Tanzania
Guided, Large Group, Small Group
Camping
Kilimanjaro's Marangu route is fairly easy overall despite the difficult final push to the summit. The Marangu route can be trekked in 5 days, however, one additional day is advisable for acclimatization at Horombo camp. It's the only route on the mountain that offers hut accommodation in beds. Termed easier, the route has however encountered the highest failure rate due to bad preparation and untimely attempt. The above situations have moved KINAPA officials to put more emphasis and serious measures for those who climb Mt Kilimanjaro on the Marangu route. All camps along this route have good radio communication to the park office. Some goods like mineral water, soft drinks, beer and chocolates are available in these camps. Why not combine a Tanzania safari or beach holiday in Zanzibar with your Kilimanjaro trekking.
From USD 1,669 per person
After breakfast at your lodge in Moshi, we will pick you up and drive to Marangu gate via Moshi town and through villages, local farms of cassava, potatoes, maize, coffee and banana plantations. 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 porters who will accompany you will depend on things to be carried as each porter normally carries no more than 20 kg. You will carry your lunch box, drinking water, clothes and other personal stuff. Porters set off on the hike first and will meet you at the camp.
Start by hiking up to Mandara hut at (2700 m) through a beautiful landscape of mountain forest, little streams and waterfalls. Kisamboni picnic area is the place for lunch and 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). Vegetation type at this campsite is of low alpine zone and moorland, accompanied by shrub and trees with lots of lichens. Mandara area is located in a clear forest with wooden A-shaped framed huts and where you will spend your first night on 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 and some bites then hot water to wash before changing clothes you have been hiking with. Dinner will be served before going to bed.
After a light breakfast, your second hiking day on Kilimanjaro Marangu route starts. Today you will hike along with the last patches of the forest past the other side of 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 condition, you can have a great view of both Kibo and Mawenzi. Reach Horombo huts and if you wish you can bath with hot water before dinner and sleep in a luxurious bed.
Horombo huts have a capacity of 120 people all sleeping in bed; it’s a small village and the only huts at Kilimanjaro with beds. At this camp nights tends to be very cold please be prepared. Arriving at the camp the same procedures will follow just as much as the previous day.
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 at 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 the same procedures will follow as the previous day.
The final part of your Marangu route will be at night. After dinner your guide will give you a detailed briefing on how it will go, so you will prepare all needed equipment before going to sleep as the trekking will start around midnight, depending on your pace. Things to be prepared for are thermal clothing, ski-stick, thermal flask for water, hand warmers, batteries and headlamp among others (we will brief you in Arusha and go through your gear).
Depending on your pace you can possibly 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. At this point your about to reach the summit but it can be a great challenge. Wow! You have reached the Uhuru Peak the highest point in Africa, Kilimanjaro Mountain – congratulations!
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 the same procedures will follow for washing, coffee/tea etc. Dinner will be served there and you will spend a night in the luxurious beds.
Breakfast at Horombo hut before starting your last day downwards from Kilimanjaro.
Have lunch and some rest at Mandara hut (2,700) 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 you reached Gilman’s Point you will have a green certificate and for Uhuru Peak, the actual summit, a gold certificate. Tips for porters and guides are recommended and 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 for overnight or drop off to the airport
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