5 DAYS MOUNT KILIMANJARO – MARANGU ROUTE

After breakfast and briefing, drive to the Kilimanjaro National Park gate (about 1hr 45 min), register, and commence the climb. Walk through the rainforest to Mandara Hut, located at 2,740m. A side trip to Maundi Crater is a good way to see the surrounding views of Northern Tanzania and Kenya. In the rainforest, look for towering eucalyptus trees, birdlife, and colobus monkeys. Habitat: Montane Forest.

From Mandara Hut the trail passes through a short stretch of forest, skirts the base of Maundi Crater, and emerges into the transition from rainforest to moorland. It’s worth a short scramble up the rim of Maundi Crater for your first impressive view of the Kibo Crater, which on a clear day shows off its glaciers in the morning sun. In the open moorland you’ll see some of Kilimanjaro’s most spectacular plants, including the giant lobelia and giant groundsel. After about 6 hours you reach Horombo Hut for an evening meal and overnight. Habitat: Moorland.

After breakfast, continue the ascent into alpine desert habitat. From Horombo there are two trails to the ‘Saddle’ between Mawenzi and Kibo; the upper route is the one you’ll have climbed during your acclimatization hike. This stony, eroded section leads to Kibo Hut, a stone block house with bunk beds for 60 climbers (no nearby streams, though mineral water and soft drinks are sold at the camp office). The summit is now a further 1,195m up, and you make the final ascent the same night, so spend the afternoon preparing your equipment. Habitat: Alpine Desert.

Wake around 23:30 for tea and biscuits before setting off for the summit. The trail leads to Hans Meyer Cave (5,150m), a good resting spot, then zigzags steeply up loose scree to Gillman’s Point (5,681m) on the crater rim — the most demanding section of the route. From Gillman’s Point you’ll normally encounter snow all the way to Uhuru Peak (5,895m), the highest point in Africa. After summiting, descend (about 3 hours) back to Kibo Hut for breakfast, then continue down to Horombo Hut (about 3 hours) for your overnight. Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit.

After breakfast, pack and descend out of the mountain (about 6 hours), passing Mandara Hut, down to Marangu Gate, where you sign for your summit certificate. Climbers who reached Gillman’s Point receive green certificates; those who reached Uhuru Peak receive gold certificates. You’ll be picked up from Marangu village and driven back to Arusha for an overnight stay.