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Overview

Customized travel with private guide on Kilimanjaro’s Marangu route

The Marangu route is the easiest way to climb to the summit of Kilimanjaro. This challenging and exciting adventure is perfect for anyone who loves hiking, enjoys effort, and is fit enough in to make it to the top.
The only route where shelters are available on the mountain, the Marangu route is ideal for those trekkers who want accommodation and proper shelter during their climb. It allows hikers to discover all the different types of vegetation found on the mountain. From the Park’s entrance to the Marangu Gate all the way to Uhuru Peak (Freedom Peak), you walk by all varieties of African vegetation, including tropical jungles and the summit’s glaciers. After the coffee and banana plantations (800 to 1800 meters) you enter a very dense forest (1800 to 2800 m) where tall trees are bound together by a complex web of vines.
This trek includes an extra day at Horombo Hut for acclimatization purposes, and to better prepare you for the effort required in climbing Kili. And let’s not forget that this ascent of Kilimanjaro via Marangu route will also let you discover African Wildlife at Arusha Park– with Kilimanjaro in the background…

Contact our Kilimanjaro expert today for more information on this unique expedition!

Itinerary

Day 1| International flight

Day 2| Airport - Moshi (altitude: 800m)
Meet and greet at Kilimanjaro airport and transfer to a 3-star lodge for the night.

Day 3| Safari in Arusha National Park
After breakfast, you go on a safari in this small park (137 km2) where many different habitats thrive: a high-altitude forest and cascades at Mount Meru, the Ngurdoto, a volcano whose crater is home to many mammals, and the 7 Momela Lakes where beautiful water birds live. On a sunny day, we are blessed with breathtaking views of Mount Meru and Kilimanjaro. Many animals live in this park: giraffes, elephants, buffalo, hippopotamuses, rhinoceros, colobus monkeys, antelopes, and warthogs. In the afternoon, transfer to Moshi, a small town nestled at the foot of the Kilimanjaro. Settle into your 3-star hotel. Meet the team leader for a briefing and prepare your ascent. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 4| Marangu Gate (1829m) - Mandara (2 700m)
After breakfast you head for Machame village (alt: 1490 m). The guides and porters will prepare all the material and equipment. You will walk for 5 hours or so through a humid forest and climb 750 m in altitude. Overnight in a shelter. Full board.

Day 5| Mandara Hut (2 742m) - Horombo Hut (3 720m)
Today, you walk through many different landscapes (forest, prairies, ravines, rocky valleys…) during a 5-7 hour 11 km trek. Picnic en route. The rhythm is comfortable, the landscape grandiose, and the vegetation luxuriant. Arrival at Horombo Hut, set in a rocky valley. Dinner and overnight in shelter.

Day 6| Acclimatization day in Horombo Hut
For better acclimatization, we find it best to spend an extra day relaxing and walking around Horombo Hut. Full board.

Day 7| Horombo Hut (3 720m) - Kibo Hut (4 703m)
Today you walk for about 5-6 hours. Many trails reach Kalibo Hut, where you will start your overnight climb. One trail arrives in Mawensi, but this one is rocky and eroded. We prefer the one going through Horombo Hut, which is easier and arrives close to Kibo Hut. Dinner and overnight in Kibo Hut.

Day 8| Kibo Hut - Gillman's Point (5 680m) - Uhuru Peak (5 892m) - Horombo Hut
You start your day at 2am to arrive at the summit after around 10-12 hours of walking (a 4 km hike which climbs 1200m). Enjoy sunrise on Mawenzi from the top of Kibo at Hans Meyer Cave before arriving to the edge of the crater at 5685m. If the weather is right and there is enough time, hikers reach the summit 45 minutes after leaving Gillman’s Point and enjoy the breathtaking views of the glacier walls. After getting back to Kibo Hut, a well-earned meal awaits you, before further descending to Horombo Hut (14km, a 6-hour walk to go down 2200m). Dinner and overnight in shelter.

Day 9| Descent and arrival
After a healthy breakfast, a 3-hour walk through forests will bring you to the Park’s entrance. Sign the golden book and, for those who made it to the summit, receive your certificate. Meet your driver and hop on your vehicle for transfer back to Moshi where you spend the night in a 3-star hotel.

Day 10| International flight
Transfer to the airport and international return flight

Budget

**Rates published on this website are for information purposes only and are not legally binding (since departure dates are not given). Prices on this website are known to fluctuate frequently in relation to changes in currencies and hotel pricing. In order to obtain a definite quote, please click here.

Other fees

Lodging

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO?
The main trekking seasons at Kilimanjaro are from mid-June to October and from January to early March. This being said, heavy rainfall and snowfall can occur throughout the year, changing trekking conditions. Proximity to the equator means this region enjoys considerable sunlight. It is however better to avoid both the small rainy season (end of March to early June) and the heavy rainy season (November and December). If you want to have the full moon as your trekking partner, you can program your ascent in accordance (preferably, in one of the appropriate time periods).

HOW TO CHOOSE BETWEEN MACHAME AND MARANGU ROUTE ?
All the routes lead to the Summit, but Marangu and Machame are without a doubt the most popular trails. Which one should you choose? Machame is steeper and harder but the scenery is better. There is more effort required during the ascent (ups and downs), and the terrain is more rugged.

On Marangu, permanent wooden shelters with solar power make for more comfortable accommodation. Most of these shelters can accommodate up to 6 trekkers (the exception being Kibo Hut, which has dormitories).

