6-Day Marangu Route Kilimanjaro

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

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

After breakfast continue a hike from Mandara to Horombo Huts with the first part you will walk for a while through a patch of forest and the ascend to an open moorlands 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

This day is considered as resting day and adjusting to the altitude, some may do a little hike to Zebra rock which is a set of volcanic rocks on mount Kilimanjaro with a stripped patterns that resembles that of a Zebra, this is found at the elevation of 4,010m/ 13,156ft also at this point there is a very good view of Mawenzi peak. Lunch, dinner and overnight at Horombo 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

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

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