Mountain Trekking
5 Days Marangu Trek
Overview
The Marangu Route, affectionately known as the "Coca-Cola" route, is the oldest and most established path on Mount Kilimanjaro. It is unique as the only route on the mountain that offers dormitory-style sleeping huts with solar lighting and comfortable dining halls, rather than sleeping in tents. This 5-day itinerary is a fast-paced, direct ascent to the roof of Africa. Because it skips the extra acclimatization day at Horombo Hut, it is the most challenging schedule on this route and is highly recommended only for hikers who are already acclimated to high altitudes or have exceptional fitness. The trail offers a beautiful, steady climb through vibrant rainforests, expansive moorlands, and the striking, sweeping alpine desert saddle between the rugged Mawenzi and Kibo peaks.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Marangu Gate to Mandara Hut
Elevation: 1,860 m/6,102 ft to 2,720 m/8,923 ft
Distance: 8.3 km/5.2 mi
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Rain Forest
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Description: After a hearty breakfast, you will drive to the Kilimanjaro National Park headquarters at Marangu Gate to complete your registration. Once the crew has packed and weighed the supplies, your trek begins. You will walk along a well-maintained, stepped trail through a lush, dripping rainforest canvas. Keep your eyes peeled and listen closely for the calls of blue monkeys and black and white colobus monkeys swinging in the canopy above. The steady, gradual incline allows your body to warm up as you take in the vibrant flora. By late afternoon, you will reach the clearing that houses the A-frame cabins of Mandara Hut. If you still have energy, you can take a short walk to Maundi Crater for your first spectacular views of the Kenyan border and the mountain peaks above.
Mandara Hut to Horombo Hut
Elevation: 2,720 m/8,923 ft to 3,720 m/12,205 ft
Distance: 12.5 km/7.8 mi
Hiking Time: 6-8 hours
Habitat: Heath and Moorland
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Description: You will start the day early, leaving the thick rainforest behind after about an hour of hiking. The trail opens up abruptly into the heath and moorland zone, dominated by short shrubs and towering, otherworldly giant lobelias and groundsels. The path here is relatively flat but long, offering exposed, sweeping views of the Kibo summit on a clear day. As you trek across the rolling landscape, the air noticeably thins and the temperature begins to drop. You will eventually arrive at Horombo Hut, a bustling, village-like camp situated on a small plateau with incredible views of the Mawenzi peak.
Horombo Hut to Kibo Hut
Elevation: 3,720 m/12,205 ft to 4,720 m/15,485 ft
Distance: 9.5 km/5.9 mi
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Description: Today’s hike takes you into the harsh but breathtaking alpine desert. You will trek across the "Saddle," a wide, barren, and wind-swept plateau that connects the craggy peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo. The landscape here is stark, rocky, and almost lunar, with very little vegetation surviving at this altitude. You will take it exceptionally slow today—"pole pole" (slowly, slowly) as the local guides say—to conserve energy and help your body process the thin air. You will reach the stone-built Kibo Hut by mid-afternoon. There is no running water here, and the atmosphere is quiet and focused. You will have an early dinner, prepare your summit gear, and try to sleep by 7:00 PM to rest up for the midnight wake-up call.
Kibo Hut to Uhuru Peak to Horombo Hut
Elevation: 4,720 m/15,485 ft to 5,895 m/19,341 ft to 3,720 m/12,205 ft
Distance: 6 km/3.7 mi up, 15 km/9.3 mi down
Hiking Time: 6-8 hours up, 5-6 hours down
Habitat: Arctic / Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Description: Your guide will wake you around 11:30 PM with hot tea and biscuits. Bundled in your warmest gear, you step out into the freezing, dark night and begin the most mentally and physically demanding part of the trek. You will ascend a steep, heavy scree slope in a switchback pattern, following the headlamps of other climbers toward Gilman’s Point (5,681 m) on the crater rim. After a brief rest and catching the magnificent sunrise, you push forward along the snow-covered crater rim for another hour or two until you reach the wooden sign of Uhuru Peak—the true roof of Africa. After taking your summit photos and celebrating, the descent begins. It is a long, knee-jarring slide down the loose gravel back to Kibo Hut for a hot lunch, followed by a continued descent all the way down to the richer oxygen of Horombo Hut for a deeply earned sleep.
Horombo Hut to Marangu Gate
Elevation: 3,720 m/12,205 ft to 1,860 m/6,102 ft
Distance: 20 km/12.5 mi
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
Habitat: Rain Forest
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Description: Your final day on the mountain is a long but joyful descent. After breakfast and a traditional tipping ceremony with your hardworking crew, you will retrace your steps downward. You will pass quickly through the moorland, taking in the warmer air as you descend back into the thick, humid canopy of the rainforest. The trail can be muddy and slippery in these lower sections, so trekking poles are highly recommended. You will arrive back at the Marangu Gate by early afternoon, where you will sign the official registry to receive your summit certificate (a green one for reaching Gilman’s Point, or a gold one for Uhuru Peak). Your vehicle will be waiting to drive you back to your hotel for a hot shower and a celebratory dinner.
Included
- Pick up and drop off at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO)
- 2 nights hotel accommodation (before & after the climb)
- All day’s park fee / Hut fee and Rescue fee
- Wages for mountain crew (porters, chef and guides)
- All Meals and Drinking water during the Trek
- Oxygen cylinder for emergency
Not Included
- International and domestic flights
- Tanzanian tourist visa fees
- Gratuities/tips for the safari guide and lodge staff
- Travel insurance and medical evacuation coverage
- Personal items, laundry, alcoholic beverages, and soft drinks
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