On the Machame route, accommodation is in a 2-person domed tent, allowing for more intimacy. For some, these facts make the choice much easier: if you don’t want to sleep in a tent or add difficulty to your hike, the Marangu route (also known as the Coca Cola Route) is the clear winner.

Advanced trekkers who are confident in their fitness level and who have experience in camping and trekking in high altitude will be better off choosing Machame (aka the Whiskey Route), with more grandiose panoramas and much less tourists. The success rate on this route is actually higher at 80%, doubtless because those who choose it are more experienced hikers.

The acclimatization day is important and highly recommended. Of course, some want to save time and money and choose to climb faster. But if reaching the top is the objective, it is important to put the odds in your favor by taking an extra day for acclimatization purposes: success rates for those who opt out of this option are much lower.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Backpacks are carried by porters and under no circumstances can their weight exceed 15kg (Park rangers weigh these before departure). Upon demand, a packing list is available once reservations are completed

A full team is available during your ascent. For example, for 4 hikers, the team will have 14 members, including a cook, a guide-cook, an assistant guide, and porters who carry the supplies, tents, mattresses, and any other materials deemed necessary. Our staff follows all guidelines set by the National Park. We only hire qualified individuals and all our guides carry an official card authorizing them to accompany hikers (contrary to other countries, women and children are not allowed to work as porters here).

Tips are handed out at the end of the trek (current rates in USD are around 12$/day for guides, 10$/day for assistant-guides, 8$/day for cooks, and 6$/day for porters).

HOW CAN I COMBINE THE ASCENT WITH A SAFARI ?
Most travelers who travel to Tanzania also want to experience a safari. We always recommend going on a safari after a Kilimanjaro trek, in order to be in better shape. Once we know how much time travelers have on their hands, we can find the best solution to allow them to discover the exotic African wildlife. Safaris can start as soon as the day after you complete your ascent, or the following day for those who need a day of rest (for example, to enjoy leisure time in Arusha). We can customize our safari recommendations according to your schedule; proposed safari length starts at just one day.

CAN THIS TRIP BE COMBINED WITH ANOTHER TREK ?
It is possible to organize trips around a common theme – in this case, hiking or trekking. On this site, you can find other very interesting treks (for example, Mount Meru and Oldoinyo Lengai), and we also organize discovery treks though superb areas, in the company of armed rangers or Masai warriors. These walking and trekking activities can also be combined with safaris. Once we know what the traveler or group wants, we can design a balanced program combining many different activities.

PERSONAL EQUIPMENT TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO
To make it to the top, you need to carefully plan what you bring in order to make sure you have everything you need. Here are some helpful tips…

LUGGAGE:
All your belongings have to fit into 2 bags: 1 backpack and one travel bag with padlock, or one large backpack. Strong plastic bags will be very useful in organizing your belongings.

1 – The backpack
This is the bag you will bring with you on the plane and which you will wear on your back throughout the trek. This cannot be a large bag (around 40 L). It must hold everything that is heavy or fragile and anything that you need in the airplane. For example: camera and film (or memory cards), books, magazines, medication, toiletries, a warm shirt, etc. During your trek, this will be your day bag; once on location, your guide will tell you what you need to bring for every leg of the journey.

2- Travel bag or large backpack
This is your checked luggage for the plane ride. Throughout the trek, it holds anything you don’t need during the day. Teams of porters or vehicles will carry this for you and it will be returned to you in the evening. These bags cannot weigh more than 15kg. We ask you to respect this weight limitation.

SLEEPING - BIVOUAC:
Norwegian-style sleeping bag (-5 to 15°c). Sleeping bag liner.

PHOTOS - VIDEO :
On Kilimanjaro, you can take as many pictures and videos as you want. Recommended iso: 200
 
Clothing
• Hat
• Scarf
• T-shirt
• Bathing suit
• Hood
• Wool gloves
• Wool shirt
• Long-sleeve shirt
• Pullover or sweatshirt
• Windbreaker or light coat
• Polar vest
• Thermal undergarments, top and bottom
• Down jacket (Gore-Tex or similar)
• Raincoat or poncho (indispensable), and perhaps a collapsible umbrella
• Bermuda shorts
• Comfortable pants
• Tracksuit
• Wool slippers
• Tennis/Jogging shoes
• Sandals
• Warm and comfortable hiking boots, with proper ankle support, and quality soles (Vibram or other)

SMALL ITEMS:
Headlamp with spare bulbs and batteries, lighter to burn waste, regular and glacier sunglasses, high-protection sunscreen and lip balm, mosquito repellant, light toiletries (if possible, please use biodegradable products), toilet paper, water bottle (minimum 1L), pocket knife (remember to put this in you checked luggage!), moist towelettes for personal hygiene (for example, Wet Ones), small sewing kit.

PERSONAL PHARMACY :
Your usual medicine, vitamin C or multivitamins, pain medication (aspirin or equivalent), antidiarrheals (Imodium, Diarsed), gastro-intestinal antiseptic (such as Ercefuryl), broad-spectrum antibiotic (on prescription), anti-inflammatory ointment, collyrium (for dust or ophtalmia), water purification tablets (Micropur, available in pharmacies, or Hydroclonazone), adhesive bandages, bandages (Elastoplast), sterilized compresses, moleskin (protection against blisters, available in pharmacies or outdoor sports stores), small bottle of mint alcohol (for nausea), parasite powder, DIAMOX (consult your doctor for a prescription).