Overview
Marangu Route is the most popular trail with spectacular features such as deep rich Montane forest of the south-eastern slopes, the flowers into Maundi Crater and the wind-blown high-altitude desert of the Saddle adds other scenic views from Horombo via Mawenzi to Kibo on a day 2 &3 from Horombo Huts to Kibo. Marangu Trail can also be climbed for 6 days for those wishing to acclimatize having an extra day to rest.
Day Activities
Day One
You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your arranged Hotel in Arusha/Moshi town, you will meet you have all the necessary mountain gear. Gear which is missing can be rented on this day. Hotel bed & Breakfast your guide who will brief you on your upcoming trek and do an equipment check to make sure
Day Two
We are going to start our trek at Marangu Gate (1905m/amsl), after going through registration process and weighing all porters items of which cannot exceed 20kg per porter to carry. We are going to leave Arusha town early after breakfast so that we are not going to take long time at the gate going through registration process. Note: Marangu Route is one the busiest gate on the mountain. The reason we are emphasis of starting early as possible at the gates, is one thing that we’ll start trekking sooner, will get us at Marangu gate before other trekkers, and will have a chance to choose our best dormitory for stay and overnight! On the way to Mandara, we are going to stop at Kisamboni picnic site for lunch, then proceed up the slopes passing small waterfalls alongside a babbling stream, to the Mandara Huts for our accommodation for the first night.
Distance: 8.3km (8.75km if taking Natured Trail Loop)
Altitude Gained: 818m
Day Three
Another interesting trekking day, we are going to leave the Montane Forest zone to Moorland zone, we’ll start to see the first scenic sight of both the Mawenzi summit (Kilimanjaro’s second summit), and it’s snow-capped, Kibo – our ultimate destination!
This day we’ll start to really pace ourselves, taking each step slowly, to help us acclimatize to the increasingly rarified air. While we are on moorland zone (Kilimanjaro’s second vegetation zone), we are going to start to see unusual plants as the giant groundsel and Lobelia deckenii decorating the path.
On this day our destination from Mandara Huts (2723m/amsl) to Horombo Huts (3721m/amsl), picnic lunch will be served on the way, dinner and stay overnight at Horombo Huts chilly but welcoming set of where we’ll have glimpses of Kibo Peak scenic from the west. Popcorns and a hot drink will be served upon arrival, followed by dinner, briefing, and overnight.
Distance: 11km
Altitude Gained: 998m
Day Four
This day will be free for resting and doing acclimatizing from Horombo hut (3721m) to zebra rock and mawenzi ledge (4200m) which will take about 4 hours up and down.
Day Five
On this day after breakfast, we’ll start trekking to Kibo huts with picnic lunch on the way; again we’ll take our slow pace, and drinking enough water. Our goal on this four day is the Kibo Huts4714m/amsl on alpine desert vegetation zone (pretty much is a rock/desert kind zone. Dinner, rest, and sleep early due to waking up before midnight on the 4th day to ascending to UHURU PEAK.
Distance: 9.5km (10.3km on the Mawenzi Alternative)
Altitude Gained: 993m
Day Six
Distance: 6.25km to Uhuru Peak; plus 15.75km down to Horombo Huts (16.55km for Mawenzi Alternative) Altitude Gained/Lost: 1181m to Uhuru Peak, then 2174m descent from Uhuru peak to Kibo huts having rest like 1.5 hours and then get lunch before we start descending down to Horombo Huts.
Wake up call around 11:30Pm, the around midnight with packed hot drinks and snacks energy bars, we’ll start with slow pace to ascend to Gilman’s Point (5719m) on the edge of the Kibo crater, passing Hans Meyer Cave (5259m). From this point we will start to feel stiff steps, we’ll keep slow pace as we start approaching the snow dust, and a test of our endurance – this is where we’ll earn our Kilimanjaro Certificate of Accomplishment. Nevertheless, providing we have avoided altitude sickness and have rested well the last night, there is no reason why we shouldn’t make it up to Gillman’s around 5am or later depending on both our condition and the conditions on the mountain.
From here we have another 1 hour and half to Uhuru Peak. The gradient on this last section is relatively flat – but at this altitude, every step can be exhausting. It is also a walk of achievement, however, with over whelming 12 stories tall standing glaciers, snowfields on one side, and with panorama views over the Kibo Crater on the other side, we’ll be just near to the end of our glorious ultimate destination, Uhuru Peak (Independence Peak), the highest point in Africa where our nation founding fathers light a torch! Here, if we’re on time, we can watch the sun rise over the African continent horizon, take photos – and take a breath too!
Soon after taking photos at the Summit, we are going to descent to Kibo Huts considerably quicker than it was on the way up! Full lunch at Kibo, then we are going to rest for an hour and half or so, then we’ll continue descending down to Horombo Huts through the Saddle, heath, and on Moorland zones again, dinner and overnight at Horombo Huts. We should arrive there at about 4pm – of which we could have spent 14 hours in total from midnight to the summit, then to Horombo Huts. Although will be an exhausting day, will be a worth one!
Depature
After breakfast and enough rest at Horombo Huts. We are going to leave Moorland zones to Montane forest zones, lunch stop at Mandara Huts/ Marangu Gate. where for those who have reached Gilman’s Point /Uhuru Peak will be awarded Certificate of accomplishment, then will hold a small ceremony at the gate before driving to Arusha for hot shower, dinner and stay overnight.
Distance: 20km (20.75km on the Nature Trail)
Altitude Gained/Lost: 1816m
