5 Days Marangu route

Day 1:

Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport and be met for transfer to the hotel in Arusha. You will be staying at the hotel for dinner and breakfast.

Day 2:

After breakfast and a briefing from your guide, depart from Arusha at 9 AM and drive for 45 minutes to the Marangu Gate on the eastern side of Kilimanjaro. Register with the national park and begin hiking at 10:30 AM. In the rainforest, observe towering Eucalyptus trees, birdlife, and Colobus monkeys. This route offers the convenience of solar-powered sleeping huts with comfortable beds at each camp. The huts are communal, with sponge mattresses and pillows on each bunk. The Mandara Huts will be reached around 2 or 3 PM, where you can unpack, rest, and enjoy some tea or coffee. Take a 15-minute side trip to Maundi Crater to experience the breathtaking surroundings of Northern Tanzania and Kenya. Dinner will be served in the early evening at 7 PM, and bathrooms with running water are available.

Day 3:

Start the day with a 7:30 AM breakfast and prepare for the next leg of your trek. Break camp by 8:30 AM and hike through rainforest glades for an hour, followed by an ascending path through heathland where you can spot giant lobelias and groundsels. As you continue upwards, you'll reach open moorlands with small shrubs as the main vegetation. Enjoy a lunch break with incredible views of Mawenzi. By 3 PM, arrive at the Horombo Huts, offering a glimpse of Kibo's summit. Rest, unpack, and get ready for dinner. Bathrooms with running water are available at this camp. As you gain altitude, you may begin to feel the effects of it, and an extra day of rest at Horombo or a climb to a basecamp below Kibo's sub-peak Mawenzi can aid in acclimatization.

Day 4:

Wake up to breakfast and, if you're an early riser, capture stunning sunrise photos. The first part of today's hike takes you through dwindling heathland, transforming into a moonscape as you reach the sweeping saddle connecting Mawenzi and Kibo. Take breaks to examine the summit climb up Kibo, which you'll embark on in a few hours. Pay attention to signs of altitude sickness. There is no running water at the Kibo Huts.

Day 5:

Prepare for your summit ascent by waking up at midnight and having a light breakfast. The goal is to climb before dawn, allowing you to reach Uhuru Peak shortly after sunrise. Begin the climb at 1 AM, navigating steep scree or possible snow. Reach Gilman's Point on the crater rim (5,861 m/18,640 ft) between 5 and 7 AM, where you'll be greeted by views of the fabled crater and its icecaps. Continue hiking for another 2 hours along the crater rim, near the celebrated snows, until you reach Kilimanjaro's true summit, Uhuru Peak, by 9 AM. This is the highest point in Africa, surpassing any peak in the Himalayas by traveling over 3,000 miles. Don't forget to take a picture at the summit. Afterward, descend back to the Kibo Huts for lunch, rest, and to collect your belongings. Cross the saddle again to reach the Horombo Huts. Enjoy dinner and a well-deserved sleep.

Day 6:

Wake up, pack your belongings, and begin the descent through the moorland to the Mandara Huts. Have lunch there and continue

descending through lush forest to the park gate, which you should reach around 2 or 3 PM. Remember to tip your guides, cooks, and porters at this point. A vehicle will take you back to the hotel in Arusha, where you can celebrate your achievement. Depart for the airport or other destinations in Tanzania or Kenya. Consider visiting the beautiful beaches of Zanzibar to relax and rejuvenate. Various reasonably priced trips and safaris around Arusha and the Kilimanjaro region can be arranged.

Please note:

Price Includes:

• - Two nights of accommodation at the hotel in Arusha, double or triple occupancy (before and after the climb)

  
  

• - Experienced guides and mountain crew

• - National park fees

• - Hut/camping fees and tents

• - Tents, foam sleeping pads, cooking equipment, and eating utensils

• - Rescue fees (required by the National Park)

• - Pulse oximeters

• - First aid kit

• - Salaries for guides, porters, cook, and waiters

• - Boiled water on the mountain

• - Airport transfers (Kilimanjaro International Airport)

• - All meals on the mountain (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

• - Accommodation and entry fees for guides, porters, waiter, and cook on the mountain

Not Included:

• - Supplement for single rooms at the hotel in Arusha (except for the 1 person rate)

• - Tips for guides, porters, cook, and waiters

• - Meals and drinks not specified

• - Mountain equipment (e.g., sleeping bags)

• - Gear for your climb (some equipment available for rent)

• - Car supplement of USD$145 per car for clients using Lemosho/Rongai/Shira Routes

• - Personal expenses

• - Emergency oxygen

• - Additional nights beyond the two standard hotel nights included

• - Extra activities (waterfall tour, cultural village visit)

• - Visa fees and travel insurance

• - Flight tickets.