The easiest and most popular route is the Marangu Route, also known as the “Coca-Cola” route. The route is well-known, with huts and campsites along the way, making it a comfortable option.
However, it is also the most congested and has a lower success rate than other routes. It takes 5-6 days to complete the Marangu Route. The Marangu route is popular due to its gentle slope and reputation as the easiest path on the mountain. It is also the only route that offers dormitory-style sleeping huts.
View Itinerary
You will be escorted to the Kilimanjaro National Park gate at 1,840 meters after breakfast. After completing the required paperwork, your adventure begins, and soon you’ll be hiking through Marangu’s lush rainforest. If you look high, you might be able to see the black and white colobus monkeys, who lack thumbs. You can join a hike to the Maundi Crater after taking around 4 hours to go to the Mandara Hut (2,700 m) and having some time to collect your breath. Enjoy stunning views of Kenya and the sparkling lakes that form Tanzania’s and Kenya’s shared border. Your overnight accommodation is at Mandara Hut.
After a leisurely breakfast, you’re prepared for the hike ahead and soon after leaving Mandara Hut, you’ll come to the intersection leading to Horombo Hut and Maundi Crater. You will pass across wide moor land and switch from vegetation to bushes as you proceed in the direction of Horombo Hut. It will take you 4 to 6 hours to get there. Gazing forward, you may see Mawenzi, Kibo peak, and Masai the steppe, while looking back, your path will already be obscured by clouds. At the Horombo Hut, you will nod off after your evening meal.
Brunch, lunch, and dinner
In order for your body to adjust to the altitude, today’s itinerary includes a trek to Zebra Rocks. This 2 to 4 hour trip gives you a chance to stretch your legs and take in some fresh air while helping you acclimatize, which increases your chances of reaching the top. Due to the remarkable black and white stripes that cover the rock formation, Zebra Rocks (3,980 m) received its name. After your return, a hot lunch will be waiting for you. The rest of the afternoon is yours to take in the breathtaking sights all around you and gather energy for tomorrow’s climb. Horombo Hut will be your home for one more night. Brunch, lunch, and dinner
A long and difficult ride to Kibo Hut is waiting for you after breakfast. On your route to the so-called “saddle,” a plateau between the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo, you will cross the “final waterpoint” as the vegetation gradually turns into an alpine desert. You will reach the Kibo Hut in around 5 to 6 hours, and since the summit requires an early start, you should get to bed right after dinner, at around 11 p.m.
Brunch, lunch, and dinner
It’s finally summit day, and you’ll begin your trek at about midnight while the volcanic ash is still frozen. With only your headlights illuminating the path, it will be difficult. At 5,200 meters, you will slowly climb up beyond the Hans Meyer Cave. The sun will rise over the crater rim when Gilman’s Point, at 5,715 m, is reached. A further hour or two will be required to reach Uhuru Peak (5,895 m). The cold quickly fades as you stand on the “Roof of Africa” in the sun. After taking a well-deserved photo stop, you’ll return down the same path. Because the lava ash has thawed, the descent will be faster. When you arrive at Kibo Hut, you will be greeted with a warm meal and approximately 2 hours of rest before continuing down to Horombo Hut, where you will spend the night.
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
As you descend, the surrounding vegetation becomes greener, and you will soon arrive at the Mandara Hut (2,700 m), where a hot lunch awaits you. The return trip to the park gate provides another opportunity to admire the beautiful tropical rainforest and spot anything you missed on the way up, such as the Impatiens Kilimanjaro flower, which is endemic to the rainforest on Mt Kilimanjaro’s slopes. When you arrive at the gate, you will say your goodbyes to your mountain crew and be driven back to Arusha.
