Marangu Route Trek – 8 Days

Day Two: Start Kilimanjaro Ascent – Mandara Hut
Accommodation: Hut
Meal Plan: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Following breakfast at the hotel, you are met by your guides and porters and commence the assault on the summit, passing through a number of different landscapes along the way. Today’s walk takes you through luxuriant rainforest, which can be very wet at times, and up to Mandara Hut (2700m). Around 11 kilometres are covered today and you should arrive at the hut during the middle of the afternoon. Passing through the Mandara Gate you walk on a wide track that passes through forest until it reaches a fork. If you rather a more direct and shorter trail to Mandara Hut you should choose the right fork. If you choose the left fork you are walking the path less travelled – this longer alternative is a forest trail that offers opportunities to observe wildlife and enjoy the peacefulness of the forest. This trail rejoins the main trail after almost two hours and, after that, it is a further 90 minutes to Mandara Hut.

Day Three: Mandara Hut – Horombo Hut
Accommodation: Hut
Meal Plan: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
After passing through a further steep section of lush rainforest, you suddenly encounter a substantial change. Rainforest gives way to open moorland that is bisected by small streams in a landscape that features stunted trees, giant grevilleas, lobelias and other native flora. Mist and fog will occasionally add to the effect, whilst in clear conditions, occasional views may be had of our objective – the main summit, rising above grass-covered ridge lines and now starting to look tantalisingly close. Today’s walk covers approximately 17 kilometres and ascends 1000 metres, before reaching Horombo Hut at 3700 metres.

Day Four: Horombo Hut – Acclimatisation Day
Accommodation: Hut
Meal Plan: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
After yesterdays climb of almost 1000 metres the effects of altitude will probably start to become noticeable. Today an important day trek is planned with the aim of assisting you with your acclimatisation. This walk takes you up to The Saddle along an eastern path, where you can then explore the area around the lower slopes of Mawenzi Peak. The Saddle is a desolate, flat and incredibly beautiful plain, between Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. You return for another night at Horombo Hut (3700m).

Day Five: Horombo Hut – Kibo Hut
Accommodation:
Meal Plan: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
In clear conditions the snowy mantle can be seen towering above you. The landscape becomes increasingly barren, as you move up on to the great volcanic saddle, which separates the main peak from its slightly lower partner, Mawenzi. It will probably take about seven hours to cover some 15 kilometres today, again ascending 1000 metres. Tonight’s destination, Kibo Hut, can be seen nestling on the shoulder of the main peak, at 4700 metres.

Again there are two paths that can be taken today. The left fork (western path) gradually gains height as it passes the Last Water Point, where the highest running water on the mountain can be found. From here The Saddle beckons until the paths rejoin at a point called Jiwe La Ukoyo, or ‘pointed rock’, at 4394 metres. After a rest here you have just two hours left to trek for the rest of the day. If you are looking for a less travelled route the right fork from Horombo Hut (eastern path) is steeper and rougher, but still walk able.

Day Six: Summit Day – Horombo Hut
Accommodation: Hut
Meal Plan: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
A long, hard (rewarding) day! Leaving Kibo Hut around midnight, we begin our final ascent in the dark, with the aid of torches and lanterns. Departing the hut in the middle of the night has the added advantage of making the walk up toward the summit safer and less strenuous. At this time there may be snow on the path as you commence the switchbacks up the scree from Kibo, past Williams Point (5000m) to Hans Meyer Cave Point (5182m). From here the gradient steepens for another five to six hours to Gilman’s Point (5680m). Your reward in reaching Gilman’s Point is a panorama of incredible landscapes. From here your view extends into the snow-filled crater, across the spectacular steeped cliffs of the eastern ice fields, back down to The Saddle and Mawenzi and along the edge of the crater rim to Uhuru Peak.
As we push ahead to the final summit of Uhuru Peak, at 5895m, a further two and a half hour climb away, we time our attempt to reach the peak at sunrise. Our perseverance and efforts are rewarded by standing atop one of the Seven Summits and the highest free-standing mountain peak in the world.
After time to savour your achievement, we begin the leisurely descent to Horombo Hut. Returning along the same path you should be able to reach Gilman’s Point in 60-90 minutes, and arrive at Kibo Hut within another three hours, where lunch awaits. The final stage back down to Horombo Hut, for a well-earned dinner and overnight accommodation, should take a further 2-3 hours. Today you will have ascended 1200 metres and descended 2200 metres over a period of between 12 to 16 hours.

