5 - Days Marangu Route

5 Days / 4 Nights

Duration

5 Days / 4 Nights

Tour Type

Mountain Trekking & Hiking

Best Time to Go

June – October (Dry Season) & December – March

Accommodations

Hut Camping

About this Tour

The Marangu Route, often referred to as the “Coca-Cola Route,” is one of the most popular ways to climb Kilimanjaro. Unlike other routes, it offers hut accommodation along the way, making it appealing for trekkers seeking a more comfortable and sheltered experience.

This route features a consistent and gradual ascent profile and follows the same trail for both the ascent and descent. While it is considered one of the easier routes in terms of terrain, proper acclimatization is crucial for summit success.

Safari Highlights,

“Kilimanjaro: afro-montane forest, Mawenzi, glacial valleys and alpine desert, ascent of Kibo and possible views of Kibo caldera and ash pit. Glaciers and the roof of Africa! ”

Safari Inclusions

Safari Inclusions

Full

Day 1: Marangu Gate (1860m) to Mandara Hut (2700m)

After breakfast, you will be collected from your lodge in Moshi and taken to the Marangu gate. Once the necessary paper work has been completed, your trek can begin and you will soon be hiking through the dense rainforest. Alongside the impressive vegetation, you will have the chance to catch a glimpse of some primates as you head to the Mandara Hut. After a well-earned rest, your guide can take you to the Maundi Crater where you can enjoy the wonderful view of the Kenyan interior.

  • Distance covered: 8.3km / 5.2mi 
  • Approx. time taken: 5 hours
  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

The day begins with an early breakfast. Shortly after you have left Mandara Hut, you will reach the timberline and then enter the heath and moor zone. Approximately 4 – 6 hours later, the Horombo Hut will come into sight, standing at an altitude of 3700m. From the hut, you will have fantastic views overlooking Mawenzi, Kibo and the wide plain of the Masai steppe.

  • Distance covered: 12.5km / 7.8mi 
  • Approx. time taken: 9 hours
  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Today’s stage is long and tough. The well-built trail passes the “Last Water point” which is followed by the so-called “saddle”. This nearly vegetation less plateau joins the main summit Kibo with Mawenzi. Today’s destination is the Kibo Hut that is usually reached in about 5 – 6 hours. Here, you will enjoy an early evening meal followed by an early night, as the night will be short.

  • Distance covered: 9.5km / 5.9mi 
  • Approx. time taken: 7 hours
  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Today is “The Big Day” – the summit stage. You will begin your final ascent around midnight which will be long and strenuous. Passing the Hans Meyer Cave at 5220m, the climb slowly but surely goes upwards. At sunrise, you will reach Gillman’s Point (5681m) – the crater rim of Kilimanjaro – where the sun will slowly start to warm up the land. You will have soon forgotten the cold of the night and after a further hike of 1 – 2 hours, you will reach Uhuru Peak at 5895m. On your return to Kibo Hut, a warm meal awaits you followed by a 1 – 2 hour break before proceeding back down to Horombo Hut.

  • Distance covered: 22km / 13.7mi 
  • Approx. time taken: 12 – 15 hours
  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

The last stage passes through the heath and moor zone to the Mandara Hut (2700m) where a warm lunch is waiting for you. Soon, you will once again pass the tropical rainforest and after a total time of 6 hours trekking, you will be back at the Kilimanjaro National Park Gate (1860m). After saying goodbye to your mountain guides, a short transfer follows to take you back to your hotel in Arusha. Once there, you can take a warm and relaxing shower and celebrate your success in reaching the summit of the Kilimanjaro.

  • Distance covered: 20.8km / 12.9mi 
  • Approx. time taken: 8 hours
  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

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Kilimanjaro with its gleaming glaciers, is a magnificent mountain. It stands majestically amidst vast open plains, inviting you to the challenge to climb to the top through the farms, rain forest, pass through the moorland, to highland desert and witness the eternal snow on “The Roof of Africa.”

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