Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking via Marangu Route - 6 Days

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

Hiking time: 5 hours

Distance approx. 12 km

Vegetation type: Montane forest & moorland

After breakfast at your lodge in Moshi, we pick you up and drive by the Marangu gate. It will take you about 2.5 to 3 hrs of driving along with Chagga villages, and farms of sweet potatoes, cassava, beans, maize & through coffee & banana plantation. On arrival at the gate you will sign in at the park office and your guide will work on park formalities. The actual number of potters to support you will depend on things to be carried but from the office, we will weigh all the luggage and have a rough idea of the number of porters. According to park rules & regulation, each potter should carry not more than 20 kg, you will carry your lunch box, drinking water, some clothes and all your valuable. Potters are hiking first so once they carry any of your things you will meet them at the camp. Today, your Kilimanjaro climb on the Marangu route for 6 days starts by trekking up to Mandara hut at (2700 m), you will hike through a beautiful landscape of the mountain forest & along little streams and waterfalls. Kisamboni picnic area the place for lunch can be reached after 1.5 hrs walk from the park gate. From Kisamboni another 1.5 hrs will be needed to reach Mandara hut (2,700). The vegetation type at the campsite is of low alpine zone and moorland, with shrub and trees accompanied with lots of lichens. Mandara hut is placed in a clear forest with wooden A-shaped frames and here is where your will first night on Kilimanjaro Mountain will be spent here. Mandara huts are having a capacity of 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 cooking, drinking & flushing toilets. At the camp you will have hot water to wash, tea/coffee & snacks before changing the clothes that you have been hiking with & put on a dry cloth, on the mountain we say stay warm all the time. This procedure will be carried out in almost all camps. You can have a short walk to the Maundi crater where you can enjoy good weather and possibly a great view of Mawenzi peak. Blue Monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys can be spotted around this place.

Overnight at Mandara Hut (2700 m).

All meals included.

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

Hiking time: 6 hours

Distance approx. 15 km

Vegetation type: moorland zone

After light breakfast, your second hiking day on the Kilimanjaro Mt. Marangu route starts, this day you will hike along with the last patches of the montane forest past the other side of the Maundi Crater and soon you will reach the moorland vegetation zone. The area is more dominated by heather, Lobelia Deckenii, and lovely Dendrosenecio Kilimanjaro. With good weather conditions, you can have a stunning view of both Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. Later you will arrive at Horombo huts and if you wish you can bathe with hot water before dinner followed by sleeping in a luxurious bed. Horombo huts can accommodate 120 people all sleeping in beds and it is like a small village and the only huts on Kilimanjaro with beds. You have one day here for relaxing and acclimatization be prepared as nights here tend to be crazy cold. Climbing Marangu route 6 days itinerary continues as you start your 4th day. Come on you will make it!

Day 3: Marangu route 6 days Itinerary - Horombo Hut (3720 m) – Acclimatization day

After breakfast Horombo Hut, spend a day here allowing your body to adjust to high altitude. If you wish you can have a day hike to Mawenzi Hut (46 00 m) for further acclimatization with your guide. Your preference for this day will decide on where to have lunch if you will hike to Mawezi then you will take packed lunch.

Overnight at Horombo Hut (37,20 m).

All meals included.

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

Hiking time: 6 hours

Distance approx. 15 km

Vegetation type: 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 (4200 m) which is the last in this route. We will 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. Reaching the camp same procedures will follow as per previous days. Overnight at Kibo Hut (4,700 m). All meals include.

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

Hiking time: 8 hours to Uhuru Peak, 6 hours to Horombo hut

Distance approx. 6 km ascent 21 km descent

Vegetation type: Stone scree / ice-cap summit

This is the final part of your Mt Kilimanjaro climbing on the Marangu route will, You will start at midnight. On this day after early dinner, your guide will give you a detailed briefing on how you can successful get to the summit, what to pack, what to wear, and on so. You will then prepare all needed gears before going to sleep as the starting hours will be around midnight depends on your pace. Things to be prepared for this attempt are mostly thermal clothing, ski-stick, thermal flask for water, hand warmers, batteries, and headlamp among others. Your guide will point them pot during the briefing. Since your guide has been watching your pace on previous days he will schedule the starting time which will likely be at 23:00 or 23:30, you may 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’s 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 rim of the crater. Stella point at (5,752 m) will be passed on the way and this is the point where other Kilimanjaro routes reach the rim. Mt Kilimanjaro climbing tours continue and at this point your about to reach the summit but it can be a great challenge. Getting there whether how you feel will determine the time to be spent at the summit enjoying & taking pictures but it will not be much longer at this altitude before starting your way down and back to Kibo hut at (4700 m) for the lunch break. After lunch you will stretch further down to Horombo hut at (3720 m), it will take you not less than 3 hours to get there. At the camp, the same procedures of hot water to wash & so forth will take place. Later you will be served dinner and spend a night at the luxurious beds.

Overnight at Horombo Hut (3,720 m).

All meals included.

Day 6: Horombo Hut (3,720 m) – Marangu gate at 1,980 m – then drive to Moshi/Arusha

Hiking time: 6 hours

Distance approx. 27 km

Vegetation type: Low alpine zone, moorland, and montane forest.

You will have breakfast at Horombo hut before starting your last day down from Kilimanjaro. Hot lunch will be served at Mandara hut (27,00 m), little rest before starting your way, 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 on where you have reached. Certificate for reaching Gilman's Point is in green color & gold certificate (big Diploma) for reaching Uhuru Peak the actual summit of Kilimanjaro Mountain. This will be the time for celebration singing & dancing followed by tips session, you may start with potters, cook & lastly the guides. Afterward meet your driver, at the gate who has already be there & drive back to Moshi or drop off at the airport. Congratulation you are among the heroes who have successfully Climbed the Mt Kilimanjaro Marangu route in 6 days.

Breakfast included.