8 day climbing adventure marangu route

Overview

Experience the allure of Kilimanjaro with the Marangu Route, affectionately known as the "Coca-Cola" route. As the oldest and most established trail on the mountain, Marangu offers a unique and comfortable trekking experience with its dormitory-style sleeping huts, making it the only route where you can rest in cozy bunk beds rather than camping. Each hut—Mandara, Kibo, and Horombo—provides ample accommodations with mattresses and pillows, communal dining halls, and essential washroom facilities, ranging from flushing toilets and running water at the lower huts to long-drop toilets and water buckets at Kibo Hut.

This route is favored by many for its gentle slopes and direct path, making it one of the easiest ways to conquer Kilimanjaro. Although the Marangu Route is less scenic due to its ascent and descent along the same trail, it remains a popular choice, promising a friendly and bustling atmosphere as you trek with fellow adventurers. The journey begins from the southeast, offering a charming mix of rainforest, heathland, and moorland landscapes, ultimately leading you to the majestic summit. While the shorter timeframe can make altitude acclimatization more challenging, the Marangu Route's well-defined path and supportive infrastructure make it an accessible and enjoyable adventure for trekkers of all levels.

Join us for a memorable and rewarding climb to the Roof of Africa!

Price:

$2,000 Per Person

Difficulty:

Accessible

    • Pick-up and drop-off at Kilimanjaro International Airport

    • Transfer to the trailhead - entry gate to Kilimanjaro National Park

    • Pick-up at the exit from Kilimanjaro National Park and transfer to the hotel

    • All park fees collected by the Kilimanjaro National Park (conservation fees, camping fees, crew fees, vehicle fee, rescue fee, and all other fees collected by the Tanzania National Parks Authority)

    • One night at Salinero Hotel before the expedition and one night after; the hotels have everything for your comfortable stay - caring staff, nice rooms, reliable Wi-Fi, restaurant

    • Tented accommodation on Mount Kilimanjaro (modern, comfortable 4-season tents North Face VE-25 or Mountain Hard Wear Tents)

    • Breakfast in the hotel before and after the hike

    • All meals on the hike. Our Kilimanjaro diet includes energy-rich and highly nutritious meals prepared by our professional high-altitude cooks. A typical diet on Kilimanjaro includes different soups, garnishes, several types of fish and meat, fresh fruit and vegetables; vegetarian/gluten-free/halal options are available at no extra cost

    • All drinks on the hike (coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and water)

    • 4-inch (10-cm) thick and comfortable sleeping mats

    • All group equipment (spacious and comfortable dining tent, camping table and chairs, crockery, and cutlery)

    • Oxygen cylinders and oximeters

    • GPS-tracking service

    • Complete medical kits

    • Professional guides, licensed by Kilimanjaro National Park. All our guides hold Wilderness First Responder or Wilderness First Aid certifications. All our guides have 10+ years of successful mountaineering experience

    • Dedicated support crew (assistant guides, camp master, porters, cooks, etc.)

    • Airline tickets

    • Visa fee

    • Personal gear rentals

    • Tips for the mountain crew

    • Mountaineering insurance

Itinerary

  • Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met and transferred for overnight accommodation at the hotel/lodge or hostel. Your head guide will meet you for your briefing, gear check, and arrange for you to hire any equipment you may need.

    Note: Check-in starts at 2:00 PM

  • Departing from Moshi, a 1-hour drive will take you through the Village of Marangu to the Kilimanjaro National Park Gate. We will patiently wait for our permits to be issued while watching the hustle and bustle of operations as many crews prepare for the journey ahead. Enjoy the beautiful rainforest scenery and winding trails while your guide tells you about the local flora, fauna, and natural wildlife. At these lower elevations, the trail can be muddy and quite slippery. We highly recommend gaiters and trekking poles here.

