Tanzania Beyond Safari
Kilimanjaro: Marangu Route
The hut route
Six days on the mountain, seven days in total, on the Marangu route: sleeping in mountain huts with beds, and an extra day at Horombo to help you adjust.
Trekkers From $275 pp / night From $1,650 pp (6 nights)
The story of this trip
Marangu is the only route where you sleep in huts with beds instead of tents, which makes it the most comfortable way up. It is also the shortest, so we add a rest day at Horombo to give your body time to adjust. The path climbs steadily and the same one is used on the way down. Game viewing is not part of this trip. A safari can follow after a rest night. Your crew: one guide for every two climbers on the trek, and one guide per climber on summit night. Porters are paid at least US$8 a day (cooks and assistant guides US$11, lead guides US$15), eat three meals a day, have proper gear and carry no more than 20 kg. Summit success: the industry average is about 50% for Marangu over six days on the mountain (these are not our own figures). Longer routes give better acclimatisation and a higher chance of reaching the summit.
What this safari is for
- Sleep in mountain huts with beds
- A rest day at Horombo to help you adjust
- A steady, well-marked path
- Three hut camps: Mandara, Horombo and Kibo
- An attempt on Uhuru Peak at sunrise
Route map
Route
From Moshi / Arusha to Moshi / Arusha.
Start: Moshi / Arusha End: Moshi / Arusha
Tanzania
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Start Moshi / Arusha (Start)
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Mount Kilimanjaro (Day 2) Land Cruiser
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End Moshi / Arusha (Day 7) Land Cruiser
Day by day
This is a working route. We confirm the camps and pace on your quote, within 24 hours.
Arrive in Moshi or Marangu
This afternoon you can hire any missing kit. We do not start at the gate on the day you land from Europe.
Marangu Gate to Mandara Huts
A steady walk through damp forest on a clear, well-used path. Mandara is a cluster of small huts in a forest clearing.
Mandara Huts to Horombo Huts
The forest gives way to open moorland with the first clear views of Kibo and Mawenzi. Horombo is a larger hut camp.
Rest day at Horombo Huts
A day to let your body adjust. Take a short walk up and come back down to sleep, which is the best way to prepare for summit night.
Horombo Huts to Kibo Huts
A long walk across barren, windy ground to the last hut. Eat early and try to rest before summit night.
Uhuru Peak, then Horombo Huts
This is the hardest day of the trek. Expect 12 to 14 hours of walking in the cold. Your guides watch how you are doing throughout, and turning back is a professional decision, not a failure.
Horombo Huts to Marangu Gate
A long walk down through moorland and forest to collect your summit certificate. A safari or Zanzibar can start after a rest night, but not tonight.
What’s included
- Mountain crew (guide, cook, porters)
- Kilimanjaro park fees
- Meals on the trek
- Transfers between Moshi or Arusha and the gate
- Lodge before and after the climb, as quoted
- Hut nights on the mountain (Mandara, Horombo and Kibo)
What’s not included
- International flights
- Personal gear
- Tips for the mountain crew
- Travel insurance, which is required for the trek (high-altitude cover). You arrange it, or we can add a policy to your quote
- Extra hotel nights
- Gear hire if you need it, per trip: sleeping bag US$40, insulated summit jacket US$40, waterproof jacket US$20, duffel bag US$20 and trekking poles US$10
When to travel
January to March and June to October. Summit night is cold at any time of year.
Why this route
The from-rate covers the park fees, mountain crew and nights in the huts. Route, season and group size set your final quote.
Request a quote
From $275 pp / night. Season, lodge class and group size determine the final price. Or book and pay a deposit.
Not sure this is the right trip?
Tell us your dates and who is travelling and we will adjust this route or suggest a better fit. We reply within 24 hours.
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MiGo Legacy Safaris · Nkoaranga Street, Arumeru, Arusha · +255 680 501 501 · [email protected] · MNRT 037503
