6-Day Kilimanjaro Marangu Route Trek to Uhuru Peak

• Leave your hotel at 8:30 am and drive to Moshi, then continue to Marangu Gate.

• After completing the gate registration, begin your trek along a narrow trail through Kilimanjaro's rainforest for most of the hike.

• Lunch will be taken on the way, about halfway through the trek.

• After lunch, continue walking through the rainforest until you reach Mandara Hut.

• Relax here for the rest of the day, or take a short walk to the Maundi Crater area. On a clear day, the views east over Taveta and northwest to Mawenzi Peak are stunning, making the short hike well worth the effort.

Dinner and overnight stay at Mandara Hut.

• After breakfast, leave Mandara Hut and Kilimanjaro's forests behind as you continue to Horombo Hut. Most of the day's hike passes through Kilimanjaro's moorlands, a rocky landscape with desert-like plants.

• Enjoy a picnic lunch at Nusu Njia before continuing to Horombo Hut. If the weather is clear, take in beautiful views of Mawenzi and Kibo peaks. Arrive at Horombo Hut at around 3 pm and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing.

Dinner and overnight stay at Horombo Hut.

• This is an acclimatization day. We suggest hiking all the way to Mawenzi Hut to allow for maximum acclimatization. The hike will increase your chances of reaching Uhuru Peak and reward you with magnificent views of Kibo.

• Return to Horombo for a late lunch.

• Spend the afternoon and evening relaxing at Horombo Hut.

• Leave Horombo Hut after breakfast and hike through the moorland and alpine desert of Kilimanjaro's upper altitudes.

• After about an hour of hiking, arrive at Maua River, a small mountain stream. Beyond Maua, the terrain becomes flatter and the vegetation begins to disappear.

• Break for lunch at Middle Red Hill.

• After lunch, continue on a steady incline for another two hours through Kilimanjaro's Saddle. Although the environment on the way to Kibo is a bleak desert with little vegetation, you will enjoy many stunning views of Kibo and Mawenzi peaks.

• Reach Kibo Hut at around 3 pm to rest and prepare for your midnight climb.

• Around midnight, wake for the final ascent to Uhuru Peak, the roof of Africa. The climb begins with a demanding five-hour hike to Gillman's Point on the crater rim. Although this is considered the easiest of the three crater ascent paths, it is still challenging. The first major rest stop, William's Point, lies at 5,000 meters and is approximately a two-hour hike from Kibo Hut.

• Continue for another thirty minutes before beginning the rocky switchbacks that lead to Gillman's Point (5,681 meters). The hike from Gillman's to Uhuru Peak is a gradual climb and, as far as hikes go, not very difficult. The crater rim hike takes approximately two hours.

• Upon reaching Uhuru, take photos with your guide and group at the peak before beginning the descent to Horombo Hut.

• On the way down from the summit, you will see all of the magnificent views you could not see on the way up.

• Stop for a short break and snacks at Kibo Hut before continuing to Horombo Hut.

• Reach Horombo Hut in the afternoon and enjoy your last night on the mountain.

• After breakfast, finish the trek with a descent to Marangu Gate. Your final hike on Kilimanjaro is a beautiful one, passing through Kilimanjaro's cloud forest. Watch your step during the descent, as the trail can be slippery.

• Meet the vehicles waiting at Marangu Gate for your transfer back to Moshi for an overnight stay.