9-Day Rongai Route Kilimanjaro Trek with Uhuru Peak Summit

• Arrive anytime at Kilimanjaro International Airport and take your private transfer to Marangu at Kilimanjaro Mountain Resort.

• Gather in the evening for a pre-climb briefing and equipment check. You will also confirm that you have the appropriate mandatory medical coverage and travel insurance.

Dinner and overnight at Kilimanjaro Mountain Resort. Bed, dinner, and breakfast are included.

• Drive to Marangu to complete the necessary registration formalities before transferring by SUV to Rongai. The climb begins from Nale Moru (6,400 ft) on a small path that winds through fields of maize and potatoes before entering a pine forest.

• Continue with a steady but gentle climb through an attractive forest that shelters a variety of wildlife, including the Colobus monkey. These monkeys are black with a long "cape" of white hair and a flowing white tail. The forest begins to thin out at the edge of the moorland zone.

• Take in the expansive views over the Kenyan plains as you arrive at your first campsite at Rongai One Camp (8,500 ft). [3-4 hours walking]

• The morning walk is a steady ascent up to Second Cave (11,300 ft), with superb views of Kibo and the Eastern Icefields on the crater rim.

• After lunch, leave the main trail and head southeast across the moorland on a smaller path towards the jagged peaks of Mawenzi with your Kilimanjaro tour guide. Your campsite is in a sheltered valley near Kikelewa Caves (11,800 ft). [6-7 hours walking]

• A short but steep climb is rewarded by superb all-round views and a tangible sense of wilderness. Leave the vegetation behind shortly before reaching the next camp at Mawenzi Tarn (14,200 ft), spectacularly situated in a cirque directly beneath the towering spires of Mawenzi. The afternoon will be free to rest or explore the surrounding area as an aid to acclimatization. [3-4 hours walking]

• Enjoy an additional day to acclimatize. Explore the area with a walk up onto the Saddle towards Camel's Back, then return to camp at Mawenzi Tarn (14,200 ft). [2-3 hours walking]

• Cross the lunar desert of the saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo to reach Kibo Hut (15,400 ft) at the bottom of the crater wall. The remainder of the day is spent resting in preparation for the early morning final ascent. [5-6 hours walking]

• Start the final and most demanding part of the climb by torchlight at around 1 a.m. Move very slowly in the darkness on a switchback trail through loose volcanic scree to reach the crater rim at Gillman's Point (18,600 ft). Rest here briefly to enjoy the spectacular sunrise over Mawenzi.

• Those who are still feeling strong can make the three-hour round trip to Uhuru Peak (19,345 ft), passing close to the spectacular glaciers and ice cliffs that still occupy most of the summit area.

• The descent to Kibo Hut (15,400 ft) is surprisingly fast and, after some refreshments, continue descending to Horombo Huts (12,200 ft). [11-15 hours walking]

• Make a steady descent through moorland to Mandara Huts (8,900 ft).

• Then continue descending through lovely lush forest on a good path to the Kilimanjaro National Park gate at Marangu (6,000 ft), where you are transferred back to Kilimanjaro Mountain Resort in Marangu. [5-6 hours walking]

Dinner and overnight at Kilimanjaro Mountain Resort. Bed, dinner, and breakfast are included.

• After saying goodbye to your team of guides, take your included private departure transfer from Marangu to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) for your flight, unless you choose the option of a short safari or another activity.