skies, with dramatic vistas back to Kibo and across the plateau.
Facilities are basic – typically a simple hut used by rangers/crew and pit latrine toilets, with all guest accommodation in tents – but the reward is a peaceful, less-frequented base where you can rest, explore quieter side trails and let your body adjust to the altitude before continuing towards Lava Tower, Barranco and the higher slopes of Kilimanjaro.
1 Night
Full Board - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
Campsite
Pofu Camp (Buffalo Camp) – Quiet Northern Circuit Stop with Big-Sky Views (~3,995 m)
Pofu Camp, also known as Buffalo Camp, is a remote overnight campsite on the Northern Circuit Route of Mount Kilimanjaro, sitting at an altitude of around 3,995 metres above sea level on the lower flanks of Kibo. Used almost exclusively by trekkers tackling this long, less-travelled circuit, it offers a rare sense of solitude compared to the busier southern routes.
Set in the alpine moorland zone, the camp is surrounded by low shrubs and rocky outcrops with expansive views across the plains towards Kenya. On clear nights, Pofu Camp is superb for stargazing, with tents glowing under a bright Milky Way and the snowy summit of Kilimanjaro looming above.
Facilities are simple and in keeping with its wilderness feel:
Tent-only campsite (no permanent huts)
Basic pit latrine toilets
Designated cooking and dining areas managed by trek crews
Typically reached after trekking from Moir Hut through the Lent Hills, Pofu Camp makes an excellent acclimatisation stop, with the long traverse and modest net elevation gain helping your body adjust before you continue around Kibo towards Third Cave and School Hut. It’s an ideal option for trekkers who value quieter trails, big landscapes and a more off-the-beaten-path Kilimanjaro experience.
1 Night
Full Board - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
Campsite
Third Cave Camp – Quiet High-Moorland Stop on Kilimanjaro (≈3,930 m)
Third Cave Camp is a remote and scenic campsite on the Rongai Route (and also used by the Northern Circuit Route) of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Sitting at an elevation of around 3,930 metres above sea level, it serves as a key acclimatisation stop as trekkers move higher towards School Hut and the summit.
Accommodation here is simple and in keeping with the wilderness feel: climbers sleep in tents only, with basic pit latrine toilets and a ranger area for registration. With its crisp mountain air, big-sky views and relatively low traffic compared to Kilimanjaro’s southern routes, Third Cave Camp offers a genuine sense of solitude and space.
Surrounded by open moorland and alpine-desert scenery, the camp looks out towards Kibo’s snow-capped slopes by day and fills with brilliant stars after dark. For many climbers, this peaceful, restorative pause at Third Cave Camp becomes one of the most memorable nights of their Kilimanjaro adventure.
1 Night
Full Board - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
Camp
School Hut Camp – Final High Camp Before Uhuru Peak (≈4,710 m)
School Hut Camp (often called School Huts) is a high, rugged campsite on the northern side of Mount Kilimanjaro, used mainly on the Northern Circuit and Rongai Routes as the final overnight stop before the summit push. Sitting in the alpine desert zone at an elevation of about 4,710 metres above sea level, it lies just below the Kibo massif and offers stark, wide-open views over the rocky slopes and distant plains.
Accommodation here is simple and functional, centred around tent camping with a small cluster of huts used by rangers and support crews. Facilities are basic, with pit latrine toilets and compact camping space on rocky ground – very much a true high-altitude base camp. Because School Hut is used by fewer routes than the popular southern camps, it often feels quieter and more tranquil, adding to the sense of anticipation before summit night.
Trekkers typically arrive in the afternoon to rest, hydrate and prepare gear for the pre-dawn ascent to Uhuru Peak. Short acclimatisation walks in the surrounding alpine desert, gear checks and early dinners all form part of the routine, before a few hours of sleep and the start of the summit attempt. With its thin, crisp air, star-filled skies and the looming bulk of Kibo above, School Hut Camp is a memorable final stepping stone on the journey to the roof of Africa.
1 Night
Full Board - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
Campsite
Millennium Camp – Peaceful Final Night Stop on Kilimanjaro’s Descent (≈3,820 m)
Millennium Camp is perched on a ridge at the base of the southeastern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, at an altitude of around 3,820 metres (12,530 ft). Tranquil Kilimanjaro+1 Used mainly on the Mweka descent route by climbers coming down from Barafu after summiting, it offers a welcome, lower-altitude rest point where the air feels noticeably richer in oxygen after the thin, icy heights above.
The campsite can only accommodate tents, with no permanent huts, and features basic facilities such as pit latrines and a ranger’s hut for registration and safety checks. Tranquil Kilimanjaro+1 Set in the upper heath / moorland transitioning towards rainforest, the area is dotted with heathers, mossy trees and wide views over Kilimanjaro’s southern slopes, making it a tranquil spot to reflect on your summit achievement.
For trekkers descending via routes like Mweka, Machame, Lemosho, Shira, Umbwe or Northern Circuit, Millennium Camp is an ideal final night on the mountain – a comfortable staging post before the last walk down to Mweka Gate and the return to hot showers, fresh clothes and well-earned celebration.
1 Night
Full Board - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
Campsite
