8-day Kilimanjaro guided ascent via Marangu route

We’ll all meet at hotel in Arusha. After check-in you have a short briefing with your guide.

On day two, we’ll head to the Kilimanjaro National Park, passing Marangu village on the way. It’s there that we’ll meet the porters who will help us to carry the equipment we’ll need for the trip.  Then we’ll head into the rainforest and trek until we reach the Mandara Hut in the forest clearing, where we’ll sleep for the night.

In the morning, we’ll leave the hut and continue along the trail to the base of the Maundi Crater. From there, the landscape will change from rain forest to moorland. In the moorland, we’ll be able to see Kilimanjaro’s most spectacular plants like the Giant Lobelia, which can reach 3 m in height. We’ll hike for another 6 hours or so before reaching the Horombo Hut.

Horombo Hut is a village, and it’s likely that there’ll be other hikers, guides and porters there. We’ll sleep an extra night in this hut to help us with acclimatisation. We’ll go to bed early for a good night sleep.

Day five brings with it an early start as we ascend to the Alpine desert habitat. There we’ll find the Kibo Hut, a house built of stone blocks. From here, we’ll have another 1195m to ascend to reach the summit. We’ll do this the same night so on day five we’ll go to bed at around 7pm. Before that, we’ll get all of our equipment ready for the final ascent.

We’ll get up at 11.30pm, and after a quick snack, we’ll be on our way. We’ll cover some rocky ground to the Hans Meyer Cave at 5150m. The good news is that we’ll have a little rest there.  After that, we’ll follow at zigzagging path to Gillman’s point at 5681m. From there, it’ll most likely be snowy until we reach our summit- Uhuru Peak at 5895m.

If the weather is good, we’ll be able to spend some time up there to enjoy the view and take photos. Our descent will then begin as we pass the huts we came from. We’ll stop at Horombo Hut, where we’ll stay for the night. The day will end with a group dinner together as we reflect on your awesome ascent. You’ll sleep well on day six.

We’ll continue our descent on day seven. On the way down, you’ll get your certificates. If you got to Gillman’s Point, you’ll get a green certificate. If you made it all the way to Uhuru Peak, you’ll get a gold certificate. The day will end back at Arusha where you’ll be able to have a lovely shower and enjoy a celebration with fellow climbers.

Departure day.