    • Distance: 8.3 km / 5 mi

    • Hiking Time: 4-5 hrs

    • Habitat: Rainforest

    • Elevation: 1905 m / 6250 ft to 2723 m / 8934 ft

    • Altitude Gained: 818 m

  • After a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast, we emerge from the rainforest and continue on an ascending path through heathland, looking for giant lobelias and groundsels. Continue up into open moorlands where small shrubs are the main vegetation. Stop halfway for lunch to enjoy amazing views of Mawenzi. Arrive at the Horombo Huts late afternoon beneath the spectacular Kibo Summit viewpoint. Temperatures begin to drop.

    • Distance: 12.5 km / 7.8 mi

    • Hiking Time: 6-8 hrs

    • Habitat: Moorland

    • Elevation: 2723 m / 8934 ft to 3721 m / 12,208 ft

    • Altitude Gained: 998 m

  • You can spend a full day and a second night at Horombo. On this day, you can either rest at the huts or take a stroll up to the Mawenzi base camp then return to the Horombo Huts. This extra day will help your acclimatization and further your understanding of the mountain's weather and altitude. After your pause, you will continue up to the Kibo Huts on your fourth day for your midnight start to the summit.

  • After breakfast, we continue on through the dwindling heathland that blends into a moonscape as you enter the sweeping saddle connecting Mawenzi and Kibo. Here, while we stop for lunch, and later when you cross this surprisingly large saddle, you can examine the summit climb up Kibo that you will be starting in just a few hours.

    • Distance: 10.5 km / 6 mi

    • Hiking Time: 6-8 hrs

    • Habitat: Semi-desert

    • Elevation: 3721 m / 12,208 ft to 4714 m / 15,466 ft

    • Altitude Gained: 993 m

  • Excitement builds as morning comes with an early start between midnight and 2 a.m. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. We continue our way to the summit in a switchback formation, trying to stay warm and focused on the amazing sense of accomplishment that lies ahead. With a switchback motion, we ascend through heavy scree and possibly snow towards Gillman’s Point on the crater rim. You will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise during your short rest here. Faster hikers may view the sunrise from the summit. From here, on your remaining 1-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak, you are likely to encounter snow all the way.

    Congratulations! One step at a time, you have now reached Uhuru Peak, the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the entire continent of Africa! After photos, celebrations, and maybe a few tears of joy, we take a few moments to enjoy this incredible accomplishment. We begin our steep descent down to Mweka Camp, stopping at Barafu for lunch and a very brief rest. We strongly recommend gaiters and trekking poles for uncooperative loose gravel and volcano ash terrain. Well-deserved rest awaits you as you enjoy your last evening on the mountain. Overnight at Mweka Camp.

    • Distance: 6.25 km / 3.9 mi up, 15.75 km / 9 mi down

    • Hiking Time: 5-7 hrs up, 5-6 hrs down

    • Habitat: Glaciers, snow-capped summit

    • Elevation: 4714 m / 15,466 ft to 5895 m / 19,341 ft, descent to 3721 m / 12,208 ft

    • Altitude Gained: 1181 m

    • Altitude Lost: 2174 m

  • After breakfast and a heartfelt ceremony of appreciation and team bonding with your crew, it’s time to say goodbye. We continue the descent down, stopping at the Mandara Huts for lunch. Remember to tip your guides, cooks, and porters, since you will be leaving them here. You return back to the Marangu Park Gate and receive your summit certificates. As the weather is drastically warmer, the terrain is wet, muddy, and steep. We highly recommend gaiters and trekking poles. From the gate, a vehicle will meet you to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi (about 45 minutes).

    • Distance: 20 km / 12.5 mi

    • Hiking Time: 6-7 hrs

    • Habitat: Rainforest

    • Elevation: 3721 m / 12,208 ft to 1905 m / 6250 ft

    • Altitude Lost: 1816 m

  • As your adventure comes to an end, it's time to say goodbye. Check out of your accommodation by 11 a.m., and enjoy a seamless transfer to the airport provided by one of our friendly Morning Glory team members. We hope you had an unforgettable experience and look forward to welcoming you back soon!