The Rongai route begins on the northern side of the mountain. It is a long drive to the starting point but you are rewarded with fantastic views and sometimes you will be the only climbers around. If you take this route up the mountain you are obliged by park rules to descend via the Marangu Route which is the most popular and used route.
| Days | Route | Walking Time Distance | Accommodation | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Arrival in Tanzania Transfer to Arusha |
Lush Lodge |
D |
|
| 2 | Drive to Rongai Gate (2.100 m) Climbing to Camp 1 (2.800 m) |
3-4 hours 12 km |
Camp 1 |
B, L, D |
| 3 | Climbing from Camp 1 to Kikelewa Camp (3.679 m) |
5-6 hours 7 km |
Kikelewa Camp | B, L, D |
| 4 |
Climbing from Kikelewa Camp to Mawenzi Tarn Hut (4.330 m) |
4-5 hours 7 km |
Mawenzi Tarn Hut |
B, L, D |
| 5 | Climbing from Mawenzi Tarn Hut to Kibo Hut (4.700 m) |
3-4 hours 7 km |
Kibo Hut |
B, L, D |
| 6 | Climbing to Uhuru Peak (5.895 m) Descend to Horombo Hut (4.700 m) |
7-9 hours 19 km |
Horombo Hut |
B, L, D |
| 7 | Descend from Horombo Hut to Marangu Gate (1.840 m) |
5-7 hours 19 km |
Airport / Start Safari Program |
B, L |
B: Breakfast - L: Lunch - D: Dinner
Day 1
We will pick you up from the Kilimanjaro Airport and transfer you to Arusha. It will take almost 1 hour to drive. Dinner and accomodation will be in the lodge in Arusha. We will give you all informations about your holiday trough your driver and guide there.
Day 2
Now we transfer to the start of the Rongai route, close to the Kenyan border, where we begin the ascent of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The first night we will be camping at Camp 1.
Day 3
Walk up through giant heathers and moorlands to Kikelewa Camp. Dinner and overnight stay in the camp.
Day 4
Climbing that day is a gradual ascent and we get great views of the plains of Kenya below and the spectacular Mawenzi Tarn above. Dinner and overnight stay in Mawenzi Tarn Hut.
Day 5
Today we climb through the lunar desert of the Saddle, the lava-covered expanse between the two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo. Dinner and a short stay until 11 p.m. at Kibo hut.
Day 6
We get up at 11 p.m. and after a snack we proceed to the summit at around midnight. After 5-6 hours we pass Gilman's point at the crater rim on 5.681 m and after another 1-2 hours we pass Uhuru Peak on 5.895 m. We reach the summit in the early morning of the fifth day and after taking sunrise pictures we start descending to Horombo hut. Dinner and an overnight stay at Horombo hut.
Day 7
The last day we descend from Horombo hut to Marangu gate. We will bring you back to the hotel in Arusha. In the evening we transfer you to the airport / start the safari program.