6 DaysFrom $2,450Hut Accommodation, the Mountain's Oldest Trail
Marangu Route
The only route up Kilimanjaro where you sleep in mountain huts instead of a tent, on the trail climbers have used the longest.
The Original Way Up
Marangu is the oldest trail on the mountain, and the only one where you sleep in a mountain hut rather than a tent each night. The ascent is gradual and doesn't call for any climbing gear, and the huts at Mandara, Horombo and Kibo come with bunk beds, mattresses and pillows, plus communal dining halls, washrooms and toilets, so you'll still want to bring your own sleeping bag.
The classic round trip is 5 days and 4 nights, but I run it over 6 by adding an extra acclimatization day at Horombo Hut, which meaningfully improves your odds of a successful summit. If you'd rather do the 5-day version, just let me know when you enquire.
Day by Day
Arrive in Tanzania
You'll be picked up at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your hotel in Arusha. I'll meet you there to brief you on the days ahead and check your gear, anything missing can be rented on the spot.
Arusha to Marangu Gate to Mandara Huts
- Elevation
- 1,879m → 2,720m
- Distance
- 8km / 5mi
- Hiking Time
- 3-4 hours
- Habitat
- Montane forest
From the hotel we transfer to Marangu Gate to register with the park authority, then head straight into the rainforest on a well-worn trail. Dinner and your first night are at Mandara Hut.
Mandara Huts to Horombo Huts
- Elevation
- 2,720m → 3,720m
- Distance
- 12km / 7.5mi
- Hiking Time
- 5-6 hours
- Habitat
- Moorland
After breakfast we climb out of the rainforest and into rolling moorland, where you'll get your first clear view of Kibo peak. Overnight at Horombo Hut.
Acclimatization Day at Horombo
A leisure day built into the schedule for altitude adjustment: a short hike up to Zebra Rock for some high-altitude practice, then back to Horombo for lunch. The rest of the day is free to rest before dinner and a second night at the same hut.
Horombo Huts to Kibo Huts
- Elevation
- 3,720m → 4,703m
- Distance
- 9km / 5.6mi
- Hiking Time
- 5-6 hours
- Habitat
- Alpine desert
Past the last water point, we cross the Kibo Saddle, the wide stretch of desert between the Mawenzi and Kibo peaks. Dinner comes early at Kibo Hut so you can rest before an overnight start.
Summit Day: Kibo Huts to Uhuru Peak to Horombo Huts
- Elevation
- 4,703m → 5,895m → 3,720m
- Distance
- 6km up / 15km down
- Hiking Time
- 6-8 hrs up
- Habitat
- Arctic
You'll be woken around midnight for a light breakfast before setting off in the dark, headlamp on and warm layers up, for the most demanding stretch of the climb. Moving slowly (pole pole) up steep scree and possibly snow, the goal is Gilman's Point by around 4 to 6am, where the crater and its icecaps come into view. From there it's another two hours to Uhuru Peak itself, ideally timed close to sunrise. After a short stop for photos, we descend back to Kibo Hut for lunch and a rest, then continue down across the saddle to Horombo for dinner and overnight.
Horombo Huts to Marangu Gate to Arusha
- Elevation
- 3,720m → 1,879m
- Distance
- 19km / 11.8mi
- Hiking Time
- 4-7 hours
A longer descent through the moorland and back down into the forest to Marangu Gate, where you sign out and collect your summit certificate (gold for Uhuru Peak, green for Gilman's Point). A vehicle takes you back to Arusha for a well-earned shower and rest.
Departure
If your trip ends here, we'll drive you to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight home. If you've booked a safari or a few days in Zanzibar afterward, I'll help you transition straight into the next leg.
What You Get
Ready for Your Adventure?
- Hotel stay: 1 night before and after the climb
- Airport transfers
- All park permits and fees
- Rescue fees for any potential rescue operation
- Fresh meals and drinking water throughout the climb
- Professional mountain guide
- Porters to carry your gear and supplies
- Hut accommodation with mattresses
- Foam sleeping mattress for each climber
- Transportation to and from the mountain
- Sleeping bag and personal climbing gear (clothing, boots, poles, headlamp, gloves)
- Tips for guides, driver and crew
- Personal expenses: beverages, laundry, and similar costs
- Phone, fax, or other communication services
- Travel insurance (required, covering treks above 4,500m)
- Flights to and from Tanzania
- Visas or other travel documentation
- Snacks on the mountain
- Personal medicine
See the Route
