The trail gradually steepens, enters the giant heather moorland zone, then crosses the Shira Ridge at 3,600 m/11,810 ft and drops gently to Shira Camp 1 located by a stream on the Shira Plateau 

After breakfast, you will hike east up a steepening path above the highest vegetation toward Kilimanjaro's looming mass. After several hours, you walk through a rocky landscape to reach the prominent landmark called Lava Tower at 4,630 m/15,190 ft. This chunky remnant of Kilimanjaro's earlier volcanic activity is several hundred feet high, and the trail passes right below it. For extra credit, the sure-footed can scramble to the top of the tower. After a lunch stop near Lava Tower, descend for 2 hours below the lower cliffs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall to Barranco Camp at 3,950 m/12,960 ft.

There are numerous photo opportunities on   this hike, especially if the walls are festooned with ice. Barranco Camp is in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Walls, which should provide you with a memorable sunset while you wait for your dinner. On this day, be careful to notice any signs of altitude sickness. 

After breakfast, you will hike east up a steepening   path above the highest vegetation toward Kilimanjaro's looming mass. After   several hours, you walk through a rocky landscape to reach the prominent   landmark called Lava Tower at 4,630 m/15,190 ft. This chunky remnant of   Kilimanjaro's earlier volcanic activity is several hundred feet high, and the   trail passes right below it. For extra credit, the sure-footed can scramble   to the top of the tower. After a lunch stop near Lava Tower, descend for 2   hours below the lower cliffs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall to Barranco   Camp at 3,950 m/12,960 ft.

There are numerous photo opportunities on this hike,   especially if the walls are festooned with ice. Barranco Camp is in a valley   below the Breach and Great Barranco Walls, which should provide you with a   memorable sunset while you wait for your dinner. On this day, be careful to   notice any signs of altitude sickness.

 Leave slowly crossing the floor of the great Barranco Valley and up the Barranco wall; continue the trek on the South Circuit path through the Karanga Valley. Then slowly trek (7 hours) to Barafu Hut (4600m). From Barafu you will have excellent views of Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. Barafu Hut is situated on an exposed and dangerous ridge, so it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the terrain before dark. We will have our dinner, rest and prepare for summit night. 

After a   well-deserved breakfast, it is a short, scenic, 3-hour hike back to the park   gate. At Mweka Gate, you can sign your name and add details in a register.   This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates.   Climbers who reached Stella Point are issued green certificates and those who   reached Uhuru Peak receive gold certificates. From the Mweka Gate you will be   driven back to Moshi for an overdue hot shower and comfortable night.

You will rise around 11:30 PM, and after some steaming   tea and biscuits, you shuffle off into the night. Your 6-hour climb northwest   up through heavy scree between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers to Stella   Point on the crater rim is the most challenging part of the route for most   climbers. At Stella Point (5,685 m/18,650 ft) you stop for a short rest and a   chance to see a supremely sanguine sunrise. At Stella Point you join the top   part of the Marangu Route, but do not stop here too long, as it will be extremely   difficult to start again due to cold and fatigue.

Depending on the season and recent storms, you may   encounter snow on your remaining hike along the rim to Uhuru Peak. On the   summit, you can enjoy your accomplishment and know that you are creating a day   that you will remember for the rest of your life. After your 3-hour descent   from the summit back to Barafu Camp, you will have a well-earned but short   rest, collect your gear, and hike down a rock and scree path into the   moorland and eventually into the forest to Mweka Camp (3,100 m/10,170 ft).