• Get picked up from your hotel and drive for two and a half hours to Marangu Park gate for formalities registration; after that, transfer to the Rongai trailhead in about 3 hours.

• Meet your guide and porters before you begin your hike from the Nale Moru village. The small winding path crosses maize fields before entering the pine forest and then climbs gently through a forest. The trail is not at all steep but is rather a gentle hike through beautiful country. The first night’s camp is at Simba camp, at about 2,600 meters. There are a toilet and a wooden table with benches, but no hut. Water can be found just down the trail below Simba Camp.

Hiking Time: 3–4 hours

Distance: About 8 km

Habitat: Montana forest

• Enjoy the late breakfast and morning at Simba camp.

• Proceed with the hiking very slowly to acclimatise your body until you reach the Second Cave (3450m) for hot lunch.

In the afternoon, relax at the Second Cave with dinner and overnight.

Hiking Time 2–3 hours

Habitat: Moorland

• Continue up towards Kibo after breakfast, and reach Kikelwa Cave at about 3600 metres. The views start to open up, and you begin to feel you’re on a really big mountain! Water is in the obvious stream below the cave, although you might have to wander downhill a way to find some.

Stay overnight at 3rd Cave Camp (Kikelewa Caves).

Hiking Time: 3–4 hours

Habitat: Moorlands

• Go on a short but steep climb up grassy slopes offering superb views of this wilderness area. The vegetation zone ends shortly before you reach your next camp at Mawenzi Tarn, spectacularly situated beneath the towering spires of Mawenzi.

• Spend the afternoon acclimatising and exploring the area.

Hiking time: 3–4 hours

Habitat: Moorlands

• Continue ascending on the east side of Kibo crossing the saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo, taking 4 to 5 hours to reach Kibo Hut. The remainder of the day is spent resting in preparation for the final ascent, which begins around midnight.

Stay overnight at Kibo Camp.

Hiking Time: 4–5 hours

Habitat: Alpine desert

• Wake up around 11:30 pm, and after some tea and biscuits, you shuffle off into the night. This is where the going really gets tough. The first section of the trail consists of a rocky path to the Hans Meyer Cave (5150m), also a good resting spot. The path then zigzags up to Gillman’s point (5 681m), which is located on the crater rim. This section is very steep with a lot of stone scree, requiring a great physical and mental effort. Probably the most demanding section of the entire route. From Gillman’s Point, you will normally encounter snow all the way up to Uhuru Peak (5895m), the highest point in Africa.

• Reach Uhuru Peak. Weather conditions on the summit will determine how long you can spend, taking photographs, before the 3-hour descent back to Kibo hut for a short rest ten after your descent to Horombo hut (3 hours) where you will overnight. The descent to Horombo hut will seem surprisingly fast compared to the ascent. The total time spent walking on this day is around almost 14 hours, but later in the evening, you enjoy your last dinner on the mountain and well-earned sleep.

Hiking time: 8 hours to reach Uhuru

6 hours to descend to Horombo

Distance: 6 kms ascent – 21 kms descent

Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit

• Continue your descent (6 hours) after breakfast, passing the Mandara Hut down to the Marangu Gate.

• Sign your name and details in a register at Marangu Gate. This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Those climbers who reached Gillman’s Point (5685m) are issued with green certificates, and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates.

• Drive back to your hotel in Moshi, where your trekking tour ends.

Hiking Time: 6 hours

Distance: About 27 km