Also known as the “Coca Cola route” – the Marangu route is one of the most popular routes leading to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Many hikers believe that the Marangu route is the easiest route to Uhuru peak, since it is the only route which can be hiked in 5 days (making it the cheapest option). It is also the only route offering accommodation on the mountain, in A-frame huts.
It is unfortunately a well-known fact, that the 5 day Marangu route has one of the lowest summit success rates of all the routes up mountain. If you choose the Marangu route, we strongly recommend hiking the route over 6 days, to increase your chance to reach the summit successfully. This is the only route, which provides comfortable communal sleeping huts, equipped with beds and mattresses at every overnight site. Mineral water, soft drinks, beer and chocolates are also sold at most sites.
The Marangu route utilises the same route for the ascend and descend.
DAY 0: ARRIVAL TO TANZANIA.
You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro international airport and transferred to your hotel in moshi town, you will meet your guide who will brief you on your upcoming trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear. The missing gear can be rented on this day .
DAY 1: HOTEL TO MARANGU GATE TO MANDARA HUT
Elevation (m): 1800m to 2700m,
Distance: 7km,
Time: 3 hours.
Habitat: Montane Forest.
You will be picked up from your hotel in the morning and driven to the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Gate. Once signed
in at the park and final preparations are complete, we start ascending on a cleared ridge trail through the rainforest. The
forest is where most of Kilimanjaro's animals are found. Our first night is at Mandara Hut camp set in a forest clearing. This
camp consists of a group of wooden A-framed huts and flush toilets behind the main hut.
DAY 2:MANDARA HUT TO HOROMBO HUT
Elevation (m): 2700m to 3720m,
Distance: 12km,
Time: 6 hours.
Habitat: Moorland.
In the morning we leave camp and trek through a short stretch of forest through to moorland, circumventing the base of the
Maundi Crater. In the afternoon we will reach the Horombo Hut where will we stay overnight.
DAY 3: HOROMBO HUT TO KIBO HUT
Elevation (m): 3720m to 4700m,
Distance: 9.5km,
Time: 5 hours.
Habitat: Alpine desert.
Today we continue our ascent into the Alpine desert zone to Kibo Hut. From Kibo Hut, the summit is now only another
1195m ascent. This afternoon we will have an early dinner, prepare your personal gear for the summit and then get some
sleep. Our summit trek starts tonight.
DAY 4: KIBO HUT TO SUMMIT TO HOROMBO HUT
Elevation (m): 4700m to 5895m,
Distance: 21 km,
Time: 6-7 hours ascent, 3 hours descent.
Habitat: Stone screed and ice-capped summit and Moorland
You will be woken around 23:30pm, and after a hot breakfast we will start our final summit. The first section of the trail
consists of a rocky path to Hans Meyer point (5250m). The path then zigzags up to Gillman's point (5681m) on the crater rim.
This section is very steep with alot of scree.
From Gillman's Point we could encounter snow all the way up to Uhuru peak (5895m), the highest point in Africa. After
taking photos at the summit we start the 3 hours descent back to Kibo Hut. After a short rest we pack up all your personal
gear and trek down to Horombo Hut (3 hours). Tonight is our last night on the mountain.
DAY 5:HOROMBO HUT TO MARANGU GATE BACK TO HOTEL
Elevation (m): 3720m to 1980m,
Distance: 18 km,
Time: 6 hours
Habitat: Montane Forest
This morning we make our final descent down to Marangu Gate where we started. You will be taken for lunch and here you
will receive your summit certificate to commemorate your great achievement.
We will then drive you back to your hotel where we will say our farewell.