Marangu Route — 6 Days
Overview
Add one more night at Horombo Hut (3,720 m) with an acclimatisation walk to Zebra Rocks (4,000 m), and your chance of reaching Uhuru Peak on Marangu jumps significantly. Same comfortable huts, same route — one extra day for your body to adapt.
Quick facts
- Start point
- Marangu Gate (1,860 m)
- End point
- Marangu Gate (same route)
- Distance
- ≈ 72 km round trip
- Highest point
- Uhuru Peak · 5,895 m
- Best season
- Jan–Mar, Jun–Oct
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Traffic
- Low to moderate
- Scenery
- Exceptional
- Accommodation
- Mountain huts (no tents)
Day-by-day itinerary
- 1Day 1
Moshi → Marangu Gate → Mandara Hut
Today's StatusHiking Time: 3–4 hoursTotal Distance: 8 kmStarting Altitude: 1,860 m (6,100 ft)Final Altitude: 2,700 m (8,858 ft)Elevation Change: +840 mHabitat: Montane rainforestMorning briefing and gear check in Moshi, then a 1-hour drive to Marangu Gate (1,860 m) for park registration. A well-graded forest path climbs steadily through lush montane rainforest alive with blue monkeys, colobus and turacos. Arrive at Mandara Hut, a cluster of A-frame wooden cabins, in time for an optional 30-minute walk to Maundi Crater for views into Kenya.
Meals: Lunch, DinnerMandara Hut · 2,700 m - 2Day 2
Mandara → Horombo Hut
Today's StatusHiking Time: 6 hoursTotal Distance: 12 kmStarting Altitude: 2,700 m (8,858 ft)Final Altitude: 3,720 m (12,205 ft)Elevation Change: +1,020 mHabitat: Heather & moorlandThe forest ends abruptly within an hour and gives way to open heath and moorland studded with giant lobelias and senecios. Long, gentle switchbacks with the jagged spires of Mawenzi and the snow dome of Kibo ahead all day. Horombo is the busiest camp on the mountain — a village of huts on a ridge, with sunset over the cloud layer below.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerHorombo Hut · 3,720 m - 3Day 3
Acclimatisation day at Horombo · Zebra Rocks
Today's StatusHiking Time: 3 hours (acclimatisation)Total Distance: 5 km round tripStarting Altitude: 3,720 m (12,205 ft)Final Altitude: 3,720 m (12,205 ft)Elevation Change: +280 m / −280 m (via Zebra Rocks)Habitat: MoorlandThe day that makes this itinerary work. A relaxed breakfast and morning rest, then a 3-hour return walk to Zebra Rocks (4,000 m) — striped lava cliffs streaked white by mineral-rich run-off — and optionally on toward the Mawenzi ridge. Classic 'climb high, sleep low': you gain nearly 300 m and return to sleep at Horombo, giving your body an extra day to produce red blood cells before the summit push.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerHorombo Hut · 3,720 m - 4Day 4
Horombo → Kibo Hut
Today's StatusHiking Time: 6–7 hoursTotal Distance: 10 kmStarting Altitude: 3,720 m (12,205 ft)Final Altitude: 4,700 m (15,420 ft)Elevation Change: +980 mHabitat: Alpine desertPast the Last Water Point at 4,130 m — from here everything is carried — and out onto 'The Saddle', a stark, wind-scoured alpine desert between Mawenzi and Kibo. Vegetation disappears entirely. Kibo Hut is a stone bunkhouse at 4,700 m directly below the summit cone. Early dinner, gear laid out, and into your sleeping bag by 19:00 for a few hours of rest.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerKibo Hut · 4,700 m - 5Day 5
Summit Day · Kibo → Uhuru Peak → Horombo Hut
Today's StatusHiking Time: 12–14 hoursTotal Distance: 22 kmStarting Altitude: 4,700 m (15,420 ft)Final Altitude: 3,720 m (12,205 ft) via Uhuru Peak 5,895 mElevation Change: +1,195 m / −2,175 mHabitat: Arctic → moorlandWake at 23:00 for tea and biscuits and set off by headtorch at midnight. Steep switchbacks of loose scree past Hans Meyer Cave (5,150 m) bring you to Gilman's Point (5,681 m) on the crater rim around sunrise. A further 1.5–2 hours along the rim past the Rebmann Glacier reaches Uhuru Peak (5,895 m). After photos, descend to Kibo for brunch, then continue down across The Saddle to Horombo for a deep, well-earned sleep.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerHorombo Hut · 3,720 m - 6Day 6
Horombo → Marangu Gate → Moshi
Today's StatusHiking Time: 5–6 hoursTotal Distance: 20 kmStarting Altitude: 3,720 m (12,205 ft)Final Altitude: 1,860 m (6,100 ft)Elevation Change: −1,860 mHabitat: Moorland → rainforestA long but easy descent retracing the moorland and rainforest path, with a rest stop at Mandara Hut. Sign out at Marangu Gate and receive your summit certificate — gold for Uhuru Peak, green for Gilman's Point. Farewell song and tipping ceremony with the crew over a celebratory lunch, then transfer to your Moshi hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Pricing per person
All-inclusive on the ground. Price per person decreases with group size.
