Kilimanjaro Summit Challenge: 6 Days via Marangu Route

Moshi (1400 m) – Marangu gate (1,980 m) – Mandara Hut (2700 m)Hiking time: 5 hours; Distance approx. 12 km Vegetation type: Montane forest & moorland

After breakfast at your lodge/hotel, we pick you up and drive to Marangu gate. It takes 21/2 to 3 hrs of driving along with Chagga villages, and farms of sweet potatoes, cassava, beans, maize & through coffee & banana plantation. On arrival at the gate you will sign in at the park office and your guide will work on registration formalities. The actual number of potters to support you will depend on things to be carried but from the office, we will weigh the entire luggage and have a rough idea of the number of porters. According to park rules & regulation, each potter should carry not more than 20 kg; you will carry your lunch box, drinking water, some clothes and all your valuables. Potters are hiking first so once they carry any of your things you will meet them at the camp. Today, your Kilimanjaro climb on Marangu route 6 days starts by trekking up to Mandara hut at (2700 m), you will hike through a beautiful landscape of the mountain forest & along little streams and waterfalls. Kisamboni picnic area the place for lunch can be reached after 11/2 hrs a walk from the park gate. From Kisamboni another 11/2 hrs will be needed to reach Mandara hut (2,700). The vegetation type at the campsite is of low alpine zone and moorland, with shrub and trees accompanied by lots of lichens. Mandara hut is placed at a clear forest with wooden A-shaped framed and here is where your will first night on Kilimanjaro Mountain will be spent. Mandara huts have a capacity to accommodate 60 people sleeping in bunks; each hut has 4-8 sleeping bunks. The water around this area is from the spring and can safely be used for cooking, drinking & flushing toilets. At the camp you will have hot water for a wash, then afterwards tea/coffee & snacks before changing the clothes that you have been hiking with & put on dry clothes. On the mountain, we say “stay warm all the time”. This procedure will be carried out in almost all camps. You can have a short walk to the Maundi crater where you can enjoy good weather and possibly a great view Mawenzi peak. Blue Monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys can be spotted around this place.Overnight at Mandara Huts

Mandara Hut (2700 m) – Horombo Hut (3,720 m)Hiking time: 6 hours; Distance approx. 15 km Vegetation type: moorland zone

After breakfast, the second hiking day on Mt. Kilimanjaro Marangu route starts. This day you will hike along with the last patches of the montane forest past the other side of Maundi crater and soon you will reach the moorland vegetation zone. The area is more dominated by vegetations known as heather, Lobelia Deckenii and lovely Dendrosenecio kilimanjari. With good weather condition, you can have a stunning view of both Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. Later you will arrive at Horombo huts and if you wish you can bath with hot water before dinner followed by sleeping in a luxurious bed. Horombo huts can accommodate 120 people all sleeping in beds and it is like a small village and the only huts on Kilimanjaro with beds. You have one day here for relaxing and acclimatization be prepared as nights tends to be crazy cold.Overnight at Horombo Huts

Marangu route 6 days Itinerary -Horombo Hut (3720 m) – Acclimatization dayAfter breakfast Horombo Hut, spend a day here allowing your body to adjust to high altitude. But even better, you will have a day hike to Mawenzi ridge (4600 m) for further acclimatization with your guide. You will have lunch at Mawezi ridge then descend back to Horombo Huts for Dinner and overnight.Overnight at Horombo Huts

Horombo Hut (3,720 m) – Kibo Hut (4,700 m)Hiking time: 6 hours; Distance approx. 15 km Vegetation type: Alpine desert

‘Saddle’ the area in-between Mawenzi and Kibo can be reached in two different routes, through the upper route which is eroded and stormy or by taking the lower route which is easier and most recommended where you can pass near the water point at (4200 m) which is the last in this route. We will fill your bottles with enough drinking water as this will be the last water point before getting back to Horombo huts again, otherwise, you can buy mineral water or soft drinks at Kibo huts. If you wish you can take a short break at this last water point and perhaps sit at the picnic site for lunch. From Last Water Point, you will reach Kibo huts at (4700 m) after 21/2 hours of walking. Kibo hut is at the barren Alpine desert with only vegetation known as ‘everlasting flowers’. Kibo huts are built with stone blocks and have 60 bunk beds and platform toilets. Reaching the camp same procedures will follow as per previous days.Overnight at Kibo Huts

Summit attempt: Kibo Hut (4,700 m) – Uhuru Peak 5,895 m & back to Horombo Hut (3,720 m)Hiking time: 8 hours to Uhuru Peak, 6 hours to Horombo hut Distance approx. 6 km ascent 21 km descent Vegetation type: Stone scree / ice-cap summit On this day after early dinner, your guide will give you a detailed briefing on how you can successfully get to the summit, what to pack, what to wear and so on. You will then prepare all the needed gears before going to sleep as the starting hours will be around midnight. Things to be prepared for this attempt are mostly thermal clothing, ski-stick, and thermal flask for water; hand warmers, batteries and headlamp among others. Your guide will point them out during the briefing. Since your guide has been watching your pace on previous days he will schedule the staring time which will likely to be around 23:00 and 00:00, you may have some tea and biscuits before starting. You will face a challenging part of your Mt Kilimanjaro climbing at the beginning which is a rough and rocky path. On the way you will pass Williams Point at (5,000 m), Hans Meyer Cave at (5,150 m) and Gillman’s point at (5,681 m) positioned on the crater’s rim. To reach Hans Meyer Cave from Kibo hut you will spend almost two and a half hours. Gilman’s point is placed just a short distance from Hans Meyer Cave, it is about an hour to get there. From Gilman’s point, you will possibly need not less than 1 hour and a half to reach the summit. The rest of your climbing up to Uhuru Peak will be covered with snow and the walking will be along the rim of the crater. Stella point at (5,752 m) will be passed on the way and this is the point where other Kilimanjaro routes reach the rim. Mt Kilimanjaro climbing tours continue and at this point your about to reach the summit but it can be of a great challenge. Getting there weather how you feel will determine the time to be spent at the summit enjoying & taking pictures but it will not be much longer at this altitude before starting your way down and back to Kibo hut at (4700 m) for a lunch break. After lunch you will stretch further down to Horombo hut at (3720 m), it will take you not less than 3 hours to get there. At the camp same procedures of hot water to wash & so forth will take place. Later you will be served dinner and spend a night at the luxurious beds.Overnight at Horombo Huts

Horombo Hut (3,720 m) – Marangu gate at 1,980 m – then drive to Moshi/ArushaDescending time: 6 hours; Distance approx. 27 km Vegetation type: Low alpine zone, moorland and montane forest.

You will have breakfast at Horombo hut before starting your last day down from Kilimanjaro. Hot lunch will be served at Mandara hut (27,00 m), little rest before starting your way, hopeful the path is familiar as you have passed here on your first day. Reaching Marangu gate, you will provide some details to the register on where you have reached. Certificate for reaching Gilman's Point is in green colour & gold certificate (big Diploma) for reaching Uhuru Peak the actual summit of Kilimanjaro Mountain. This will be the time for celebration singing & dancing followed by tips session, you may start with potters, cook & lastly the guides. Afterwards, meet your driver at the gate and drive back to Moshi/Arusha or drop off at the airport.Overnight At Your Hotel/Lodge in Moshi/Arusha