6-Day Kilimanjaro Bike Trip to Uhuru Peak via the Marangu Route

• Meet your guide and embark on your transfer to Marangu Gate, which takes about 45 minutes. The journey passes through the village of Marangu, located on the lower slopes of the mountain. Once you reach the park gate, all hikers are required to register at the park office.
• After signing in and registering at Marangu Gate, we drive to Kilema Gate.
• Upon arrival, make sure you have all your daypack items, including at least drinking water, your lunch pack, and extra clothing, and do a final check on your mountain bike. You will then start the first route section of 16 km, with your guide also on a mountain bike, from Kilema Gate (1,950 m) to Horombo Hut (3,705 m). Bikers with good fitness levels, mountain biking skills, and suitable road conditions will be able to cycle all the way to Horombo Hut. It is important to remember that the biggest cause of altitude sickness is ascending too high too quickly.
• We will stop regularly to give your body the maximum time to adjust to the higher altitudes. We aim to reach Horombo Hut at around 15:00.

Dinner and overnight at Horombo Huts.

• After breakfast, you start your cycling ride through the Alpine desert. Some of the areas you will ride over have small stones as you make your way up to Mawenzi Hut and back to Horombo Hut. Today is 90% riding in Alpine desert vegetation, and the cycling distance is 10 kilometres.

• After an early breakfast, meet your guide and start your ascent into the Alpine desert habitat. The first 3 km of the trail is very rocky, and cycling will be very difficult because this section is stony and eroded.
• After about 3 km, the trail improves and cycling will once again be possible. The Saddle, which refers to the area located between the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo, is relatively flat and cycling is much easier. However, the high altitude, low oxygen levels, and cold conditions make the 7 km section towards Kibo Hut strenuous and challenging. The final kilometre before reaching Kibo Hut is especially strenuous. You will once again be reminded to slow down and drink enough water.
• Upon arrival at Kibo Hut, lunch will be served. After lunch, we will embark on an awesome Kilimanjaro downhill, descending nearly 800 m over 7 km. The final 3 km descent down to Horombo Hut is very technical and challenging.

Dinner and overnight at Horombo Hut.

• We will wake up early and make sure your duffel bags are packed and ready to go.
• After breakfast, you meet with your guide and we will head back up to Kibo Hut. Again, the first 3 km will require you to push and carry your bike a lot, with the final 7 km to Kibo Hut offering a good biking trail.
• We will enjoy lunch and then aim to rest. At around 16:00, depending on how you feel, it is possible to hike partially up the summit path to orient yourself for the summit attempt later that night. Situated in the barren Alpine desert, Kibo Hut is a stone-built block house with bunk beds for 60 climbers, but there are no streams with water nearby. There are platform toilets behind the hut.
• The summit, Uhuru Peak, is now a further 1,195 m up, and you will make your final ascent the same night. Prepare your equipment, thermal clothing, and everything else for your summit bid. This should include replacing your headlamp and camera batteries, and making sure you have a spare set available as well.
• To prevent freezing, it is wise to ask your summit porters or guide to carry your water in a thermal flask. Go to bed at about 19:00 and try to get as much rest and sleep as possible until 22:00.

Dinner and overnight at the Kibo Hut.

• At 4:00 am, you will be awakened by your guides to start the zigzag trek up the long scree slope.
• After roughly two hours, you should reach Hans Meyer's Cave, and from here the gradient gets steeper.
• Continue your climb for approximately another three hours to Gilman's Point. You will take your bike from the porters and start riding to Uhuru Peak. After arriving at Uhuru Peak, spend a few minutes there or take photos, and then ride down to Stella Point.
• After lunch, ride down to Horombo. Today, cycling from Kibo to Uhuru and then back to Kibo is 15% to 20% in alpine desert vegetation, and from Kibo to Horombo it is 100% Alpine desert vegetation / icecap.

Dinner and overnight at Horombo Hut.

• After breakfast, make your final ride down to Kilema Gate across the alpine zone and the rainforest. At Kilema Gate, you will be transferred to Marangu Gate for check-out and then continue to your hotel in Moshi.