Tanzania · Trekking

8-Day Kilimanjaro Marangu Route Trek with Uhuru Peak Summit

8 Days Round trip from Marangu Hard pace

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Summit at Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa
02 Trek the Marangu route, the only Kilimanjaro route with sleeping huts
03 Walk through the attractive, unspoilt forest to Mandara Hut
04 Admire magnificent views of Kibo and Mawenzi peaks

Traverse the Marangu route (Coca-Cola), the only Kilimanjaro route with sleeping huts along the way. Popular with trekkers seeking a bit more comfort on this classic climb, it follows a gentle slope for the first several days before the tough summit push from Kibo Hut. Trust the oldest route to the summit and experience the incomparable natural beauty of Mount Kilimanjaro on this 8-day trek.

Start the ascent by torchlight at about 12 a.m. so that you can be at Gillman's Point by sunrise.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 8 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Hard

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

Cities Moshi, Mount Kilimanjaro, Marangu

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Arrival in Marangu

Get picked up from Kilimanjaro Airport.
Check in at Marangu at Kilimanjaro Mountain Resort for accommodation and dinner.

Day 02

Trek to Mandara Hut

Climb through attractive, unspoilt forest to reach the clearing containing Mandara Hut (2,700 m).
The volcanic remains of Maundi Crater are nearby and make a good afternoon excursion.
An alternative is to simply rest and enjoy the beautiful forest around you.

3-5 hours of walking

Day 03

Ascent to Horombo Hut

The first part of the walk is a steep ascent through forest.
The path soon opens out into grassy moorland and, in clear weather, there are good views of Kibo and Mawenzi peaks.
Climb steadily through the moorland zone to eventually reach the hut complex at Horombo (3,720 m).

4-6 hours of walking

Day 04

Acclimatisation at Horombo Hut

Spend the day making an excursion towards the base of the seldom-visited Mawenzi peak, which affords excellent views of Kibo and your route up to the crater rim at Gillman's Point.
Mawenzi is an older volcano than Kibo and has therefore eroded further into a very jagged ridge with dramatic pinnacles.
Spend a second night at Horombo Hut to further improve acclimatisation.

4-5 hours of walking

Day 05

Climb to Kibo Hut

Climb gradually towards the lunar desert of the Saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo.
Reach Kibo Hut (4,700 m) at the bottom of the crater wall by midday, and keep the afternoon free to contemplate the summit ascent.
Spend the remainder of the day resting and eating in preparation for the final climb before a very early night.

4-6 hours of walking

Day 06

Summit Attempt to Uhuru Peak

Start the ascent by torchlight at about 12 a.m. so that you can be at Gillman's Point by sunrise.
The initial climb is steep over loose volcanic scree, but there are some well-graded zig-zags, and a slow but steady pace should reach Gillman's Point (5,685 m) in five or six hours.
Those who are still feeling strong can make the three-hour round trip from here along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,896 m).
The descent is surprisingly fast, and you return to Horombo for the night.

11-15 hours of walking

Day 07