Day Seven: Horombo Hut – Moshi Kilimanjaro Safari Lodge
Accommodation:
Meal Plan: Breakfast / Lunch
Today your walk retraces your steps back down to the park gate, where our vehicle is waiting to take you back to the hotel. Here, you farewell your guide and porters. The walk from Horombo to Mandara should take three to four hours, and then from there the gate is just a couple hours further. Tonight there is time for a welcomed hot shower before dinner which will no doubt be followed by a few celebratory drinks. Just enjoy the evening and look back on your achievements.

Itinerary
Whilst we commit to running your tour as per the itinerary above, we are at the mercy of many factors outside of our control and from time to time it may be necessary to amend the itinerary to suit the local conditions. We will always notify you if the changes are essential and we have advance warning, often though any changes are due to weather conditions and we have no control over this, and usually very little warning.

Tour Preparation
Transport: Our mode of transport to starting points of Trek and at end of trek will vary depending on numbers it could either be a 4×4 Land Cruiser, Land rover, Minibus or larger costar bus.

Meals: Meals at hotel pre and after is only Bed and breakfast on the trek it is full board. All meals a prepared by the food team who is following you on the trek from start to finish, the chefs will prepare Breakfast, lunch and dinner that is suitable for the different stages of the trip so that you will the correct things in your body at the right time. You will be surprise along the way what amazing food they will be able to produce out of a small tent at 4500 meters.

Luggage: The luggage for that you carrying on the trek will be carried by a porter, please use a duffel bag which will be the easiest for them to carry in the trek bags. You will have to have a day pack that you will be carrying your personal belongings, water and clothes you are using for the day. You will be able to leave luggage behind at hotel a padlock is a good idea to have for that bag left behind. . We do provide a Packing List that can be used as a guide to help you decide what to bring and what to leave at home.

Visas: Depending on your Nationality you may require a visa to enter Kenya or Tanzania & in most cases this visa can be obtained on arrival at either Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (Nairobi) or Kilimanjaro International Airport (Moshi / Arusha). However, there can often be long queues to buy your visa and we therefore suggest you check the price of pre purchasing your visa in your home country vs. buying it on arrival and preferably buy your visa in advance to save any unnecessary hassle on arrival. If you are holding a valid visa you can proceed straight to the Immigration Officer for your passport to be stamped & avoid the visa queue.

Vaccinations: It is essential that you visit a Medical Practitioner at least 6 weeks prior to travel to discuss any vaccinations that you may require for your visit to Kenya or Tanzania. Please also be aware that both Kenya and Tanzania are malarial areas and we strongly suggest you discuss malaria prophylactic options with your Medical Practitioner to ensure you use the appropriate medication.

Insurance: It is a booking condition of Top Cream Tours & Safaris that you have full travel insurance valid for the duration of your tour to cover you for medical emergency and repatriation to your home country. It is also important that you leave a copy of your insurance with the person nominated as your emergency contact..

Personal Spending & Credit Cards: On the trek you only need money for tips and the odd beer on the way down see below for tipping. Before and after climb you will require extra money for your own personal spending on the tour for Activities and Excursions, snacks, drinks, souvenirs, tips and items of a personal nature. We suggest as a guideline you budget USD$20 – USD$30 per day for incidental expenditures whilst on Safari. ATM machines are readily available in both Arusha and Nairobi and it is possible to draw local currency for these incidental expenses on arrival.

If you are bringing USD$ cash with you please be aware that all notes need to be issued after 2006 as most places in East Africa will not accept notes dated pre 2006.

If you are purchasing visas on arrival we suggest you bring USD$ cash to cover these expenses

Tipping: This is always a matter for your own individual discretion but as in many areas where tourism is an important contributor to the economy, it has become customary to give a small gratuity to local staff, including your guides, porters, cooks, waiters at the end of a trek if services rendered have been to your satisfaction. As a guideline only we suggest USD$20 per person per day if you are happy with the services provided by your Guide. Tips are always paid end of trek at the gate. Tips are divided according between the of staff group. We are a member of the Kilimanjaro porters association which is a body that ensures porters and Mt Staff get good salaries and get a fair division of tips etc on Kilimanjaro.

In case of Emergency: We suggest for your own piece of mind, and that of your friends and family, that you leave the following emergency contact information at home: