5 Days Marangu Route

Distance: 8 km Hiking Time: 4-5 hours Habitat: Rainforest After breakfast in Arusha, you will be driven to Marangu Gate for registration and to begin your trek. The trail starts in a lush rainforest, where you may spot blue monkeys and a variety of bird species. As you ascend, you’ll reach Mandara Hut, located just at the forest's edge, where you’ll rest for the night. Overnight: Mandara Hut

Distance: 12 km Hiking Time: 6-8 hours Habitat: Moorland After breakfast, the trek continues through the rainforest before emerging into the moorland, where the vegetation becomes sparse, and giant lobelias and groundsels begin to dominate the landscape. You’ll pass through clearings offering breathtaking views of both Mawenzi and Kibo peaks. Your destination for the night is Horombo Hut, situated in the moorland zone. Overnight: Horombo Hut

Distance: 10 km Hiking Time: 6-8 hours Habitat: Alpine desert Today’s trek is challenging as you cross the Saddle, a lunar-like landscape that lies between the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi. The alpine desert environment has very little vegetation, and the temperature begins to drop as you ascend. You will arrive at Kibo Hut in the late afternoon, where you’ll rest and prepare for the final summit push. Overnight: Kibo Hut

Distance: 18 km (to the summit and back to Horombo Hut) Hiking Time: 10-14 hours Habitat: Arctic at the summit, Moorland on descent This is the most challenging day of the trek. You’ll start around midnight to begin the summit ascent, aiming to reach Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa, just in time for sunrise. The steep ascent up to Gilman’s Point on the crater rim is taxing, but from here, the final trek to Uhuru Peak is manageable. Once at the summit, you’ll have time for photos and to take in the incredible views before descending back to Kibo Hut for a short rest. Afterward, you’ll continue the descent to Horombo Hut for a well-earned rest. Overnight: Horombo Hut

Distance: 20 km Hiking Time: 6-7 hours Habitat: Moorland to Rainforest After breakfast, you will make your final descent back to Marangu Gate, passing back through the moorland and rainforest zones. At the gate, you’ll receive your certificates: a green certificate for reaching Gilman’s Point and a gold certificate for those who reached Uhuru Peak. A vehicle will be waiting to transfer you back to Arusha, where you can relax and celebrate your successful Kilimanjaro adventure!