MOUNT KILIMANJARO – MARANGU ROUTE

Day 1: Springlands
Arrive Kilimanjaro Airport and transfer to hotel (Springlands).

Day 2: Marangu Gate (1850m/6000 ft) - Mandara Hut (2700m/9,000 ft)
Hiking time: 4 hours
Distance: 12 km's
Habitat: Montane forest
We leave Moshi town at about 0900hrs and drive for about 45 minutes to Marangu Gate on the eastern side of Kilimanjaro. Here, we complete the necessary paperwork at the park gate such as registrations and completion of permits, and start hiking between about 10h30 and 12h00.
The route takes one through a thick rainforest from the park gate (6000 ft) to Mandara Hut (9000 ft), which is reached around 14h00 to 16h00. Dinner is served during the early evening, at about 19h00 in the communal dinning areas. A side trip to Maundi Crater (about 15 minutes away) is a good way to see the surroundings as well as views of Kenya and Northern Tanzania. Bathrooms are available with running water. Mandara is comprised of a group of comfortable, wooden A-frame huts, the largest of which has a downstairs dining area and an upstairs dormitory with bunk beds and mattresses. Smaller huts sleep 8 each. The total capacity of all the huts, is 60 climbers. Running water (not hot) is available in bathrooms, and flush toilets can be located behind the main cabin.

Day 3: Mandara Hut (2700m/9,000 ft) - Horombo Huts (3700m/12,000 ft)
Hiking time: 6 hours
Distance: 15km's
Habitat: Heathland
Today we wake at about 07h00, have breakfast, pack up and head out on our next days trek at around 08h30. We head up towards Horombo Huts at 12000ft on a route that will take about 5-6 hours.
The climb will take us through the lower heathland with small shrubs being the main vegetation. At our lunch stop about half way up, we will get stunning view across to Mawenzi. We will arrive at Horombo Hut around 15h00 with Kibo summit already in view. Here, we rest, unpack and prepare for dinner. Bathrooms are available with cold running water. Temperatures here will drop to about -5 degrees C. The buildings at Horombo Hut at 3720 m are similar to Mandara, but have a total sleeping capacity of 120. Platform toilets are available south east of the main hut and new flush toilets have also recently been installed.

Day 4: Horombo Huts (3700m/12,000 ft) - Kibo Huts (4700m/15,500 ft)
Hiking time: 7 hours
Distance: 16km's
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Wake to breakfast as usual (if you wake before sunup you can get some great photos of the sunrise). Pack and begin the hike to Kibo Huts (15,500 ft). The first half of the day's hike traverses the upper heathland while the second half crosses the vast saddle that connects Mawenzi and Kibo. The saddle is an alpine desert that resembles a lunar landscape. It is here that you may begin to feel the first effects of altitude with shortness of breath and irritability, assuming it had not taken effect earlier on the climb. Walking slowly and maintaining a good rhythm is essential. The day's hike should take 6 to 7 hours, stopping half way for lunch. There is no running water at Kibo Huts.
Kibo Hut is a stone built blockhouse with a small dining room and a number of dormitory rooms leading off of a main corridor with bunk beds and mattresses. It sleeps 60 people. Platform toilets are behind the hut.

Day 5: SUMMIT DAY (5895m/19,340 ft)
Hiking time: 7 hours
Distance: Total 27km's
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Wake at around midnight to a light breakfast, and then prepare for the summit ascent. This part of the hike is carried out during the early morning before dawn so that the climbers reach Uhuru Peak at around sunrise. Leave at about 1:00am and reach Gilman's Point at about 7:00am. The climbers are met with views of the crater from Gilman's Point. Another 2 hours of hiking will bring you to the long awaited summit, Uhuru Peak (19,340 ft) at about 8:30 am. From there you will descend back to Kibo Huts, collect your things and cross the saddle again at Horombo Huts where you will spend the night. After eating dinner, you will get some well-deserved sleep.

Day 6: Descending from Horombo to the Marangu Gate (3700m-1850m)
Distance: 27km's
You will wake as usual, pack and then descend along the same route to Mandara Huts, where you will have lunch, before heading down to the park gate where you will be met by your transport back to Moshi. You should reach the park gate around 14h00 or 15h00. Return to the hotel.

Day 7: Departure
After breakfast, transfer to the hotel for your return flight home.

If adding an extra day:
The extra day will be at Horombo Hut where you will have full day (second and third night will be at Horombo). Clients will go up to Mawenzi base camp and come back to Horombo Hut. Clients will acclimatize. On the forth day you will continue trekking up to Kibo Hut with a midnight start to summit.

Day 1: Springlands
Day 2: Marangu Gate (1850m/6000 ft) - Mandara Hut (2700m/9,000 ft)
Day 3: Mandara Hut (2700m/9,000 ft) - Horombo Huts (3700m/12,000 ft)
Day 4: Horombo Huts (3700m/12,000 ft) - Kibo Huts (4700m/15,500 ft)
Day 5: SUMMIT DAY (5895m/19,340 ft)
Day 6: Descending from Horombo to the Marangu Gate (3700m-1850m)
Day 7: Departure
If adding an extra day: