Kilimanjaro Challenge - Marangu Route

Day 1: Marangu - Mandara Hut  
After breakfast, your final preparation is completed and our vehicles will take your party to the park entrance, roughly 4 miles from Marangu Hotel.  Once you reach the park gate (1980m), all hikers are requested to sign in at the Park office. Here, you will meet the porters who will be arranging and loading their packs, containing our food, water, cooking gas as well as most of your equipment. They ascend much quicker than the hikers, so make sure you have all you need in your daypack (ie. drinking water, lunch and extra clothing). Your guide will be available to assist with any questions etc. you might have. We now leave the Park gate and ascend on a cleared ridge trail through the rain forest for a gentle 3 hour walk to Mandara (2700m). This can be done much faster, but it is the first day of your climb and there is absolutely no point in rushing it.  It is also worth the gentle walk to enjoy the beauty of the scenery.  Whenever you feel like it, you can stop to enjoy your packed lunch.  Once you reach the hut, it is likely that you will have time on your hands before the evening so you may like to walk to the Maundi Crater, at the upper edge of the rain forest. It is about 30 minutes of walking from the hut and is well worth the scramble up the rim of the Maundi Crater, for your first really impressive view of the Kibo Crater. Your hut is part of a group of wooden A-framed, modern and comfortable huts in a forest clearing. Each hut features 6-8 sleeping bunks with solar generated lighting and the camp can accommodate 60 climbers. Water is piped into the camp from springs above and there are flush toilets behind the main hut area. In the evening a cooked meal will be prepared and the following morning you will be awoken with a cup of tea. Warm water will be provided for washing. [LD]

Accommodation: Mandara Hut (2700m)

Day 2: Mandara - Horombo Hut
After a cooked breakfast you will leave Mandara at about 8 o'clock. The first half hour or so continues through the rain forest then skirts the base of the Maundi Crater and then emerges into alpine meadow for the approximately 10 mile walk to Horombo. If the day is clear there are splendid views to be had of both peaks, showing off majestic glaciers and also of the plains stretching away below the mountain. The vegetation around is also spectacular, especially higher up where you might see endemic giant Lobelia which can grow to 3 m in height and the extraordinary giant groundsel (Senecia Kilimanjari), which can reach heights of 5m.  As you go higher the vegetation thins and you may experience some of the effects of altitude, commonly shortness of breath. After about 6 hours of hiking from here, you will reach the Horombo hut (3720m), where you will have hot washing water, a well-earned rest and dinner. Horombo hut is a cluster of huts perched on a small plateau, with buildings similar to Mandara, but with a much greater capacity of 120 climbers. Horombo is normally bustling with an atmosphere of adventure and excitement and you will meet both ascending and descending hikers here. Remember to drink enough water, move slowly and go to bed early to get a last good night's rest! [BLD]

Accommodation: Horombo Hut (3720m)

OPTIONAL DAY – for 6 day package  (between Day 3 and Day 4)
Some people choose to spend an extra day at Horombo hut on the ascent. This extra day and night is for additional acclimatisation and a hike towards the Mawenzi hut, passing the Zebra Rocks on the way (about 3 hours up and 11/2 hours down), is strongly recommended. This hike will further assist with the process of acclimatisation: - The important point to remember about this extra day; is not to become overtired by attempting to climb as high as possible during the day in the hope of becoming better acclimatised. [BLD]

Accommodation: Horombo Hut (3720m)

Day 3: Horombo - Kibo Hut  (4700m)
After breakfast we will start to climb to Kibo Hut. At this stage you are closer to Mawenzi than to Kibo, and the climb appears to be taking you to the wrong peak. From Horombo Hut there are two trails to the "Saddle" area located between the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo. There is a more direct route to Kibo which the porters use, but it is not advisable on the ascent, as the route you will follow will assist in a more gradual acclimatisation, and there is the added advantage of spectacular views of Mawenzi from just under the peak. Until you reach the saddle the terrain is very similar to the previous day; once on the saddle which resembles semi-desert, you can see clearly across to Kibo Hut which seems scarcely any distance away, but is in fact still some few hours walk. Again, take this slowly in order to acclimatise and drink enough water!

The last half hour to the hut can be very tiring, as the hut is some way up the peak and the sight of the next day's path can be pretty daunting, but most people recover some strength after a few hours rest. Situated amidst the barren landscape, is Horombo hut. Horombo is a stone-built block house, which has bunk beds for 60 climbers. Please note: - there is no water nearby, but it is possible to buy mineral water and soft drinks at the camp office. There are platform toilets behind the hut. The summit is now a further 1195m away (and up) and you will make your final ascent the same night. Prepare your equipment and clothing for your summit attempt. . This should include the replacement of all batteries (headlight & torches etc. - make sure you have a spare set available as well). If possible, carry your water in a thermal flask to prevent it becoming frozen. Try to get as much sleep as possible. [BLD]

Accommodation: Kibo Hut

Day 4: Kibo Hut – Summit - Horombo Hut
You will be woken shortly after midnight with a hot drink and you will put on all your thermal and warm clothing.  The first part of the ascent to the Hans Meyer Cave is quite indirect, going around large rock outcrops and it is not as steep as the latter part. It consists of a rocky path to the cave, which is also a good resting spot.  The surface is loose and hard going and it is very important to pace yourself.  After the cave the scree slope becomes extremely steep and the path then zigzags up to Gillman's Point (5 681m), which is located on the crater rim. This section is very steep with a lot of stone scree, requiring a great physical and mental effort. It takes an average of 6 hours to cover the distance from Kibo Hut to Gillman's Point on the crater rim. This is probably the most demanding section of the route, so move slowly. (If you are lucky you will see a fiery sunrise from behind Mawenzi). Gillman's Point is acknowledged to be the top and you will receive a certificate from the Park authorities for reaching it. From here, there are splendid views of the ice cliffs across the crater.  
After a rest, if you feel able and if weather and time permit (also, most importantly, if your guide says it is possible), you can attempt to reach Uhuru Peak around the crater rim. From Gillman’s Point you will normally encounter snow all the way up to Uhuru peak (5895m), the highest point in Africa and this is about one and a half to two hours walk.  If you reach Uhuru you will get a different, gold certificate and the satisfaction of having reached the roof of Africa!  Weather conditions on the summit will determine how long you will be able to spend, before the 3 hour descent back to Kibo hut. The descent is, in some ways, as difficult as the ascent. You will be tired, and the slope has lost none of its steepness.  Back at Kibo Hut you will have a rest, take off a lot of your warm clothing which will be packed into your kit bags. Then you will continue to Horombo Hut, this time by the more direct route. This is a long and tiring day and you will be sure to sleep well. [BLD]

Accommodation: Horombo Hut

Day 5: Horombo Hut - the Park Gate    
After breakfast today, you will complete the descent passing Mandara hut, down to the Marangu gate and still going slowly so as not to sprain an ankle, or twist a knee. It is strongly recommended not to pay your porters any tips until you and all your gear have reached the gate safely. At the gate you sign your name and details in a register and also receive your summit certificate. Those climbers who reached Gillman's Point (5685m) are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m), receive gold certificates. At the Gate vehicles will be waiting to take you back to the hotel to the luxury of a hot bath and a cold beer. [BL]

End of tour