Kilimanjaro: Marangu Route
Kilimanjaro: Marangu Route
Kilimanjaro: Marangu Route
8 Days Starting and ending in Moshi
Visiting: Marangu, Mandara Hut, Horombo Hut, Kibo Hut / Mawenzi Peak, Uhuru Peak / Horombo Hut
Tour operator:
Tour code:
YKXM
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 12
Physical rating:
High, High
Age range:
15-99 years
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
From:
$3890
$3696 (USD)
Operator discount: -$194
Tour Overview
Take on Kilimanjaro on an eight-day trekking adventure. This is the most popular and direct of the mountain routes and the only one serviced by mountain huts to provide protection from the elements. With one guide for every two passengers and a team of porters, all you have to do is focus on the incredible views and keep your footing, while the crew keeps you safe and sound. Hike through forests and alpine meadows, over rocky ravines and past lunar landscapes to the spectacular summit of Africa's highest peak – the panoramic views from the top of Mt Kilimanjaro must be seen to be believed.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Marangu
Location: Marangu
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: dinner
Jambo! Welcome to Tanzania. Your hike begins in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro in Marangu. The hotel is a short walk from the village’s bustling market and some excellent coffee shops. It is also very close to some beautiful waterfalls and ancient Chagga caves. Please make sure you are at the hotel by early evening, as your trip starts with a full briefing and kit inspection by an experienced Kilimanjaro climber. This will take place before dinner, usually around 6 pm. In the event that one of you fellow travellers are late, the meeting may have to be rescheduled for the following morning.
Included Activities:
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Day 2: Mandara Hut
Location: Mandara Hut
Accommodation: Mountain hut
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Stop into one of the offices of the Intrepid Foundation-supported Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project. Learn how various projects support the people who are helping you tackle Mt Kilimanjaro, making sure these hardworking individuals are fairly compensated and safe while they work. Not only will you gain an appreciation for the work of the folks who make the trek possible, but you’ll also be able to walk easier with the knowledge you’re supporting ethical trekking. Continue to Marangu Gate, the entrance of the Mt Kilimanjaro National Park (1860 m) and meet your guides and porters. With introductions and assignment of porter loads taken care of, it’s time to embark on the trek of a lifetime.
Included Activities:
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Day 3: Horombo Hut
Location: Horombo Hut
Accommodation: Mountain hut
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Your second day on the mountain involves another long hike over a slightly steeper stretch. The total distance from Mandara to the Horombo huts is 12 kilometres (approximately 5–7 hours). Today you will see the rainforest give way to open and rolling alpine meadows dotted with giant heather trees. Once out of the forest canopy, the twin snow-tipped peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi lie directly ahead. These are two of the three great cones of Kilimanjaro (the other being Shira). During the day’s walk we will traverse several ravines before reaching the hut, which is set in a rocky valley. There is time to enjoy a wide variety of vegetation and changing landscapes on the way to Horombo Hut (3780 metres). We will spend the next two nights here at the hut.
Included Activities:
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Day 4: Horombo Hut
Location: Horombo Hut
Accommodation: Mountain hut
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
After breakfast, walk towards Mawenzi Hut, passing the unusual Zebra Rocks on the way. It’s a steep climb up a grassy slope, but well worth it: the views over the area towards Kibo are second-to-none. Afterwards, return to Horombo for lunch. Spend the afternoon relaxing and acclimatising to the altitude, or ask your guides about short walks in the area. Take advantage of the rest day here and drink plenty of water – the next couple of days will be pretty intense!
Day 5: Kibo Hut / Mawenzi Peak
Location: Kibo Hut / Mawenzi Peak
Accommodation: Mountain hut
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Today you’ll walk the 10 kilometres or so from Horombo to Kibo Hut (approximately 5–7 hours). As the journey progresses you will notice the landscape gradually becoming more rugged and rocky, and the air noticeably thinner. We will have to soften our pace a little to accommodate these environmental changes. Marvel at giant groundsels and lobelias while you travel across the sparse moorland. Skirt Mawenzi Peak and marvel at the stark lunar landscape of the Saddle, reaching Kibo Hut in afternoon (4740 m), take the opportunity to have an early night in preparation for a very early (or late?) wake-up call.
Included Activities:
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Day 6: Uhuru Peak / Horombo Hut
Location: Uhuru Peak / Horombo Hut
Accommodation: Mountain hut
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Your guides will wake you up at 11 pm and hot tea will be served. Prepare for the last leg of the trek – to the summit. The distance from Kibo Hut to Uhuru Peak is six kilometres (approximately 6–8 hours), and the descent to Horombo will be approximately the same amount of time. The trek begins beneath the stars as you zigzag your way up a large scree slope, guided only by torch light, to reach Gilman's Point (5685 m). With some luck, arrive in time for breathtaking views of the sun rising behind Mawenzi Peak. This is the stretch that most people find the hardest, and you should be prepared for a very cold morning. The dramatic spectacle of the sun rising over the ice fields of the crater will make the early start worthwhile. For those who still have the energy, it's a further walk (approximately 2 hours) along the rim of the crater to Uhuru Peak (5896 m), the highest point in Africa. From here there are amazing views of the crater, ice fields and plains below. After photos and time to catch your breath, descend back to Horombo Hut for a well-earned rest.
Included Activities:
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Day 7: Marangu
Location: Marangu
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Continue your descent through alpine meadows and rainforest to the park gate. The distance from Horombo to Marangu Gate is 20 kilometres (approximately 5–6 hours). Here your transport awaits and you will return to the hotel for a relaxing shower – a real treat after the physical exertions of the last few days! Over a celebratory meal we can relive and share our experiences of the past five days on the mountain.
