6 Days Marangu Route
Marangu Route Overview
Also known as “Coca-Cola” Route, Marangu approaches Kilimanjaro from the southeast of the Mountain. It is the oldest established route. Many favor the Marangu Route because it is a short route and has the comfort of sleeping in huts overnight. The minimum days required for this route is five, although the probability of successfully reaching the top in that time is a bit low. Spending an extra acclimatization day on the mountain is highly recommended, increasing the chance of reaching to the summit. Marangu is the only route where overnights are in dormitory style accommodations with solar panel lighting. Camping is not an option for this route. This route is not as scenic as the others though and it is the only route where the descending path is the same as the ascending path, making some of the camps more crowded from people going both directions.
Arrival Day: Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) to Moshi.
Elevation: 1,000m to 1,200m.
Distance: 36 km
Driving Time: 45Min
Habitat: Town
Tro-Peaks Adventures staff will meet and pick you up from JRO (Kilimanjaro International Airport) and transfer you to your hotel in Moshi for overnight B/B.
Day 1:Moshi to Marangu Gate to Mandara Hut
Elevation: 1200 m to 1,750 m to 2,750 m
Distance: 9 km
Trekking Time: 3 hours
Habitat: Montane Forest
You will be transferred to Marangu Gate from your hotel after breakfast and go through registration at the gate. Afterwards, you will begins trekking through the rainforest to Mandara Hut. Here you will have an acclimatization opportunity of visiting Maundi Crater. Dinner and overnight at Mandara Hut.
Day 2: Mandara Hut to Horombo Hut.
Elevation: 2750 m to 3,807 m
Distance:13km.
Trekking time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: Moorlands
After breakfast you will out climb the rainforest and continue trekking to Horombo Hut where you will trek through rolling moorlands and get your first clear view of the towering Kilimanjaro peak.
Day 3: Horombo Hut
(this day is omitted if choosing a 5 day itinerary).
Spend an extra day here at Horombo during the 6 day itinerary for acclimation purposes. This day you will hike to Mawenzi Ridge or Zebra Rock to have your body adjust to higher altitudes. After this session you will return back to Horombo Hut for lunch, resting until dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Horombo Hut to Kibo Hut
Elevation(m):3807m to 4725m
Distance: 13 km
Trekking time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: Desert
After a good night rest and breakfast you will trek past the last water point to reach Kibo Saddle, a great desert between the two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo. An early dinner and overnight at Kibo Hut.
Day 5: Summit Day Kibo Hut to Uhuru Peak to Horombo Hut
Elevation: 4,695 m to 5,895 m to 3,690 m
Distance: 4 km up, 14 km down
Hiking Time: 10-15 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert.
Wake at midnight to a light breakfast then prepare for your summit ascent. Because you will climb to the summit in the dark you will need to have your headlamps / flashlights. It will also be very cold until you start descending, so you will need to have all of your warm layers. This is an important time to keep on slowly slowly (pole pole in Swahili). The goal is to climb before dawn so that you can reach Uhuru Peak shortly before or after sunrise. Switchback up steep scree or possibly snow, and reach Gilman’s Point on the crater rim at 5,861 m/18,640 ft between 4 and 6 AM. At this point, you will have a views of the fabled crater and its icecaps facing you. Then after 2 hours of hiking along the Kibo Crater Rim near the celebrated snows takes you to Kilimanjaro’s true summit, Uhuru Peak. Here you will spend some moments for taking photos and letting the victory sink into your mind. After your summit photos and taking in the view, descend back to the Kibo Huts, have lunch, rest, collect your equipment and continue down through re-cross the saddle to the Horombo Huts. Have dinner and overnight at Horombo Huts.
Day 6: Horombo Huts to Marangu Gate to Moshi
Elevation): 3,690 m to 1,830 m to 1,387 m
Distance: 18 km
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
After a long sleep you will be awaked for breakfast and pack, continue your descent through the moorland to Mandara Huts. Here you will have lunch then proceed your triumphant recessional down through lush forest to Marangu Gate. After the gate sign out, a vehicle will take you to back to the hotel where it is definitely time for your certificate presentation and celebration!
Departure Day: Moshi to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO)
Elevation: 1,200m to 1,000m.
Distance: 36 km
Driving Time: 45Min
Habitat: Town
Tro-Peaks Adventures staff will meet and pick you up from Moshi and transfer you back to JRO (Kilimanjaro International Airport) or or you can make arrangements though Tro-Peaks Adventures for a safari or Zanzibar beach holiday.