5 Days Marangu Route
Tour summary
Overview of Kilimanjaro Hiking
The Machame route on Kilimanjaro is a seven day camping route which allows for excellent acclimatisation and particularly diverse scenery. It has been called the Whiskey route in the past and nowadays about 35% of all climbers on the mountain use it.In a matter of days you will climb Kilimanjaro from the equator up to an Arctic zone, moving through grasslands, tropical rainforest, alpine meadows, moorlands and high desert to snow and ice.
Tour Itinerary
Day0: Arrival Day
Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro international airport you will be met by our representative from extraordinary safari and begin transferred to Moshi for overnight accommodation.
Day 1:Marangu gate- Mandara Hut
Afterbreak fast, leave mandara hut and Kilimanjaro forest for Horombo hut. Most of the days hike will be through Kilimanjaro moorland, a rocky landscape with desert like plants. Eat a picnic lunch at Kambi.
Day 2:Mandara Hut-Horombo Hut
Leave horombo hut after breakfast to hike through the moorland and alphine desert.Kilimanjaro upper altitudes. After hiking for about an hour, arrive at mama river, then terrain becomes flatter and the vegetation begins to disappear
Day 3:Acclimatization at Horombo Hut
Around midnight, awake for the final ascent to Uhuru peak, the roof of Africa. The hike beins with a demanding 5 hours hike to Gillimans point on the crater rim.
Day 4:Horombo -Kibo Hut
After breakfast and your first daily medical checkup, we will start to ascend. This is where we pass the last watering point while we are walking onto the saddle of Kilimanjaro between the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi. Vegetation begins with upper heathland but then disappears into “moonscape”. Dinner, rest, and prepare for summit climb.
Day 5:Summit Night Kibo-Uhuru-Horombo
Very early in the morning (midnight to 2 am), we will commence the climb to the summit on steep and heavy scree or snow up to Gilman’s point located on the crater rim. Continuing, we now ascend to Uhuru Peak, which is the highest point in Africa. There are unbelievable views at every turn. Have your picture taken at the summit to show your friends and family! From here we descend, stopping for lunch and a rest at Kibo before continuing on to the Horombo encampment.
The beginning of this climb is done in the dark and requires headlamps or flashlights. It will be very cold until you start descending, so you will need all of your warm layers. This is by far the most difficult part of the trek with many switchbacks. Going slowly “pole pole” and an optimistic attitude will get you there!