Rongai Route

Day 1: Moshi to Rongai gate to Simba Camp

• Distance: 9km

• Hiking time: 4 hrs

You will have an early breakfast. Transfer by our vehicles through many villages and coffee and plantations for 2-3 hour drive to Rongai gate (1,950 m/6,398 ft). After signing in and preparing the porters, you will start hiking on a wide path winding through fields of maize and potatoes, and then enter into montane forest. You will then start to climb gently but consistently through attractive forest that shelters a variety of wildlife. The forest begins to thin as you arrive at Simba Camp (2,600 m/8,530ft) with fantastic views over the Kenyan plains.

Day 2: Simba Camp to Kikelewa Camp

• Distance: 17km

• Hiking time: 7 hrs

After an early breakfast you will have a steady ascent to the second cave where you will stop for lunch. You leave the direct trail at this point and strike out across the moorland on a smaller path toward Mawenzi side peak.to Kikelewa Camp in a sheltered valley. At the Kikelewa Camp you will settle for your dinner and overnight rest.

Day 3: Kikelewa camp to Mawenzi turn hut

• Distance: 7km

• Hiking time: 4 hrs

After breakfast you will face a short, steep climb up grassy slopes; rewarded by superb all-round views, immersed in the vast surrounding wilderness. Soon after, you leave the vegetation behind and arrive at the Mawenzi Tarn Camp, which is situated in a spectacular cirque directly beneath the towering spires of Mawenzi Peak. After this hike, you will reach to the Mawenzi turn hut camp where you will also see the amazing un_dried Lake with no inlet as well as outlet here you will have lunch and rest then dinner and overnight at this camp.

Day 4: Acclimatization day

(6 day itinerary skips this day)
This is your extra day on the mountain, and you will spend two nights at Mawenzi Tarn. You will hike up towards Mawenzi for a splendid acclimatization hike. Then after return back to the camp for lunch the dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Mawenzi Tarn hut to Kibo Huts camp

• Distance: 8km

• Hiking time: 5 hrs

After an early breakfast you will cross the lunar desert of the saddle between Kibo peak and Mawenzi peak to Kibo Huts at the bottom of Kibo’s crater wall. You should spend the remainder of the day resting and preparing for your summit climb.

Day 6: Summit Day! Kibo Huts camp to Uhuru Peak to Horombo Huts camp

• Distance: 4km up, 14km down

• Hiking time: 10-15 hrs

Wake at midnight to a light breakfast and then prepare for your summit ascent. The goal is to climb before dawn so that you can reach Uhuru Peak shortly before or after sunrise. Leave to the peak at 12;00AM, switchback up steep scree or possibly snow, and reach Gilman’s Point on the crater rim at 5,861 m/18,640 ft between 4 and 6 AM. At this point, you will have views of the fabled crater and its icecaps facing you. Then after 2 hours of hiking along the Kibo crater rim near the celebrated snows takes you to Kilimanjaro’s true summit, Uhuru Peak here you will spend some times for taking photo’s but it will depend on how you feel. After your summit activities done, descend back to the Kibo Huts, have lunch, rest, collect your equipment, and continue on down, re-crossing the saddle to the Horombo Huts. Have dinner and overnight at Horombo camp.

Day 7: Horombo Huts camp to Marangu Gate to Moshi

• Distance: 18km

• Hiking time: 5-7 hrs

After a long and enjoyable sleep you will be awake for breakfast and pack up, start descend through the moorland to Mandara Huts. Here you will have lunch then proceed with your triumphant recessional down through lush forest to Marangu park gate. Here you will sign out then after a vehicle will take you to back to the hotel where it is definitely time for certificate presentation and celebration!

• Professional, experienced, mountain guides

• Guides, Porters, Cook salaries and park fees

• Quality, waterproof, four-season mountain sleeping tents (on twin sharing basis)

• Sleeping Mattress

• Emergency Oxygen Cylinder

• All meals while on the Mountain

• Quality Mess tents with table and chairs

• Large portions of fresh, healthy, nutritious food

• Clean, purified drinking water

• Conservation fees (part of park fees)

• Camping or Hut fees (part of park fees)

• Rescue fees (part of park fees)

• VAT (18% charged by the Government)

• Tanzania Visa

• Transfers (available as an optional addon)

• Personal trekking equipment such as sleepings bags, hiking boots, clothes, etc (available for renting)

• Tips and gratuities

• Travel insurance

• Personal Expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, etc.)

• Meals not listed in the itinerary

• Liquors, beers and bottled beverages