5-Day Marangu Route Kilimanjaro

5-Day Marangu Route: Kilimanjaro’s Traditional Ascent with the Comfort of Huts

Embark on Africa’s ultimate mountain challenge with our 5-Day Marangu Route expedition, the traditional and most established path to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Popularly known as the “Coca-Cola Route” for its well-trodden and manageable ascent, this Kilimanjaro Marangu Route trek welcomes adventurers seeking a structured and supported journey through varied landscapes.

A defining feature of the 5-Day Marangu is the unparalleled comfort of its dedicated hut accommodation at each camp, offering trekkers much-needed shelter and warmth throughout your journey. Your Kilimanjaro climb progresses steadily through five distinct climatic zones, from the humid rainforest teeming with unique flora and fauna to the barren, lunar landscapes of the alpine desert, guiding you progressively higher to Mandara and Horombo Huts.

Despite its reputation as less technical, the shorter 5-day timeline means the summit push from Kibo Hut on the final night is highly demanding, requiring strong physical and mental fortitude. Success on this Kilimanjaro trek hinges on effective acclimatization during the condensed itinerary. Reaching Uhuru Peak (5,895m) on this route is a profound testament to your endurance and an unforgettable sunrise spectacle.

Ready to achieve your dream of standing atop Africa’s highest peak with the added comfort of mountain huts? Explore our 5-Day Marangu Route packages and prepare for an extraordinary Kilimanjaro adventure!

INCLUSIONS

All the transfers to the mountain gate and back to your accommodation

Professional, experienced and English speakers (you can request for other language) mountain guides, mountain porters (according to group size) and a professional cook

Government park fees (with 18% VAT), including entrance fees, rescue fees, accommodation fees

Accommodation in dormitory styled huts while on the mountain

Warm sleeping bags

Sleeping mattress

Emergency oxygen cylinder

3 meals a day during the trek days, according to client’s preferences (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Clean, purified drinking water (unlimited supply)

EXCLUSIONS

International and local flights

Tanzania visa

Surcharge for payment by credit card (5% on each payment)

Surcharge for cash withdrawal charged by the banks

Accommodations before and after the trek (available as extra addition)

Airport transfers (available as extra addition)

Traveling insurance

Tips and gratitudes

Personal hiking equipment such as hiking boots, clothes etc. (available for renting)

Personal expenses (such as laundry, telephone, beverages)

Day 0 : Breafing Day

If you just arrived in Kilimanjaro airport one day or more before the trek and you choose to use transfer service, we will pick you up from the airport directly to your accommodation in Arusha/Moshi.

A day before the hike used for briefing about the whole trek. Checking of the equipments and everything regarding the hike, Meeting with the Head guide to answer all of your questions etc. so it is advised to arrive at least one day before the hike for all the arrangements etc

Day 1 : Marangu Gate To Mandara Huts

After breakfast at the hotel in Arusha/ Moshi, driving straight to the starting point at Marangu gate. It will take around 3 hours from Arusha, from Moshi it will take around 1 hour. After arriving at the gate it will be registrations part done by your head guide. And then you will start to hike, lunch box will be provided and this day. The first section of the route is a walk through the rainforest where along the way you will may see the Colobus monkeys, trees and birdlife on the way to Mandara Huts for resting, dinner and overnight.

Elevation: 1,860m/6,100ft from Marangu gate to 2,700m/8,860ft at Mandara Huts
Walking distance: 8kms/5 miles
Estimate walking time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Rain forest

Day 2 : Mandara Huts To Horombo Huts

After breakfast continue hiking from Mandara to Horombo Huts. At the beginning you will walk for a while through a patch of forest and then ascend to an open moorlands landscape on the way you will have a stop for lunch then later arrive at Horombo huts. At the campsite, when the sky is clear, you may be able to see a view of Mawenzi peak. At this point because you are quite high you may begin to feel effects of altitude.

Elevation: 2,700m/8,860ft at Mandara huts to 3,700m/12,140ft at Horombo huts
Walking distance: 12kms/7.5miles
Estimate walking time: 5 – 6 hours
Habitat: Heathland and Moorland

Day 3 : From Horombo Huts To Kibo Huts

After breakfast continue the hike ascending to kibo huts, on the way you will pass through the water streams and then you reach the last water stream of the mountain at the elevation of 4,200m/13,780ft so it is the last chance to collect water and the porters will do so. Along the way you will reach a barren plain of alpine desert between two main peaks of the mountain, Mawenzi and Kibo. You will have lunch (lunch box) on the way. At this stage you may feel the increasing of high altitude sickness not because the landscape is steep but because of lack of vegetation which lead to lack of oxygen. Depending on the weather, near Kibo hut you can see view of Kibo and also Mawenzi from different angle. Then later arriving at Kibo huts for resting, dinner and resting again getting ready for summit hike.

Elevation: 3,700m/12,140ft at Horombo to 4,700/15,420ft at Kibo Hut
Walking Distance: 9.5 km/ 5.9 miles
Estimate walking time: 5-7 hours
Habitat: Alpine desert

Day 4 : Kibo Hut To Summit To Horombo Hut

Your guide will wake you up between 11pm to 12am for a short preparation for the summit hike, you will be given some hot drinks and some light snacks, you will put few more layers of clothes, hiking boots and head torch and start a hike to the summit, you will be accompanied with the head guide and few Porters. This is the steepest and the toughest part of the trek, most of the climbers feel the altitude sickness at its peak at this stage, with symptoms such as Headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness etc there are some points before the summit which people usually use as resting point such as Williams point (a big rock) marks the 5,000m/16,400ft, The Hans Meyer Cave which lies at 5,150m/16,900ft, Giman’s point at 5,681m/ 18,640ft, Stella Point at 5,685m/ 18,652ft. From Gilman’s point you will reach the glaciers landscape of mount Kilimanjaro. Along the way you will be to watch breathtaking views of the unique glaciers of the mountain and all the area below the mountain.

The last point of the hike, the summit, Uhuru point (meaning freedom point) at 5,895m/19,340ft. You can spend some time in the summit, enjoying the feeling of being on the top of Africa, take some pictures, and then start descending all the way down to Kibo huts, get some rest and lunch, and keep on descending to Horombo huts for resting, dinner and overnight.

Elevation: 4,700m/15,420ft at Kibo huts to 5,895m/19,340ft at Uhuru peak to 3,700m/12,140ft at Horombo huts
Walking distance: ascending from Kibo to Uhuru 5.5 km/3.4miles; descending from summit to Horombo 15 km/9.3 miles
Estimate walking time: 6-8 hours up; 5-6 hours down.
Habitat: Alpine desert and glaciers.

Day 5 : Horombo Huts To Marangu Gate

This is the last day of the hike, after breakfast you start descending all the way to Marangu gate, along the way you will have a stop for lunch (lunch box). The car will be ready to take you from the gate to the hotel in Moshi or Arusha.

Walking distance: 20km/12.5 miles
Estimate walking time: 4-5 hour