Price: USD 730pp
Local Payment/Park Entrance Fees: $640
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Areas of Interest: Kilimanjaro National Park, Arusha, Moshi, Horombo Hut, Kibo Hut, Mandara Hut, Uhuru Peak, The Saddle, Zebra Rock, Gillman’s point, Hans Meyer Cave, Maundi Crater

Activity: Game Viewing, Camping, Scenery, Trekking, Photography, Culture, and Bird Watching

Country: Tanzania

Tanzania offers some of the best trekking in Africa.  The biggest attraction being the highest mountain in Africa and one of the highest volcanoes in the world - Mount Kilimanjaro.  It is also the highest mountain anywhere that can be climbed by a regular tourist, and thousands of guests attempt to make it to the summit every year.  The hike is even more attractive because you can walk all the way to the summit without the need of ropes or technical climbing experience, but you still need the right preparation. 

The best time to go trekking is in the dry season, from late June to October when the rains have ended and from late December to February or early March, just after the short rains. 

There are 10 hiking paths that commence on the lower slopes but only three continue to the summit.  These include Marangu, Machame and Umbwe routes. Marangu is the easiest and most popular route lasting 5 days in duration and you should expect to walk about 64km to the summit from the gate. 

Day 1 - Mandara Hut

7km, 4-5 hours, 700m ascent.   

Transfer from Moshi to Marangu Gate with porters and guides where you start your climb with a picnic lunch.  Dinner and overnight stay at Mandara Hut - 9,000ft / 2,700m.  

From the gate, the path passes through a wide, clear opening through a stunning section of the forest.  A small distance from the gate, the path divides giving you a longer alternative so that you can watch the birds and monkeys.  From the mandara hut, you can visit the nearby Maundi Crater, which is about an hour each way and provides views of the summit. 

Day 2 - Horombo Hut

11km, 5-7 hours, 1000m ascent.      

After breakfast we climb to Horombo Hut - 12,000ft / 3,700m.  Dinner and overnight stay at the hut.  From Mandara, you leave the forest and proceed into moorland which offers clear views of the jagged peaks.

Day 3 - Kibo Hut

10km, 5-7 hours, 1000m ascent.                                                                                                                                            

After breakfast, continue up the mountain to Kibo Hut - 15,450ft / 4,700m for dinner and overnight stay.  

After Horombo Hut, the path splits again with the western path being more popular; steadily gaining in height passing the landmark Last Water point and crossing The Saddle.  The eastern path is steep and uneven; passing the black and white striped Zebra Rock and another Last Water point.  Kibo hut is more basic than the last two stops with no consistent water supply so it must be carried from Horombo Hut or one of the Last Water points.

Day 4 - Uhuru Peak

4km, 7-8 hours, 1200m ascent plus 14km, 4-7 hours, 2200m descent.                                                                              

Early in the morning climb to Gilman’s Point (18,640ft / 5680m) then onwards to the summit Uhuru Peak (5896m /19,340ft). At Uhuru peak you will have reached the highest point in Africa and if the weather is good you will certainly want to celebrate your triumph and take in the breathtaking views. Thereafter descend down to Horombo Hut for dinner and a well deserved sleep.  

A very early start to the morning as this stage can involve up to 16 hours of very strenuous walking although you have the option of bailing out at any point or reaching the scree slopes of Gillman’s point so as to arrive in time for sunrise at 6am.  If walking up to the summit this means leaving Kibo hut between midnight and 1am.  From Kibo hut the path is easy to follow as it meanders up the scree but after Hans Meyer Cave the gradient gets steeper and the pace gets slower.  It seems like hard work but when you get to Gillman’s point it is definitely worth it.  The views of the snow filled crater and the cliffs of the eastern ice fields down to The Saddle and along the edge of the rim to the peak are spectacular. The return from Uhuru to Gillman’s takes about an hour and a half and from here to Kibo hut is an easy walk down.  If you have strong knees and nerves then you can run down the scree to be back at Kibo hut in less than an hour and then down to Horombo hut for the night. 

Day 5 – Moshi

After breakfast, we descend to Marangu Gate. Overnight in a hotel of your choice in Moshi for an extra cost.