| Group size | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $2,250 |
| 2 people | $2,100 |
| 3 people | $1,900 |
| 4 people | $1,870 |
| 5 people | $1,810 |
| 6 people | $1,800 |
| 7 people | $1,760 |
| 8 people | $1,710 |
| 9 people | $1,670 |
| 10 people | $1,690 |
| Prices valid for current season bookings | |
What's included
Everything covered on the ground, and what's not.
The Trip Cost Includes
- All transportation in destination location
- Hotel accommodations, before and after the trek
- All government taxes and park entrance fees
- All meals while on the mountain
The Trip Cost Excludes
- Personal gear rentals
- Tanzania visa fee
- Tipping to the trekking crew
- Travel insurance
Trail map
A stylised overview of the Marangu Route — camps, elevations and summit approach.
Elevation profile
Night-by-night altitude on the Marangu Route — the shape of the climb, camp by camp.
Route FAQs
The questions climbers ask most.
Do I need previous climbing experience?+
No technical climbing is required on any of the standard routes. Good general fitness and prior multi-day hiking experience are strongly recommended — you'll be trekking 5–7 hours per day for a week at high altitude.
How cold does it get on the summit?+
Summit night temperatures typically range from −7 °C to −20 °C with wind chill. Daytime at lower camps is much milder (10–20 °C). We provide a detailed packing list and can rent quality cold-weather gear locally.
What is the summit success rate?+
Our overall summit success across all routes is 96 %. On the 8-day Lemosho itinerary it climbs to 99 %. Success comes down to route length (more acclimatisation days = more oxygen in your blood at 5,895 m) and guide quality.
Is travel insurance required?+
Yes — mandatory. Your policy must cover trekking to 6,000 m and helicopter evacuation. We recommend World Nomads or Global Rescue.
How much should I tip the crew?+
The KPAP guideline is about USD 20–25 per climber per day, pooled and split among guides, cook and porters. We hand out a detailed tipping breakdown at the pre-climb briefing.
How long are the treks?+
Our Kilimanjaro treks run from five to eight days, and we recommend a minimum of six for proper acclimatisation. Total trekking distance is roughly 53–73 km depending on the route. Adding extra days significantly improves your chances of reaching Uhuru Peak — which is why we usually extend Marangu from five days to six.
How many hours will I trek each day?+
Expect 4–7 hours of hiking on a typical day. Summit day is the longest at 10–15 hours including the ascent and initial descent, and some descent days can run 8–10 hours. Actual times depend on your pace, the weather and the route.
Can children climb Kilimanjaro?+
Yes. Kilimanjaro National Park sets a minimum age of 10 years for children trekking to Uhuru Peak.
What kind of food will I eat?+
Our mountain chefs prepare three hot, nutritious meals a day plus trail snacks and afternoon tea, served in the dining tent. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal, diabetic-friendly and other special diets are catered for with advance notice — ask us for a sample menu.
Are there charging points on the mountain?+
There are no charging stations on Kilimanjaro. Bring power banks and spare batteries; our vehicles have charging ports for transfer days.
What travel documents do I need?+
A passport valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates, with a valid entry or re-entry visa for Tanzania.
Have a question about Marangu Route?
Send us your enquiry and a Tanzania-based expert will get back to you within 24 hours with a personalised itinerary, pricing for your group size and answers to any questions you have.
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