5 Days Marangu Route

Itinerary

Day 0: Pre-trek Briefing

If you have opted for the optional airport transfers, we will pick you up from Kilimanjaro Airport or Arusha airport and transfer you to your hotel in Moshi.

Pre-trek briefing at your Moshi hotel. You should be planning to arrive at least one day before the start of the trek. Today we will spend a pre-trek briefing. We will also review your equipment and rent any equipment which is needed.

Day 1: Hotel to Mandara Hut

After breakfast and briefing, drive to the Kilimanjaro National Park Gate (about 1 hour), register and commence the climb. Walk through the rainforest to the Mandara encampment. A side trip to Maundi Crater is a good way to see the surroundings including Northern Tanzania and Kenya. In the rainforest, look for towering Eucalyptus trees, bird life, and Colobus monkeys.

Elevation: 1860m/6100ft to 2700m/8875ft
Distance: 8km/5mi
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Montane Forest
Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2: Mandara Hut to Horombo Hut

You leave the glades of the rainforest and follow an ascending path on the open moorlands to the Horombo encampment. Views of Mawenzi and the summit of Kibo are amazing. Look for giant lobelias and groundsels. You may begin to feel the effects of the altitude.

Elevation: 2700m/8875ft to 3700m/12,200ft
Distance: 12km/7.5mi
Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: Heathland
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3: Horombo Hut to Kibo Hut

Ascending, we now pass the last watering point, walking onto the saddle of Kilimanjaro between the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi. Vegetation begins with upper heathland but then disappears into a “moonscape”. Dinner, rest and prepare for the summit climb.

Elevation: 3700m/12,200ft to 4700m/15,500ft
Distance: 9km/5.5mi
Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4: Kibo Hut to Summit to Horombo Hut

Very early in the morning (midnight to 2 am), commence the climb to the summit on steep and heavy scree or snow up to Gilman’s point located on the crater rim. Continuing, we now ascend to Uhuru Peak, which is the highest point in Africa. There are unbelievable views at every turn. Have your picture taken at the summit to show your friends and family. From here we descend, stopping for lunch and a rest at Kibo before continuing on to the Horombo encampment.

Elevation: 4700m/15,500ft to 5895m/19,340ft
Down to 3700m/12,200ft
Distance: 6km/4mi up / 15km/9mi down
Hiking Time: 6-8 hours up / 15km/9mi down
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5: Horombo Hut to Moshi

After breakfast, a steady descent takes us down through the moorland to the Mandara Hut. Continue descending through a lush forest path to the National Park gate at Marangu. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy).

A vehicle will be waiting for you at Marangu gate to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi (about 1 hour).

Elevation: 3700m/12,200ft to 1700m/5500ft
Distance: 20km/12.5mi
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Forest
Meals: Breakfast

Inclusions

• All transfers to the mountain and back to your Moshi hotel
• Professional, experienced, mountain guides
• Guides, Porters, Cook salaries and park fees
• Quality, waterproof, four-season mountain sleeping tents (on twin sharing basis)
• Sleeping Mattress
• Emergency Oxygen Cylinder
• All meals while on the Mountain
• Quality Mess tents with tables and chairs
• Large portions of fresh, healthy, nutritious food
• Clean, purified drinking water
• Conservation fees (part of park fees)
• Camping or Hut fees (part of park fees)
• Rescue fees (part of park fees)
• VAT (18% charged by the Government)
• Kilimanjaro summit certificate

Exclusions

• Tanzania Visa
• International and domestic flights
• Hotel (available as an optional addon)
• Transfers (available as an optional addon)
• Personal trekking equipment such as sleepings bags, hiking boots, clothes, etc (available for renting)
• Tips and gratuities
• Travel Insurance
• Personal Expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, etc.)
• Meals not listed in the itinerary
• Liquors, beers and bottled beverages
• Surcharge for online payment of advance and balance (5% on each payment)

Supplements

• Off-season supplement = USD 75
  Charged for solo trekkers to start a new departure in the month of March, April, May and November. This does not apply if you join an existing group. This does not apply if others trekkers also join your new group.

Discounts

Available discounts for Marangu – 5 days

• • Children between 5 years and 15 years old
    Code: 5TO15 – USD 290 per person

• • Expatriates/Residents living in Tanzania
    Code: RESTAN – USD 175 per person

• East African Citizens
  Code: EAC – USD 680 per person

Addons

Hotels

We offer the following hotel options

• • Lindrin Lodge (Single Room) – USD 55 per night
  • Lindrin Lodge (Double Room) – USD 70 per night
  • Lindrin Lodge (Triple Room) – USD 105 per night
  • Keys Hotel (Single Room) – USD 69 per night
  • Keys Hotel (Double Room) – USD 94 per night
  • Keys Hotel (Triple Room) – USD 122 per night
  • Parkview Inn (Single Room) – USD 81 per night
  • Parkview Inn (Double Room) – USD 91 per night
  • Parkview Inn (Triple Room) – USD 170 per night
  • Kilimanjaro Wonders (Single Room) – USD 140 per night
  • Kilimanjaro Wonders (Double Room) – USD 160 per night

Please note that if any hotel is booked out or is otherwise unavailable, we will book you in an alternate equivalent hotel.

If you are booking a hotel directly, please do check with us before booking, to make sure we can meet you and pick you up from the hotel.

Gear

We offer the following add-ons to your gear

• • Private Toilet – USD 150
  • Private Tent – USD 5 per day
  • Thicker sleeping mattress – USD 10 per mattress
  • Thermarest – USD 15 per Thermarest

Our packages by default include a foam sleeping mattress of 2-inch thickness, if you want a thicker alternative you can opt a 4-inch foam mattress with above mentioned extra cost.

Transfers

We offer the following transfer options

• • Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) to Moshi (one way) – USD 50 per vehicle
  • Moshi to Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) (one way) – USD 50 per vehicle
  • Arusha to Moshi (one way) – USD 100 per vehicle
  • Moshi to Arusha (one way) – USD 100 per vehicle

Private Trek

Prices for a Private Trek

Please find below the prices for organizing a private trek. The prices are based on your group size.

• • Solo Trekker – USD 1519 per person
  • Group of 2 – USD 1416 per person
  • Group of 3 – USD 1362 per person
  • Group of 4 – USD 1348 per person
  • Group of 5 – USD 1336 per person
  • Group of 6 – USD 1323 per person
  • Group of 7 – USD 1318 per person
  • Group of 8 – USD 1314 per person
  • Group of 9 – USD 1310 per person
  • Group of 10 and above – USD 1306 per person