Day 8: Marangu
Location: Marangu
Meals Included: breaksfast
There are no activities or trekking planned for today. A transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport or a shuttle to Nairobi can be arranged locally – please speak to your group leader about this at the welcome meeting.
What's Included
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Fully catered trek including National Park entrance fees, climbing fee, mountain huts & rescue services (5 days)
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Complimentary Sleeping Bag and walking pole hire ( must be requested at time of booking )
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Mount Kilimanjaro - Trek Briefing
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Mount Kilimanjaro - Services of experienced English speaking mountain guides (first-aid qualified) cooks and porters (a minimum of 1 guide to every 2)
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Mount Kilimanjaro - Return transfers from hotel to park gate
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Mount Kilimanjaro - Porterage of 1 bag (9kg/20lb max)
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Mount Kilimanjaro - Emergency oxygen and comprehensive first aid kits
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Marangu - Kilimanjaro Porters Assitance Project
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Meals
7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners
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Accommodation
Hotel (2 nights), Mountain hut (5 nights)
What's Not Included
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Tipping and Gratuities
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International Travel
Included Activities
- Complimentary Sleeping Bag and walking pole hire ( must be requested at time of booking )
- Mount Kilimanjaro - Trek Briefing
- Fully catered trek including National Park entrance fees, climbing fee, mountain huts & rescue services (5 days)
- Mount Kilimanjaro - Services of experienced English speaking mountain guides (first-aid qualified) cooks and porters (a minimum of 1 guide to every 2)
- Mount Kilimanjaro - Return transfers from hotel to park gate
- Mount Kilimanjaro - Porterage of 1 bag (9kg/20lb max)
- Mount Kilimanjaro - Emergency oxygen and comprehensive first aid kits
- Marangu - Kilimanjaro Porters Assitance Project
- Mount Kilimanjaro - Services of experienced English speaking mountain guides (first-aid qualified) cooks and porters (a minimum of 1 guide to every 2)
- Fully catered trek including National Park entrance fees, climbing fee, mountain huts & rescue services (5 days)
- Fully catered trek including National Park entrance fees, climbing fee, mountain huts & rescue services (5 days)
- Mount Kilimanjaro - Services of experienced English speaking mountain guides (first-aid qualified) cooks and porters (a minimum of 1 guide to every 2)
- Mount Kilimanjaro - Services of experienced English speaking mountain guides (first-aid qualified) cooks and porters (a minimum of 1 guide to every 2)
- Fully catered trek including National Park entrance fees, climbing fee, mountain huts & rescue services (5 days)
Accommodation
- On the mountain you'll be staying in basic but comfortable wooden A-frame huts with single beds and simple mattresses. The huts are 4, 6 and 12 share depending on where you are on the mountain. Due to limited accommodation on the mountain, you may need to share a hut with non-Intrepid passengers and/or members of the opposite sex. There are also washroom huts with western & drop toilets and basins.
Transport
- NAIROBI TO MARANGU SHUTTLE:
- It's easy to book yourself a transfer from Nairobi to Marangu (or vice versa). Simply ask at your hotel. They will make a booking and collect payment for you (cost is approx US$80). This public shuttle transfer leaves your Nairobi hotel around 08:00 and connects with a 14:00 shuttle in Arusha. The Arusha shuttle transfers to Moshi, Marangu. The transfer company we work with have agreed to take our passengers through to Kibo Hotel. Please ask your booking agent for the shuttle company details.
Important Information
- 1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Days 2,3,4,5,6 (Mountain huts) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
- 2. A Self-Assessment Form is required for this trip. Your booking agent will provide you with this form at time of booking to fill out before arrival.
- 3. The cabins used during your trek are multishare for 4–12 people per cabin.
- 4. Parts of your trip go above 2800 meters (9200 feet) where it is common for travelers to experience some adverse health effects due to the altitude.
- 5. Please make sure you arrange your flights in order to arrive at the starting hotel before 4 pm on Day 1 in order to attend the very important pre-climb briefing and information session that is usually held before dinner.
Check out our Q&As
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Is this trip right for you
Although no mountaineering experience is required, a good level of physical fitness is necessary to tackle Mt Kilimanjaro. You’ll need to be comfortable walking 6–8 hours uphill a day. The distances may not be long, but the altitude makes it harder than your average uphill hike. You can find our detailed guide to tackling Mt Kilimanjaro here https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/theme/walking/kilimanjaro-trek.
The sky’s the limit! Sections of this trip take you above 2800 metres (9200 ft), where it is common to experience altitude sickness.
Temperatures at night can get very low when you're above 3500 metres, so clothing and a sleeping bag made for this kind of climate are essential. You can hire this at the beginning of your trip if you need, but make sure you speak to your travel agent or an Intrepid representative for details.
Your safety comes first. All our guides and trekking leaders have been trained by independent, UK-based medical specialists and are proficient in first aid. They also carry oxygen cylinders on all treks for emergency use.
You must be prepared to share the huts along this route with between 3 and 11 other people who may be of a different gender.
Hiking for several days without a shower can be tough – be prepared for some dust and dirt. A mask, wet wipes and face washer may become your best friends!
Some passengers on this trip may have been travelling together prior to the start of your trip. See what you're missing out on in the Serengeti & Kilimanjaro adventure – search trip code YGOMC on the Intrepid website for more information. -
Are international flights included in this tour?
No
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
Yes if aged 15+ and accompanied by an adult
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Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
No
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
No
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Are all entrance fees included in the price?
No
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 400 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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COVID Protection
Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards
From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
However, we continue to strongly recommend that all travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and other Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.
This policy excludes all Polar trips and select adventure cruises, where testing and vaccination remains a requirement. Please refer to the Essential Trip Information of your chosen tour for more details. -
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