Marangu Route

ROUTE OVERVIEW

Mount Kilimanjaro trekking via Marangu Route 6 days itinerary is what we recommend as it allows one day of acclimatization at Horombo hut on the 3rd day. Named ‘coca cola’ route & considered to be the easiest route of all, this has proved wrong as we have encountered a high failure rate on this route. This is due to that perception which leads to poor preparation and untimely attempt. Despite of being fairly easier the final part to the summit is hard. Marangu Route is the only route offers hut accommodation with beds & mattress. Soft drinks, mineral water, chocolate bar & beer can be purchased at the camps but trash in trash out is closely observed.

Marangu Route 6 days itinerary is advisable though you can still hike for 5 days and miss the acclimatization day at Horombo hut which may sometime be the reason of not making it to the top. Short Tanzania safari or beach holidays in Zanzibar can be combined with your Kilimanjaro hiking upon request.

Affordable Marangu Route 6 days itinerary starts when our Kilimanjaro manager & you guide meet you at your loge/hotel in Arusha or Moshi a day before trekking for briefing and gear checking then leave you to relax and enjoy the lodge facilities while getting ready for your trekking on next day.

Kilimanjaro climb – Marangu Route 6 Days itinerary

Duration: 6 days / 5 nights

Best time Trek: all year round

Arrival day

We meet you at your lodge/hotel in Arusha or Moshi  a day before for detailed briefing & gear checking. Please let us know if you will need transfers & accommodation in Arusha before and after trekking to be included in your price.

Day 1: Arusha (1,400 m) – Marangu Gate (1,980 m) – Mandara Hut (2,700 m)

Hiking time: 5 hours

Distance approx. 12 km

Vegetation type: Montane forest & moorland

After breakfast at your lodge in Arusha, we pick you up and drive be Marangu gate. It will take you about 2.5 to 3 hrs of driving along chagga villages, and farms of sweet potatoes, cassava, beans, maize & through coffee & banana plantation. On arrival at the gate you will sign in at the park office and your guide will work on park formalities. The actual number of porters to support you will depend on things to be carried but from the office we will weigh all the luggage and have a rough idea of the number of porters. According to park rules & regulation each porter should  carry not more than 20 kg, you will carry your lunch box, drinking water, some clothes and all your valuable. Porters are hiking first so once they carry any of your things you will meet them at the camp.

Today, your Kilimanjaro climb on Marangu Route 6 days starts by trekking up to Mandara hut at (2,700 m), you will hike through beautiful landscape of the mountain forest & along little streams and water falls. Kisamboni picnic area the place for lunch can be reached after 1.5 hrs walk from the park gate. From Kisamboni another 1.5 hrs will be needed to reach Mandara hut (2,700). The vegetation type at the campsite is of low alpine zone and moorland, with shrub and trees accompanied with lots of lichens.

Mandara hut is placed at a clear forest with wooden A-shaped framed and here is where your will first night on Kilimanjaro Mountain will be spent here. Mandara huts is having a capacity 60 people sleeping in bunks, each hut has 6-8 sleeping bunks. Water around this area is from the spring and can be used for cooking, drinking & flushing toilets. At the camp you will have hot water to wash, tea/coffee & snacks before changing the clothes that you have been hiking with & put on dry cloth, on the mountain we say stay warm all the time. This procedure will be carried out in  almost all camps.

You can have a short walk to the Maundi crater where you can enjoy a good weather and possibly a great view Mawenzi peak. Blue Monkeys, black and white colobus Monkeys can be spotted around this place.

Overnight at Mandara Hut (2,700 m). All meals included.

Day 2: Mandara Hut (2,700 m) – Horombo Hut (3,720 m)

Hiking time: 6 hours

Distance approx. 15 km

Vegetation type: moorland zone

After light breakfast, your second hiking day on Mount Kilimanjaro Marangu Route starts, this day you will hike along the last patches of the mountain forest past the other side of Maundi crater and soon you will reach the moorland vegetation zone.

The area is more dominated by weather, Lobelia Deckenii and lovely Dendrosenecio kilimanjari. With a good weather condition you can have a stunning view of both Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. Later you will arrive at Horombo huts and if you wish you can bath with hot water before dinner followed by sleeping in a luxurious bed.

Horombo huts can accommodate 120 people all sleeping in beds and it is like a small village and the only huts on Kilimanjaro with beds. You have one day here for relaxing and acclimatization be prepared as nights here tends to be crazy cold.

Climbing Marangu Route 6 days itinerary continues as you start your 4th day. Come on you will make it!

Day 3: Marangu Route 6 days Itinerary -Horombo Hut (3,720 m) – Acclimatization day

After breakfast at Horombo Hut, spend a day here allowing your body to adjust to high altitude. If you wish you can have a day hike to Mawenzi Hut (4,600 m) for further acclimatization with your guide. Your preference for this day will decide on where to have lunch if you will hike to Mawezi then you will take packed lunch.

Overnight at Horombo Hut  (3,720 m). All meals included.

Day 4: Horombo Hut (3,720 m) – Kibo Hut (4,700 m)

Hiking time: 6 hours

Distance approx. 15 km

Vegetation type: Alpine desert

Your hiking day will start after breakfast.

