6-Day Marangu Route Mount Kilimae

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Marangu Gate to Mandara Hut

The drive from Arusha to Kilimanjaro National Park takes about three hours via Marangu village. Hikers sign in at the park office before starting the trek through rainforest, home to monkeys and birds. A scenic parallel trail follows a stream before joining the main path.

Overnight is at Mandara Hut, wooden A-frame huts with solar lighting, water, and toilets. Dinner is served in the communal dining area.

Elevation: 1,860 m → 2,715 m

Distance: 8.1 km

Hiking time: 5 hours.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Mandara Hut

• Budget mountain hut located on Mt Kilimanjaro

+5 Photos

+4 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Mandara Hut To Horombo Hut

From Mandara Hut, the trail moves through a short forest section, skirts Maundi Crater, and opens into moorland. A detour up the crater rim gives your first view of Kibo Crater and its glaciers.

In the moorland, spot unique flora like giant lobelia (3 m) and giant groundsel (5 m), with occasional high-altitude birds.

After about 6 hours, you reach Horombo Hut, offering bunks, dining, and great views, perfect for acclimatization.

Elevation: 2,715 m → 3,705 m

Distance: ~12 km

Hiking time: 6 hrs

Habitat: Moorland with alpine vegetation.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Horombo Hut

• Budget mountain hut located on Mt Kilimanjaro

+5 Photos

+4 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Horombo HUT (3705m) – Acclimatisation Day

Horombo Hut is a small village of huts on a plateau, similar to Mandara, with a total capacity of 120 climbers. It is lively, bustling with hikers, guides, and porters, creating an atmosphere of adventure. Here, you will encounter both ascending and descending trekkers.

The extra day and night at Horombo are for acclimatization. A recommended hike to Mawenzi Hut, passing the Zebra Rocks (≈3 hours up, 1.5 hours down), helps your body adjust to the altitude. Remember to move slowly and drink plenty of water.

All meals are provided at the hut. Rest early to get a good night’s sleep in preparation for the higher altitudes ahead.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Horombo Hut

• Budget mountain hut located on Mt Kilimanjaro

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Horombo Hut to Kibo Hut

After breakfast, you leave Horombo and enter the Alpine desert. There are two routes to the Saddle (between Mawenzi and Kibo):

Upper route (right fork): Stony, eroded, familiar from your acclimatization hike.

Lower route (left fork – recommended): Easier, about an hour shorter, and passes the last watering point at 4,130 m.

Remember to move slowly and drink plenty of water.

At Kibo Hut, a stone building with 60 bunks and platform toilets, you rest and prepare for the nighttime summit attempt. Check that thermal gear, ski-sticks, headlamp, spare batteries, and water are ready. Sleep early, around 19:00, to maximize rest before the climb.

Elevation: 3,705 m → 4,730 m

Distance: ~10 km

Hiking time: 6 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Kibo Hut

• Budget mountain hut located on Mt Kilimanjaro

+2 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Kibo Hut to Uhuru Peak to Horombo Hut

Before midnight, after a light snack, begin the final ascent to Hans Meyer Cave (5,150 m), then zigzag up steep scree to Gillman’s Point (5,681 m). From there, continue over snow to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m), Africa’s highest point.

Descend 3 hours to Kibo Hut to collect gear, then continue down to Horombo Hut (~3 hours). Enjoy dinner and rest after a long, rewarding day.

Elevation: 4,730 m → 5,895 m → 3,705 m

Distance: ~5.4 km ascent, 15 km descent

Hiking time: 7–8 h ascent, 6–8 h descent

Habitat: Scree and ice-capped summit.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Horombo Hut

• Budget mountain hut located on Mt Kilimanjaro

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Horombo To Mandara to Marangu Gate

After breakfast, you begin your descent (~6 hours), passing Mandara Hut on the way down to Marangu Gate. At the gate, climbers sign the register and receive their summit certificates: green for those who reached Gillman’s Point (5,685 m) and gold for Uhuru Peak (5,895 m).

From Marangu Gate, you drive back to Moshi for a hot lunch and then onward to Arusha for a long-awaited hot shower, marking the end of your Kilimanjaro adventure.

Elevation: 3,705 m → 1,860 m

Distance: ~20 km

Hiking time: 6 hours

Habitat: Rainforest.

Main Destination:

Marangu Gate (Mt Kilimanjaro)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.