Marangu Route - Special Interest Kilimanjaro

Day 1:

On arrival at Kilimanjaro airport you will be met and transferred to the Keys Hotel where your accommodation has been booked on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis. This evening you will be briefed on the climb in preparation for the following day. Please note that a baggage limit of 12 kg will be carried by your porter so please ensure that your personal gear does not exceed this.

Keys Hotel

We use a base hotel, Keys Hotel, which is moderate by South African standards, but by far the best hotel in Moshi! It has a pool, hot water, good sized rooms with en-suite bathrooms, excellent pub, restaurant and patio areas.

Day 2:

After breakfast you will be transferred to Marangu Gate (1 860 m), where you will commence the climb. The route passes through tangled rain forest to the Mandara Hut at 2 752 m, close to the Maundi Crater. The climb is reasonably easy although the path is sometimes slippery. There is prolific birdlife and monkeys are usually seen.

Day 3:

You will continue your ascent through a short stretch of forest skirting the base of Mundai Crater, emerging into rolling alpine meadows with giant heather trees, and finally arrive at Horombo (3 780 m), set in a rocky valley with giant senecios and groundsels, where there is hut accommodation and full board. You have the option of an extra day at Horombo to acclimatise to the altitude, with a walk up to Point Mawenzi.

Day 4:

From Horombo Hut you will continue along one of two trails to the saddle and on to Kibo Hut (4 740 m), which is approximately a six-hour walk into the lunar landscape of the desert area.

Day 5:

The ascent to the peak begins at approximately 01:30, and you accomplish the demanding five hours in the dark, scrambling up scree. As the sun rises, you should be at Gillman’s Point on the edge of the crater. A further hour along the crater’s rim takes you to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa at 5 895 m. You will be rewarded with spectacular views, beautiful ice formations and a tremendous feeling of satisfaction in conquering this mighty peak. The descent is much quicker, and you overnight at Horombo Hut.

Day 6

Final walk to the park gate, where you will be met and transferred back to Keys Hotel, Moshi, where you will overnight on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.


COST: On request, depending on the time of year and duration of climb.

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