Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Overview
This Marangu Route is the most popular and easiest way to the summit. The trail has huts along its route with all the basic necessities. No technical skills are required for this five day trek. The trek can also be taken in 6 days/5 nights to add acclimatization with an extra day at Horombo Hut.
Itinerary
Day 1
MARANGU GATE, MANDARA HUT
From the gate, you ascend a cleared ridge trail, formerly a vehicle track to Mandara Hut. The cleared trail is the fastest way to Mandara, but opportunities to see wildlife or enjoy the forest are limited due to the heavy foot traffic. An alternative is to ascend along the parallel forest trail and descend on the main trail. The forest trail branches off to the left, a few minutes after the gate, and follows the edge of a stream through the under growth. About halfway (1 hrs from the gate) you can choose to cross the stream and rejoin the main trail, or continue on the forest trail. Both trails continue on opposite sides of the stream, merging about one hour before Mandara Hut Marangu-Mandara Hut. 1830m-2700m. 3-4 hours trek. Transfer to Marangu Gate at an altitude of 1,860m. The path to Mandara Hut, the first overnight stop, passes through rain forest and takes up to four hours.
Day 2
MAWENZI, HOROMBO HUT
Mandara-Horombo Hut. 2700m-3720m. 5-7 hours trek.
From Mandara Hut the trail passes through a short stretch of forest and skirts the base of Maundi Crater, crosses a meadow and a wooded stream, then emerges into grassland. It is well worth the short detour to scramble up to the rim of Maundi Crater for a superb view of the mountain and its surroundings. The trail crosses numerous moorland ravines before ending at Horombo Hut, which is set in a rocky valley with a fine stand of giant sceneries or groundsels. Leaving behind the forest and following the ascending path through alpine meadows on to the slopes of Mawenzi. Horombo Hut is reached after about six hours and is 11km from Mandara.
What's Included
- Hotel lodging the night before and the night after the climb (dinner and breakfast included) (double occupancy).
- Quality, waterproof, four-season private mountain sleeping tents.
- Professional, experienced, Mountain Guides.
- Two Nights at Hotel with half board (Before & After climb)
- All Park Fees.
- Rescue fees.
- All meals while on the Mountain.
- Arrival and Departure transfers.
- 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.
- Private, portable chemical flush toilets.
- Crisis management and safety procedures.
- Fair and ethical treatment of porters.
- Summit Emergency Oxygen.
- Pulse Oximeters.
- Walking Poles.
- Sleeping Mattress
- Flying Doctor Service
