5-Day Mount Kilimanjaro Trek via Marangu Route to Uhuru Peak

• From the gate, ascend a cleared ridge trail, formerly a vehicle track, to Mandara Hut. The cleared trail is the fastest way to Mandara, but opportunities to see wildlife or enjoy the forest are limited due to the heavy foot traffic.

• Alternatively, ascend along the parallel forest trail and descend on the main trail. The forest trail branches off to the left a few minutes after the gate and follows the edge of a stream through the undergrowth.

• About halfway, around 1 hour from the gate, you can choose to cross the stream and rejoin the main trail or continue on the forest trail. Both trails continue on opposite sides of the stream, merging about 1 hour before Mandara Hut.

• Transfer to Marangu Gate at an altitude of 1,860 m. The path to Mandara Hut, the first overnight stop, passes through the rainforest and takes up to 4 hours.

1830m-2700m; 3-4 hours trek

• From Mandara Hut, the trail passes through a short stretch of forest and skirts the base of Maundi Crater, crosses a meadow and a wooded stream, then emerges into grassland. It is well worth the short detour to scramble up to the rim of Maundi Crater for a superb view of the mountain and its surroundings. The trail crosses numerous moorland ravines before ending at Horombo Hut, which is set in a rocky valley with a fine stand of giant scenecios or groundsels.

• Leave behind the forest and follow the ascending path through alpine meadows onto the slopes of Mawenzi. Horombo Hut is reached after about 6 hours and is 11 km from Mandara.

2700m-3720m; 5-7 hours trek

• From Horombo Hut, there are two trails to the Saddle. The right fork is very stony and eroded and is the most direct route to the Saddle and Mawenzi. From the Saddle, about 2 hours from Horombo, there are trails to Mawenzi Hut or Mawenzi Tarn Hut and across the length of the Saddle to Kibo Hut in about 3 hours. The left fork from Horombo Hut is an easier trail and emerges on the Saddle much closer to Kibo and about 1 kilometre from Kibo Hut. The landscape now becomes more rocky and rugged until the Saddle is reached.

• Reach Kibo Hut for an overnight stay.

3720m-4703m; 5-6 hours trek

• The trail to the summit lies directly behind Kibo Hut to the west. It is normal to start this day's climb at 2 a.m. or earlier, in order to see the sunrise over Mawenzi from the top of Kibo. The first part is an uneven trail that leads to the Hans Meyer Cave, a good rest point. After that, the trail makes more regular switchbacks most of the way to the top, with a final scramble over rocks to Johannes Notch and Gillman's Point.

• From there, the trail continues along the rim past Stella Point to Uhuru Peak. With an early 2:00 a.m. start, you will make the steep and demanding final ascent through the snow. By daybreak, you should be at the rim of the crater at 5,685 m.

• Time and weather permitting, the final push to Uhuru Peak should take about 45 minutes. At the top, there are stunning views of the ice walls offset by rugged rocks.

• After a fast descent to Kibo Hut for a meal and rest, continue descending to Horombo Hut with your Kilimanjaro guide.

5680m-5892m; 10-12 hours trek

• Make an easy descent to Marangu Gate and then transfer to Moshi.

10-12 hours trek