Kilimanjaro & treks
Arusha, Marangu Gate, Mandara Hut, Horombo Hut, Mawenzi Ridge, Kibo Hut, Gilman's Point, Uhuru Peak
your journey
The Marangu route is one of the best-known ways up Kilimanjaro and the one commonly used route where you sleep in mountain huts rather than tents. Its gradual trail climbs from rainforest through moorland and alpine desert to the summit zone, and you return the same way.
What sets this six-day climb apart is Day 3. Instead of pushing on from Horombo Hut, you spend a second night there and use the day for an acclimatisation hike towards the Mawenzi Ridge, climbing higher and coming back down to sleep. That extra time at altitude is one of the best things you can give your body before Kibo Hut and summit night.
We drive you from Arusha to Marangu Gate and back, and our mountain guide, crew and porters look after you on the mountain, with meals provided throughout the trek.
First-time Kilimanjaro climbers who are physically prepared and prefer a hut to a tent, and anyone who wants an acclimatisation day built in. No climbing experience is needed, but expect long walking days, some steep sections and the effects of high altitude.
Parks visited
Mount Kilimanjaro
what makes it special
day by day
After breakfast we drive you from Arusha to Marangu Gate, where your guide completes registration and the park formalities. The walk starts in lush rainforest and climbs gradually along a well-used forest trail, where you may hear and see birds and other forest wildlife. Take it slowly from the first step: the pace you set today helps you later. You reach Mandara Hut in the afternoon to settle in, eat dinner and spend your first night on the mountain. From about 1,840 m to 2,700 m, about 8 km, 4–5 hours.
After breakfast the trail leaves the forest and climbs into the heath and moorland zone, where the vegetation opens out and the sky gets bigger. As you gain height, the snow-streaked dome of Kibo and the jagged peak of Mawenzi come into view ahead of you. It is a long walking day, so drink often and keep to your guide's steady pace. You arrive at Horombo Hut for dinner and the night. From about 2,700 m to 3,720 m, about 12 km, 6–8 hours.
This is the day that makes the six-day climb worth it. After breakfast you hike from Horombo towards the Mawenzi Ridge, gaining height at a gentle pace with fine views of Mawenzi Peak and Kibo. Then you walk back down to sleep at Horombo again. Climbing high and sleeping lower gives your body time to adjust before the thinner air of the coming days. The afternoon is for resting, reading and drinking plenty of water. About 5 km up and 5 km back, 2–4 hours depending on the route and pace.
After breakfast you leave Horombo and cross the Saddle, the wide, high plain between Mawenzi and Kibo. The last plants thin out as you enter the alpine desert, rocky and sparse, and the air grows noticeably thinner. You reach Kibo Hut in the afternoon, eat an early dinner and rest as much as you can, because the summit attempt starts around midnight. Lay out your warm layers, headtorch and water before you sleep. About 10 km, 6–8 hours.
Around midnight, after a light snack, you start up the steep path towards Gilman's Point on the crater rim, then continue around the rim to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m), the highest point on Kilimanjaro. Take time at the top for photographs and the view, then descend to Kibo Hut for a short rest before carrying on down to Horombo Hut. This is the longest and most demanding day of the trek. About 6 km up and 16 km down to Horombo.
After breakfast you begin the final descent, back through heath and moorland and into the rainforest you walked through on the first day. Your knees will feel the way down, so use your poles and take your time. At Marangu Gate your guide completes the park formalities and signs you out, and then our vehicle meets you for the drive back to Arusha, where the trek ends. About 20 km, 5–7 hours.
the price
Price on request
before you ask
Kilimanjaro needs no ropes or technical climbing skills, but it is a serious high-altitude trek. You walk for several hours a day on uneven ground, nights are cold, and summit night starts around midnight in thin air. Walking regularly on hills before you come, with a loaded daypack, is the best preparation.
We choose routes and itineraries with enough days on the mountain, and we follow the principle of climbing high and sleeping low. On the Machame route, for example, you take short walks above camp at Shira, Lava Tower, Karanga and Barafu before returning to sleep lower. Walk slowly, drink plenty of water and tell your guide straight away about any headache, nausea or dizziness.
Many climbers use acetazolamide (Diamox) to help with acclimatisation, but it is a prescription medicine and not right for everyone. Talk to your own doctor before the trip, especially about allergies and side effects, and tell your guide if you are taking it.
Kilimanjaro can be climbed all year, but the driest months are mid-January to mid-March and late June to October, which are also the busiest. The long rains from late March to early June bring wet trails and cloud, and we generally advise against climbing then unless you are experienced in those conditions. November brings short rains, often in the afternoon.
On our Kilimanjaro packages with hotel nights, you stay at our partner hotel, Weru Weru River Lodge near Moshi, or a similar hotel, on the night before and the night after the climb. Your guide holds the pre-climb briefing and gear check there.
You need good broken-in hiking boots, warm layers including a down jacket, waterproof jacket and trousers, gloves, a warm hat, a headtorch and a daypack. Tents, mats and all group and cooking equipment are provided. Your specialist will confirm what can be rented locally, including sleeping bags, and send you a full packing list.
On Day 3 you stay at Horombo Hut for a second night. In the morning you hike towards the Mawenzi Ridge, about 5 km each way, and return to Horombo to sleep, which helps your body adjust before Kibo Hut and the summit.
In shared, dormitory-style mountain huts at Mandara, Horombo and Kibo rather than in tents. Marangu is the Kilimanjaro route that uses huts; our other Kilimanjaro routes are camping routes.
Enquire
Every AAA Express Adventure trip can be changed to suit you: the pace, the lodges, the number of days. Tell us your dates and who is travelling, and our team in Arusha will come back to you with a plan and a price.
Your journey
Price on request
6 days · 5 nights
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Call us on +255 784 281316, email sales@aaaexpressadventure.com or send an enquiry. Our team in Arusha will get back to you.
Price on request
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