Marangu route is the most popular of all the different Kilimanjaro hiking routes. It is possible to climb it on 5 days, but it is not recommended since the acclimatization time becomes too short. Part of the Marangu Route´s success is the accommodation in huts. Porters will carry all your equipments and cook will prepare all the foods. You will only carry your own one day backpack. The total length of the hiking is about 96 kilometers.
DAY 1
Marangu gate (1980m) – Mandara hut (2700m), hiking time 5 hours, distance 12 km
From the gate you start hiking through the rainforest with the guides. The first night you spend in Mandara Hut where there are wooden A-style huts. There is also spring water available in Mandara.
DAY 2
Mandara hut (2700m) – Horombo hut (3720m), hiking time 6 hours, distance 15 km
From Mandara Hut you climb first through short forest area to Maundi crater. There the mountain forest changes to moorland. After 6 hours of hiking you will arrive to Horombo Hut where you will get a chance to wash warm water, rest, eat your dinner and sleep until next morning.
DAY 3
Horombo hut (3720m) – acclimatization day
Horombo Hut is a hut village built on plateau. In Horombo Hut you will spend one extra day and night to get used to the thin mountain air. To help the acclimatization you will do a short day hiking towards Mawenzi Hut. Hiking takes about 3 hours up and 1,5 hours back. It is good to go to sleep early so that you get enough rest for the next day’s hiking.
DAY 4
Horombo hut (3720m) – Kibo hut (4700m), hiking time 6 hours, distance 15 km
The route goes from Horombo Hut to the “Saddle” desert between peaks Mawenzi and Kibo. The route passes the last water point in 4130 meters. Kibo Hut is a stone hut built to an open alpine desert. The final peak is 1195 meters up from this hut and you will make the final climbing still at the same night. So you should try to rest as much as you can.
DAY 5
Kibo hut (4700m) – Uhuru peak (5895m) – Horombo hut (3720m) Hiking time 8 hours to Uhuru peak and returning to Horombo hut 6 hours. Distance 6 km up and 21 km down.
You will start your climbing to the peak at midnight. This is the most difficult part of the climbing. The first stage is a rocky path up to Hans Mayer cave (5150m) where you can rest a little bit. From there the path continues as zigzag to the Gillmans point (5681m). This part is very steep and rocky and it requires very good physical and mental condition. After Gillmans point you climb in the snow all the way to the peak. You have now reached Uhuru Peak (5895m), the highest peak in whole Africa! It depends of the weather how much time you can spend on the peak and take photos. After that you start returning to Horombo hut where you spend night. Going down is much faster than going up. Still the time that you walk during this day is about 14 hours so prepare yourself well for this day.
DAY 6
Horombo hut (3720m) – Marangu gate (1980m), hiking time 6 hours, distance 27 km
On the morning you continue going down past Mandara Hut all the way to the gate. If you managed to reach the peak you will also get a certification. Those who reached Gillmans point get green one and those who reached Uhuru Peak get golden one. After that you it´s time to return to your accommodation place, get hot shower and eat well.
