Marangu Route 6 Days with Chemka

Welcome to Tanzania! Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), our friendly representative will meet you and transfer you to your comfortable hotel in Moshi. Spend the day resting, meeting your guides for a pre-climb briefing, and checking your gear to ensure everything is ready for the adventure ahead.

Elevation Gain: 840 meters | Hike Time: 4-5 hours | Distance: 8 km. After breakfast, we drive to the Marangu Gate for registration. Your climb begins through a fascinating tropical rainforest. Keep your eyes peeled for blue monkeys and vibrant birdlife amidst the ancient trees and hanging mosses. We reach Mandara Huts in the afternoon, where you'll enjoy your first night on the mountain in cozy wooden huts.

Elevation Gain: 1,020 meters | Hike Time: 6-7 hours | Distance: 12 km. We leave the lush forest behind and enter the heath and moorland zone. The path opens up to reveal stunning views of the Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. You'll hike past giant lobelias and groundsels, unique to the Afro-alpine ecosystem. Arriving at Horombo Huts, you'll notice the thinning air but will be rewarded with a spectacular sunset over the clouds.

Elevation Gain: 1,000 meters | Hike Time: 6-7 hours | Distance: 9 km. Today we cross the "Saddle," a high-altitude desert between the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo. The landscape is sparse and otherworldly, with little vegetation surviving the harsh conditions. The trail is relatively flat but the altitude makes every step feel significant. We reach Kibo Huts at the base of the summit cone, where you'll have an early dinner and rest before the midnight summit push.

Elevation Gain: 1,175 meters | Descent: 2,175 meters | Hike Time: 12-15 hours. Your summit attempt begins around midnight. This is the most challenging but most rewarding part of the journey. Hiking by headlamp, we ascend the steep scree to Gilman’s Point (5,685m) on the crater rim. From there, another 1.5-2 hours of hiking brings you to Uhuru Peak, the "Roof of Africa." After celebrating your triumph at the summit, we descend back to Kibo Huts for a short rest and then continue down to Horombo Huts for a well-deserved night's sleep.

Descent: 1,860 meters | Hike Time: 6-7 hours | Distance: 20 km. A final descent takes you back through the moorland and into the lush rainforest once again. At Marangu Gate, successful climbers receive their gold certificates for reaching Uhuru Peak. Your driver will meet you at the gate and transfer you back to your hotel in Moshi for a celebratory hot shower and a relaxing evening.