Saddle the area in-between Mawenzi and Kibo can be reached in two different routes, through the upper route which is eroded and stormy or by taking the lower route which is easier and most recommended where you can pass near the water point at (4,200 m) which is the last in this route.

We will fill your bottles with enough drinking water as this will be the last water point before reaching Horombo huts again, otherwise you can buy mineral water or soft drinks at Kibo huts. If you wish you can take a short break at this last water point and perhaps sit at the picnic site for lunch.

You will reach Kibo huts at (4,700 m) after 2 walking hours. Kibo hut is at the barren Alpine desert with only grasses and everlasting flowers. Kibo huts are built with stone blocks and have 60 bunk beds and platform toilets. Reaching the camp same procedures will follow as per previous days.

Overnight at Kibo Hut (4,700 m). All meals included.

Day 5: Summit attempt: Kibo Hut (4,700 m) – Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) & back to Horombo Hut (3,720 m)

Hiking time:  8 hours to Uhuru Peak, 6 hours to Horombo Hut

Distance approx. 6 km ascent, 21 km descent

Vegetation type: Stone scree / ice-cap summit

This is the final part of your Mount Kilimanjaro climbing on Marangu Route. You will start at midnight. On this day after early dinner your guide will give you a detailed briefing on how you can successful get to the summit, what to pack, what to wear. You will then prepare all needed gears before going to sleep as the starting hour will be around mid-night depends on your pace. Things to be prepared for this attempt are mostly thermal clothing, ski-stick, thermal flask for water, hand warmers, batteries and headlamp among others. Your guide will point them out during briefing.

Since your guide has been watching your pace on previous days he will schedule the staring time which will likely to be at 23:00 or 23:30, you may have some tea and biscuits before starting. You will face a challenging part of your Mount Kilimanjaro climbing  at the beginning which is rough and rocky path.

On the way you will pass Williams Point at (5,000 m), Hans Meyer Cave at (5,150 m) and Gillman’s point at (5,681 m) positioned on the crater’s rim. To reach Hans Meyer Cave from Kibo hut you will spend almost two and a half hours. Gilman’s point is placed just a short distance from Hans Meyer Cave, it is about an hour to get there.

From Gilman’s point you will possibly need not less than 1 hour and a half to reach the summit. The rest of your climbing all the way up to Uhuru Peak will be covered with snow and the walking will be along the rim of crater’s. Stella point at (5,752 m) will be passed on the way and this is the point where other Kilimanjaro routes reach the rim.

Mount Kilimanjaro climbing tours continue and at this point your about to reach the summit but it can be a great challenge. Getting there whether how you feel will determine the time to be spent at the summit enjoying & taking pictures but it will not be much longer at this altitude before starting your way down and back to Kibo hut at (4,700 m) for lunch break. After lunch you will stretch further down to Horombo hut at (3,720 m), it will take you not less than 3 hours to get there. At the camp same procedures of hot water to wash & so forth will take place. Later you will be served dinner and spend a night at the luxurious beds.

Overnight at Horombo Hut (3,720 m). All meals included.

Day 6: Horombo Hut (3,720 m) – Marangu gate at (1,980 m) – Moshi/Arusha

Hiking time: 6 hours

Distance approx. 27 km

Vegetation type: Low alpine zone, moorland and montane forest.

You will have breakfast at Horombo hut before starting your last day down from Kilimanjaro. Hot lunch will be served at Mandara hut (2,700 m), little rest before starting your way, hopeful the path is familiar as you have passed here on your first day.

Reaching Marangu gate, you will provide some details to the register on where  you have reached. Certificate for reaching Gilmann’s Point is in green color & gold certificate (big Diploma) for reaching Uhuru Peak the actual summit of Kilimanjaro Mountain. This will be the time for celebration singing & dancing followed by tips session, you may start with porters, cook & lastly the guides.

Afterward meet you driver at the gate who have already be there & drive back to Arusha or drop off at the airport. (Accommodation on this day can be arranged upon request at an extra cost)

Congratulation you are among the heroes who have successfully climbed Mount Kilimanjaro Marangu Route in 6 days. 

Marangu Route 6 days itinerary can be combined with our short Tanzania safari or beach holidays in Zanzibar. Please let us know your wishes. Karibu Sana!

End of  Service Marangu Route 6 Days Itinerary

Return transfer to & from the Mountain

5 Overnight stays in mountain huts

Professional & well experienced Mountain guides chef & porters

All Park fees

Rescue fees

All meals while on the Mountain

Guides, Porters, Cook salaries and park fees

Quality Mess tents with table and chairs

Large portions of fresh, healthy nutritious food

Clean, purified drinking water

Crisis management and safety procedures

Fair and ethical treatment of porters

Arrival transfer

Accommodation in Arusha

Flight tickets

Tanzania Visa

Sleeping bag, please bring your own sleeping bag or can be rent in Arusha at reasonable price

Gratuity for Kilimanjaro climbing Crew (please tip separately)

Personal Expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages  etc)

Meals not listed above

Travel insurance if applicable