6-Days Marangu Route

When you arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport, a member of the Ihana safaris hospitality team will greet you. He’ll take you to Panama Garden Resort, where you’ll find everything you need for a relaxing stay after a long flight, including comfortable rooms with hot showers, a delicious restaurant, a friendly service team, and Internet access. At the appointed time, your briefing will take place, during which your guides will go over all the details of the upcoming trek. They’ll answer your questions and make sure you’re prepared for the journey. They will let you rent it if you don’t have everything you need.

Accommodation: Panama Garden Resort
Journey time and distance: 1 hour’s drive, 40 km from Kilimanjaro International Airport to Moshi

After an early breakfast (07.00hrs) at your hotel, you depart one hour later and arrive at the Marangu Gate at around 9.00hrs, ready to register and begin the trek. As the porters load up your belongings and you meet the professional trekking team who will accompany you up the mountain, your excitement grows. Starting at an altitude of 1,879 meters on the south-east side of Kilimanjaro and ending at a height of 2,720 meters, you will walk for about 3.5 to 4 hours (without breaks) today to reach Mandara Hut, where you will spend the night. You’ll cover just over 8 kilometers (5 miles) in that time.

You begin your walk in the middle of the morning, stop for a picnic lunch around 13.00 hours, and then continue walking until you reach the hut at 16.00 hours. At 18.30 hrs, dinner is served. Today’s walk is pleasant, despite the fact that it is almost entirely uphill, with the possibility of seeing blue monkeys or admiring the rainforest vegetation along the way. Today’s landscape is dominated by the rainforest. Look for the bright red Impatiens kilimanjari flower, the mountain’s iconic symbol. The giant heathers and bearded lichen begin to emerge for the first time at the end of the day. The Mandara A-frame Huts, where you will sleep, are equipped with solar-powered lighting, as well as water from a stream and flush toilets. It’s a good idea to bring earplugs because you’ll be sleeping in a dormitory with other people.

Accommodation: Dormitory Beds, At Mandara Huts

Hiking Time and Elevation: 3.5–4 hours’ walking, from 1,879 m at Marangu Gate to 2,720 m at Mandara Hut

Your early morning breakfast gets you ready for an 08.30 departure, and today’s 11 km/7 mile walk will take between 5.5 and 6 hours of actual walking time (excluding breaks), with a total climb of 1,000 meters to Horombo’s finishing point (altitude: 3,720 metres).

At 13.00 hours, you will stop for a picnic lunch before continuing your climb and arriving at Horombo hut around 16.00 hours. At 18.00 hrs, dinner will be served. As your route takes us past the renowned Maundi Crater, you’ll notice that the forest landscape is quickly replaced by moorland and heather. Overall, the scenery is becoming more barren, but some of Kilimanjaro’s iconic plant species can still be seen. Keep an eye out for giant groundsels, lobelias, and proteas. If you’re lucky enough to have a clear day, you’ll be able to see the snow-capped peak of Kibo as well as the distinctive Mawenzi peak for the first time. Horombo, like Mandara, has A-Frame huts and caters to those on their way up and down the mountain. You will be staying in a dormitory once more.

Accommodation: Dormitory Accommodation at Horombo Hut

Hiking time and elevation: 5.5–6 hours’ walking, from 2,720 m at Mandara Hut to 3,720 m at Horombo Hut.

Today is your additional acclimatization day. This is a crucial part of your plan because it gives you extra time to adjust to the mountain air, which gets thinner as you climb. Today, everyone has the option of visiting the Zebra Rocks (4,100 meters), which requires a 90-minute climb and a return descent to the Horombo Hut (3,720 meters), where they will spend the night. These rocks are named after the stripy black and white color caused by the effects of mineral-laden water on the lava rockface, so don’t expect to see a zebra on them.

Horombo is a popular rest stop for climbers and descents on the Marangu Route, as well as those descending the Rongai Route. Because there is so much water at Horombo (3,720 meters), you have the “luxury” of toilets and even washbasins! Take a look around you today and you’ll notice that the moorland scenery is giving way to an Alpine desert. And, while there are no zebras here, you might be surprised to see some rodents and birds this high up on the mountain.

Accommodation: Dormitory Accommodation at Horombo Hut

Hiking time and elevation: 2-3 Hours, 3,720 M At Horombo Hut To Zebra Rocks At 4,100 M, And Return To Horombo Hut At 3,720 M 

Today you will ascend 983 meters from your Horombo starting point of 3,720 meters, covering approximately 9 km/6 miles and aiming to arrive at the Kibo hut for your overnight stop by around 15.00 hours. You’ll get up early again, with a breakfast at 7:00 a.m. and a departure at 08.30 a.m. It will take you about 5–6 hours to walk to the Kibo Huts.

You choose the southern (left-hand) route where the path splits today. On this path, you can replenish your water reserves at the Maua River, the last source of drinkable water at a height of around 4,000 meters. Today’s stage is steep at first, and there is less vegetation, but you are rewarded with your first glimpse of Kilimanjaro’s famous ‘cones.’ The picnic lunch has been rescheduled for 13.00 hrs. After crossing the Maua River, continue up the Mawenzi Ridge and across the barren, dry terrain known as the Saddle to the huts at the bottom of the Kibo summit. Dinner is at 17.30 hrs tonight, and you should go to bed early in preparation for the midnight summit departure. Kibo huts are made of stone and are simple structures.

Accommodation: Dormitory Beds, At Kibo Huts

Hiking time and elevation: 5–6 Hours of walking, From 3,720 M At Horombo Hut To 4,703 M At Kibo Hut

Your “Summit Day” schedule is quite different. You have your tea and biscuits (23.30hrs) before a midnight departure at 23.00hrs. Today is your toughest day, with 1,192 meters to climb in 10–13 hours of actual walking time and a total distance of 22 kilometers (14 miles).

From 07.00 hrs onwards, you should expect to reach the summit. You start on a rocky path and work your way up through a series of zig-zags that get tighter as you go.

On your ascent today, your reference points are William’s Point (5,000 meters), Hans Meyer Cave (5,151 meters), and Gilman’s Point (5,685 metres). The emphasis today is on slowly walking pole pole. After celebrating the successful climb, taking photos, and congratulating yourself at the summit (5,895 meters), you descend to Kibo Hut (4,703 meters) for a well-deserved two-hour rest and a welcome brunch. You resume your descent at 14.00 hours, arriving at the now-familiar Horombo Hut (3,720 meters) at around 17.00 hours. Today’s dinner will be served at 19.00 hrs.

Accommodation: Dormitory Accommodation at Horombo Hut

Hiking time and elevation: 11–13 hours’ walking, from 4,703 m at Kibo Hut to the summit at 5,895 m, then down to 3,720 m at Horombo Hut.

You have the opportunity to thank your hard-working guides and porters at the important “Tipping Celebration” after breakfast at your now-familiar time of 07.00 hrs. After that, you depart Horombo Huts (3,720 meters) and begin your descent towards Marangu Gate (1,879 meters), stopping for a cooked lunch at Mandara Hut (2,720 meters) around midday.

Marangu Gate (1,879 meters) is typically reached by 16.00 hrs, and today’s section is approximately 20 km (12 miles), taking 6.5 to 7 hours to walk. When you arrive at Marangu Gate, you will be given a certificate as a fitting souvenir for your tremendous effort. You then return to Moshi by vehicle, where you will spend the night in the comfort of your hotel and enjoy some well-deserved relaxation. Alternatively, if you still have energy, you could celebrate your fantastic achievement. After all, you just ascended Africa’s highest peak!

Accommodation: Panama Garden Resort

Hiking time and Elevation:  6.5 – 7 hours’ walking, from Horombo Hut to Marangu Gate, descending from 3,720 m to 1,879 m, then returning by vehicle from Marangu Gate to your hotel, 1 hour’s drive.

After a good night’s sleep in your hotel, you’ll have breakfast ready for your 11 a.m. check-out. (If you want to stay in the hotel during the day, let us know when you book your trip and we’ll give you a quote for a ‘day room,’ which allows you to stay until 18:00 hrs., and then make the reservation for you.)

Because this package includes an airport transfer, you will be picked up from your hotel and dropped off at the airport. Our Ihana safaris guide will meet you in the late afternoon to provide you with a briefing for those who have booked to go on safari.