Marangu Route – 5 Days Known As The “Coca-Cola”
The Marangu route is a classic trek on Mount Kilimanjaro. It is the oldest, most well established route. Many favor the Marangu route because it is considered to be the easiest path on the mountain, given its gradual slope. It is also the only route which offers sleeping huts in dormitory style accommodations. The minimum 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 Klimanjaro using the Marangu route.
However, despite its immense popularity, we avoid leading climbs on the Marangu route. The route has the least scenic variety of all the routes because the ascent and descent are done on the same path and it is the most crowded route for that reason. Marangu is favored only during the rainy season, where the hut accommodations are preferred over wet ground, or for those who only have five days to climb Kilimanjaro (which we do not recommend anyhow). Otherwise, the Marangu route is a poor choice.
Day 0: Arrival Day
Meet and transfer from point of arrival Kilimanjaro/Arusha airport to the Lodge in Arusha or similar in Moshi. Briefing and gear checking before dinner & overnight.
- Meals Plan: Dinner & Breakfast Included
- Overnight at Lodge in Arusha
Day 1: Arusha (1,400 m) – Marangu gate at (1,980 m) – Mandara Hut (2,700 m)
After breakfast at your lodge in Arusha, we will pick you up and drive to Marangu gate via Moshi town & along villages, local farms of cassava, potatoes, maize, coffee & banana plantation. On arrival at the gate you will sign in at the park office and your guide will work on other Park formalities. The actual number of potters who will accompany you will depend on things to be carried and each potter normally carry not more than 20 kg, you will carry your lunch box, drinking water, clothes and other personal stuff. Potters are hiking first so once they carry any of your things you will meet them at the camp.
Today, your Mt Kilimanjaro Climbing Marangu route 5 days starts by hiking up to Mandara hut at (2700 m) your hiking will be through beautiful landscape of the mountain forest, little streams and water falls Kisamboni picnic area the place for lunch can be reached after 1.5 hour of walking from the park gate. From Kisamboni you will possibly need 1.5 hour to reach Mandara hut (2,700 m). Vegetation type at this campsite is of low alpine zone and moorland, accompanied with shrub and trees with lots of lichens.
Mandara area is located in a clear forest with wooden A-shaped framed huts and here is where you will spend your first night in Kilimanjaro Mountain. Mandara huts can accommodate 60 people sleeping in bunks; each hut has 6-8 sleeping bunks. Water around this area is from the spring and can be used for drinking, cooking and flushing toilets.
You can have a short walk to the Maundi crater where you can enjoy a good weather and possibly see Mawenzi peak. Blue Monkeys, black and white coloubus Monkeys can be spotted around this place.
Each day when arriving at the huts you will have tea/coffee & some bites then hot water to wash before changing clothes you have been hiking with. On mountain we say stay warm all the time. Dinner will be served before going to bed.
- Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
- Overnight at Mandara Hut (2700 m)
Day 2: Mandara Hut (2,700 m) – Horombo Hut (3,720 m)
After light breakfast, your second hiking day on Kilimanjaro Marangu route starts, this day you will hike along the last patches of the forest past the other side of Maundi crater and soon you will reach the moorland vegetation zone.
This area is dominated by heather, Lobelia Deckenii and lovely Dendrosenecio kilimanjari. With a good weather condition you can have a great view of both Kibo and Mawenzi. Reach Horombo huts and if you wish you can bath with hot water before dinner and sleep in a luxurious bed.
Horombo huts have a capacity of 120 people all sleeping in beds and it is small village and the only huts at Kilimanjaro with beds. At this camp nights tends to be very cold please be prepared. Arriving at the camp same procedures will follow just as much as the previous day.
- Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
- Overnight at Horombo Hut (3,720 m)
Day 3: Horombo Hut (3,720 m) – Kibo Hut (4,700 m)
Your Hiking day will start after breakfast. Saddle the area in-between Mawenzi and Kibo can be reached in two different routes, through the upper route which is eroded and stormy or by taking the lower route which is easier and most recommended where you can pass near the water point at (4,200 m) which is the last in this route.
Fill your bottles with enough drinking water as this will be the last water point before reaching Horombo huts again, otherwise you can buy mineral water or soft drinks at Kibo huts. If you wish you can take a short break at this Last water point and perhaps sit at the picnic site for lunch.
You will reach Kibo huts at (4700 m) after 2 walking hours. Kibo hut is at the barren Alpine desert with only grasses and everlasting flowers. Kibo huts are built with stone blocks and have 60 bunk beds and platform toilets. Arriving at the camp same procedures will follow as previous day.
- Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
- Overnight at Kibo Hut (4700 m)
Day 4: Summit attempt: Kibo Hut (4,700 m) – Uhuru peak 5,895 m & back to Horombo Hut (3,720 m)
The final part of your Mt Kilimanjaro climbing Marangu route 5 days will be at night. After dinner you guide will give you a detailed briefing on how it will be, so you will prepare all needed equipment before going to sleep as the trekking will start around mid-night time will depend on your pace. Things to be prepared for this attempt are thermal clothing, ski-stick, and thermal flask for water, hand warmers, batteries and headlamp among others. (We will brief you here in Arusha & go through your Gears).
Depending on your pace you can possibly wake up at 23:00 or 23:30 and have some tea and biscuits before starting. You will face a challenging part of your Mt Kilimanjaro climbing at the beginning which is rough and rocky path.
On the way you will pass Williams Point at (5,000 m), Hans Meyer Cave at (5,150 m) and Gillman’s point at (5,681 m) positioned on the crater rim. To reach Hans Meyer Cave from Kibo hut you will spend almost two and a half hours. Gilman’s point is placed just a short distance from Hans Meyer Cave, it is about an hour to get there.
From Gilman’s point you will possibly need not less than 1 hour and a half to reach the summit. The rest of your climbing all the way up to Uhuru Peak will be covered with snow and the walking will be along the crater rim. Stella point at (5,752 m) will be passed on the way and this is the point where other Kilimanjaro routes reach the rim.
Marangu route 5 days tours continue and at this point your about to reach the summit but it can be of a great challenge. Woow! You have reach the Uhuru Peak the highest point in Africa, Kilimanjaro Mountain, (Congratulation!) Spend some minutes at the summit taking pictures but not much longer at this altitude before starting your way down and back to Kibo hut at (4,700 m) where lunch will be served, proceed further down to Horombo hut at (3720 m), you will need almost 3 hours. Reaching the Camp same procedures will follow washing, coffee/tea etc. Dinner will be served there and you will spend a night at the luxurious beds.
- Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
- Overnight at Horombo Hut (3,720 m)
Day 5: Horombo Hut (3,720 M) – Marangu gate at 1,980 m – Drive Back to Arusha
Breakfast at Horombo hut before starting your last day downwards from Kilimanjaro.
Have lunch and some rest at Mandara hut (2700) on your way down, hopeful the path is familiar as you have passed here on your first day.
Reaching Marangu gate, you will provide some details to the register and you will be given a summit certificate, if reached Gilmann’s Point you will have a green certificate & for Uhuru Peak the actual Summit is a gold certificate. Tips for potters and guides are recommended & this can be done at Horombo gate in the morning when celebrating before descending to Marangu Hut.
Meet you driver at the gate who will transfer you back to Arusha/Moshi for overnight or drop off to the airport (Accommodation in Arusha/Moshi can be arranged upon request at extra cost).
- Meals Plane: Breakfast & Lunch Included.
