Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking via Marangu Route - 5 Days

Day 1: Moshi (900 m) – Marangu gate at (1,980 m) – Mandara Hut (2700 m)

Walking approx. 12 km in 5 hours over the montane forest and low alpine zone (moorland).

After breakfast at your Hotel in Moshi, we will pick you up and drive to Marangu gate via Moshi town & along with villages, local farms of cassava, potatoes, maize, coffee & banana plantation. On arrival at the gate you will sign in at the park office and your guide will work on other Park formalities. The actual number of potters who will accompany you will depend on things to be carried and each potter normally carries not more than 20 kg, you will carry your lunch box, drinking water, clothes, and other personal stuff. Potters are hiking first so once they carry any of your things you will meet them at the camp. Today, your Mt Kilimanjaro Climbing Marangu route 5 days starts by hiking up to Mandara hut at (2700 m) your hiking will be through a beautiful landscape of the mountain forest, little streams and waterfalls Kisamboni picnic area the place for lunch can be reached after 1.5 hours of walking from the park gate. From Kisamboni you will possibly need 1.5 hours to reach Mandara hut (2,700 m). The vegetation type at this campsite is of low alpine zone and moorland, accompanied by shrub and trees with lots of lichens. The Mandara area is located in a clear forest with wooden A-shaped framed huts and here is where you will spend your first night in Kilimanjaro Mountain. Mandara huts can accommodate 60 people sleeping in bunks; each hut has 6-8 sleeping bunks. The water around this area is from the spring and can be used for drinking, cooking, and flushing toilets. You can have a short walk to the Maundi crater where you can enjoy good weather and possibly see Mawenzi peak. Blue Monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys can be spotted around this place. Each day when arriving at the huts you will have tea/coffee & some bites then hot water to wash before changing the clothes you have been hiking with. On the mountain, we say stay warm all the time. Dinner will be served before going to bed.

Overnight at Mandara Hut (2700 m).

All meals included.

Day 2: Mandara Hut (2700 m) – Horombo Hut (3,720 m)

Walking approx. 15 km. hiking hours 6 (moorland zone).

After light breakfast, your second hiking day on the Kilimanjaro Marangu route starts, this day you will hike along with the last patches of the forest past the other side of the Maundi Crater and soon you will reach the moorland vegetation zone. This area is dominated by heather, Lobelia Deckenii, and lovely Dendrosenecio Kilimanjari. With good weather conditions, you can have a great view of both Kibo and Mawenzi. Reach Horombo huts and if you wish you can bathe with hot water before dinner and sleep in a luxurious bed. Horombo huts have a capacity of 120 people all sleeping in beds and it is a small village and the only huts in Kilimanjaro with beds. At this camp nights tends to be very cold please be prepared. Arriving at the camp same procedures will follow just as much as the previous day.

Overnight at Horombo Hut (3,720 m).

All meals included.

Day 3: Horombo Hut (3,720 m) – Kibo Hut (4,700 m)

Walking approx. 15 km. in 6 hours (Alpine desert).

Your Hiking day will start after breakfast. Saddle the area in-between Mawenzi and Kibo can be reached in two different routes, through the upper route which is eroded and stormy, or by taking the lower route which is easier and most recommended where you can pass near the water point at (4,200 m) which is the last in this route. Fill your bottles with enough drinking water as this will be the last water point before reaching Horombo huts again, otherwise, you can buy mineral water or soft drinks at Kibo huts. If you wish you can take a short break at this Last water point and perhaps sit at the picnic site for lunch. You will reach Kibo huts at (4700 m) after 2 walking hours. Kibo hut is in the barren Alpine desert with only grasses and everlasting flowers. Kibo huts are built with stone blocks and have 60 bunk beds and platform toilets. Arriving at the camp same procedures will follow as the previous day.

Overnight at Kibo Hut (4700 m).

All meals include.

Day 4: Summit attempt: Kibo Hut (4,700 m) – Uhuru peak 5,895 m & back to Horombo Hut (3,720 m)

Walking approx. 6 km ascent and 21 km descent for in 8 hrs. on the rocky, ice-capped summit.

The final part of your Mt Kilimanjaro climbing Marangu route for 5 days will be at night. After dinner your guide will give you a detailed briefing on how it will be, so you will prepare all needed equipment before going to sleep as the trekking will start around midnight time will depend on your pace. Things to be prepared for this attempt are thermal clothing, ski-stick, and thermal flask for water, hand warmers, batteries, and headlamp among others. (We will brief you here in Arusha & go through your Gears).

Depending on your pace you can wake up at 23:00 or 23:30 and have some tea and biscuits before starting. You will face a challenging part of your Mt Kilimanjaro climbing at the beginning which is a rough and rocky path. On the way you will pass Williams Point at (5,000 m), Hans Meyer Cave at (5,150 m), and Gillman’s point at (5,681 m) positioned on the crater rim. To reach Hans Meyer Cave from Kibo hut you will spend almost two and a half hours. Gilman’s point is placed just a short distance from Hans Meyer Cave, it is about an hour to get there. From Gilman’s point, you will possibly need not less than 1 hour and a half to reach the summit. The rest of your climbing all the way up to Uhuru Peak will be covered with snow and the walking will be along the crater rim. Stella point at (5,752 m) will be passed on the way and this is the point where other Kilimanjaro routes reach the rim. Marangu route 5 days tours continue and at this point your about to reach the summit but it can be a great challenge.

Wow! You have reached Uhuru Peak the highest point in Africa, Kilimanjaro Mountain, (Congratulation!) Spend some minutes at the summit taking pictures but not much longer at this altitude before starting your way down and back to Kibo hut at (4,700 m) where lunch will be served, proceed further down to Horombo hut at (3720 m), you will need almost 3 hours. Reaching the Camp same procedures will follow washing, coffee/tea, etc. Dinner will be served there and you will spend a night at the luxurious beds.

Overnight at Horombo Hut (3720 m).

All Meals included.

Day 5: Horombo Hut (3720 M) – Marangu gate at 1,980 m – then drive to Arusha

Walking approx. 27 km for 6 hrs across the low alpine zone, moorland, and montane forest.

Breakfast at Horombo hut before starting your last day downwards from Kilimanjaro. Have lunch and some rest at Mandara hut (2700) on your way down, hopeful the path is familiar as you have passed here on your first day. Reaching Marangu gate, you will provide some details to the register and you will be given a summit certificate, if reached Gilman's Point you will have a green certificate & for Uhuru Peak, the actual Summit is a gold certificate. Tips for potters and guides are recommended & this can be done at Horombo gate in the morning when celebrating before descending to Marangu Hut.

Meet your driver at the gate, who will transfer you back to Moshi overnight or drop you off at the airport for departure.