Trip Introduction

The Marangu route is the oldest route to the summit of Kilimanjaro, also known as the "Coca-Cola" Route, and like the famous soft drink, it is certainly popular, representing a good choice for reaching the summit. It is a preferred choice for climbers due to being the easiest route to the summit but still presents a physical challenge. The route provides climbers with a relatively comfortable option, as they stay overnight in mountain huts. This feature adds to its popularity, particularly during the rainy season when ascending the mountain is possible. Despite being less popular than the Machame route, Marangu can still be crowded as it serves as both the ascent and descent route.

The minimum number of days required for this route is five, although the probability of successfully reaching the top in that time period is quite low. Spending an extra acclimatization day on the mountain is highly recommended when climbing Kilimanjaro using the Marangu route. 

Itinerary

Duration:6

Day 0: Arrival – Moshi- Pre-trek Briefing

If you have chosen to use our airport transfer service, we will collect you from Kilimanjaro Airport and take you to your hotel in Moshi or Arusha. Your guide will meet you at the hotel for a pre-trek briefing, which is scheduled for the day after your arrival. We recommend that you arrive at least one day before the trek begins. During the briefing, we will discuss the trek and review your equipment. If you require any additional equipment, we can arrange for it to be rented from our store.

Day 1: Moshi To Marangu Gate To Mandara Hut

• Elevation: 1200 m to 1,750m to 2,750m
• Distance: 9km.
• Hiking Time: 3 hours
• Habitat: Montane Forest to moorland and heath vegetation.

You will be transferred to Marangu gate from the hotel and do a registration at the gate. Afterwards, you will begins trekking through the rainforest to Mandara hut. Here you will have an acclimatization opportunity of visiting Maundi Crater. Dinner and overnight at Mandara Hut.

Day 2: Mandara Hut To Horombo Hut

• Elevation: 2750 m to 3,807m
• Distance: 13km.
• Trekking Time: 5-6 hours
• Habitat: Moorlands

After breakfast, you will outclimb the rainforest and continue trekking to Horombo hut where you will trek through rolling moorlands and get your first clear view of towering Kilimanjaro. Stop halfway for lunch, where you can enjoy amazing views of Mawenzi. Arrive at the Horombo Huts by 3 PM, where you can see Kibo’s summit. Rest, unpack, and prepare for dinner. Bathrooms with running water are available. You may start to feel the effects of altitude here and to aid your acclimatization, you can choose to spend an extra day resting at Horombo or climbing to a basecamp below Kibo’s sub-peak Mawenzi.

Day 3: Horombo Hut To Kibo Hut

• Elevation: 3807m to 4725m
• Distance: 10km.
• Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
• Habitat: Desert

Wake to breakfast as usual, but if you wake early you can get some great photos of the sunrise. The first part of the day’s hike climbs through the dwindling heathland that blends into a moonscape as you enter the sweeping saddle connecting Mawenzi and Kibo. When you stop for lunch, and later when you cross this surprisingly large saddle, you can examine the summit climb up Kibo that you will be starting in just a few hours. Be careful to notice any signs of altitude sickness. There is no running water at the Kibo Huts.

Day 4: Summit Day Kibo Hut Camp To Uhuru Peak To Horombo Hut Camp

• Elevation: 4,695 m to 5,895 m to 3,690 m
• Distance: 4km up, 14km down.
• Hiking Time: 10-15 hours
• Habitat: Alpine Desert.

Wake at midnight to a light breakfast then prepare for your summit ascent. Because you will climb to the summit in the dark you will need to have your headlamps/flashlights. It will also be very cold until you start descending, so you will need to have all of your warm layers. This is an important time to keep on slowly slowly (pole pole in Swahili). The goal is to climb before dawn so that you can reach Uhuru Peak shortly before or after sunrise. Switchback up steep scree or possibly snow, and reach Gilman’s Point on the crater rim at 5,861 m/18,640 ft between 4 and 6 am. At this point, you will have a view of the fabled crater and its icecaps facing you. Then after 2 hours of hiking along the Kibo crater rim near the celebrated snow takes you to Kilimanjaro’s true summit, Uhuru Peak here you will spend some time for taking photos. After your summit photos and taking in the view, descend back to the Kibo Huts, have lunch, rest, collect your equipment and continue down through re-cross the saddle to the Horombo Huts. Have dinner and overnight at Horombo Camp.

Day 5: Horombo Huts Camp To Marangu Gate To Moshi

• Elevation: 3,690 m to 1,830 m to 1,387 m
• Distance: 19km.
• Hiking Time: 5-7 hours

After a long sleep, you will be awaked for breakfast and pack, continue your descent through the moorland to Mandara Huts. Here you will have lunch then proceed your triumphant recessional down through the lush forest to Marangu park gate. After the gate sign out, a vehicle will take you back to the hotel where it is definitely time for your certificate presentation and celebration!

Day 6: Departure - Tanzania

The day is left free to wind down after the trek before your flight home. After a good night’s rest at your hotel, you will take breakfast ready for the scheduled check-out by 10.00. (If you wish to remain in the hotel during the day, please advise us of this when you book your trip and we will inform you of the cost for day room which ends at 18:00hrs, and then make the booking on your behalf.)

If you have booked a transfer to the airport, you will be collected from your hotel and dropped off at the airport. For those travelers who have booked to go on safari, Lobelias representative tour guide will be meeting you in the evening to provide you with a pre-safari briefing.

*Safari, Zanzibar and other add-ons are available if you wish to continue exploring Tanzania

include

• Private transport to & from Kilimanjaro International airport to the hotel in Moshi/Arusha.
• 2 nights of accommodation in Moshi/Arusha (before and after the climb bed and breakfast)
• Return transportation from Moshi/from the starting/finishing point on the mountain.
• Qualified guides with mountain crew
• All national park fees
• Hut/camping fees
• 4 Season mountain tents
• Double layered Sleeping Mats
• Mess tent (for dining) Mini camping chairs/Tables/Candles
• Rescue fees
• Pulse oximeters & Portable oxygen tanks
• First aid kit
• 3 hot meals daily while on the mountain
• Enough treated &filtered drinking water throughout the trek
• Fair wages for the mountain crew as approved by the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority (KINAPA), Kilimanjaro Association of Tour Operators (KIATO)
• Government taxes
• Guides, porters, waiter, cook accommodation and entry fees on the mountain.

Exclude

• Meals and drinks not specified
• Gear for your climb
• Items of personal nature
• Additional nights beyond the two standard hotel nights included
• Visas
• Portable flush toilet with a toilet tent is available for extra charge $90$ for entire trek.
• Flights
• Tips for guides, porters and cook (this is a guide to tipping on the mountain htt://www.kiliporters.org/ tipping_recommendations.php
• Tipping on Kilimanjaro from the trekking group (not per climber)
• Guides: 20$-30$ /day/guide
• Cook: 15$-20$/ day
• Porter: 7$-10$/day/porter