Duration: 6 Days.

The Rongai route ascents Kilimanjaro from the northeastern side of the mountain, along the border between Tanzania and Kenya. This route retains a sense of unspoilt wilderness and offers a different perspective on Kilimanjaro by approaching it from the north.

It is more exhilarating and rewarding route because you experience more. You experience more in the sense that you trek through two routes. You ascent through Rongai route and descend through Marangu route. It’ s like throwing one stone  and kill two birds.

Day 1: Rongai Gate (1950m) - 1st Caves camp (2600m).

Hiking time: 5 hours.

Distance: About 8 km's.

Habitat: Montane forest 

Register at the Marangu park gate with a transfer (approximately 2 ½ hours) to the Rongai trailhead. Meet your guide and porters before you begin your hike from the Nale Moru village. The small winding path crosses maize fields before entering pine forest, and then climbs gently through a forest. The trail is not at all steep, but is rather a gentle hike through beautiful country. The first night's camp is at First Cave, at about 2,600 metres. There is a toilet and a wooden table with benches, but no hut. Water can be found just down the trail below First Cave.

Day 2: 1st Cave (2600m) - Kikelewa Cave (3600m).

Hiking time: 6-7 hours.

Habitat: Moorlands 

The trail continues up towards Kibo, passing Second Cave (3450m) en-route, and reaching Kikelwa Cave at about 3600 metres. The views start to open up and you begin to feel you're on a really big mountain! Water is in the obvious stream below the cave, although you might have to wander downhill a way to find some. Overnight at 3rd Cave camp (Kikelewa Caves). .

Day 3: Kikelewa Cave (3600) - Mawenzi Tarn camp (4330m).

Hiking time: 3-4 hours.

Habitat: Moorlands

A short but steep climb up grassy slopes offers superb views of this wilderness area. The vegetation zone ends shortly before you reach your next camp at Mawenzi Tarn spectacularly situated beneath the towering spires of Mawenzi. Spend the afternoon acclimatizing and exploring the area.

Day 4: Mawenzi Tarn camp (4330m) - Kibo hut (4700m).

Hiking time: 4 - 5 hours.

Habitat: Alpine desert.

Continue ascending on the east side of Kibo crossing the saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo taking 4 to 5 hours to reach Kibo Hut. The remainder of the day is spent resting in preparation for the final ascent, which begins around midnight. Overnight at Kibo Camp.

Day 5: SUMMIT ATTEMPT, Kibo hut (4700m) - Uhuru Peak (5895m) - Horombo hut (3720m).

Hiking time: 8 hours to reach Uhuru, 6 hours to descend to Horombo.

Distance: 6 km's ascent - 21 km's descent.

Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit.

You will rise around 23h30, and after some tea and biscuits you shuffle off into the night. This is where the going really gets tough. The first section of the trail consists of a rocky path to the Hans Meyer Cave (5150m), also a good resting spot. The path then zigzags up to Gillman's point (5 681m), which is located on the crater rim. This section is very steep with a lot of stone scree, requiring a great physical and mental effort. Probably the most demanding section of the entire route. Do the Kili shuffle and move slowly. From Gillman's Point you will normally encounter snow all the way up to Uhuru peak (5895m), the highest point in Africa. Total exhilaration and satisfaction - you made it. Weather conditions on the summit will determine how long you can spend, taking photographs, before the 3-hour descent back to Kibo hut. After a short rest you gather all your gear for the ascent and head down to Horombo hut (3 hours) where you will overnight. The return to Horombo hut will seem surprisingly fast compared to the ascent. The total time spent walking on this day is around 14 hours, so be prepared for a very tough day. Later in the evening you enjoy your last dinner (with soft drinks and beer for sale at the camp office) on the mountain and well-earned sleep, filled with memories and stirring emotions.

Day 6: Horombo hut (3720m) - Marangu Gate (1980m).

Hiking time: 6 hours.

Distance: About 27 km's.

After breakfast you continue your descent (6 hours), passing the Mandara hut, down to the Marangu gate. At Marangu gate you sign your name and details in a register. This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Those climbers who reached Gillman's Point (5685m) are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates. You now drive back to Arusha for a long overdue hot shower, dinner and celebrations!!

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Machame-Go for trekking via Whisky route

Duration: 6 Days.

Total hiking distance: About 100 km.

This is probably the most beautiful route up Kilimanjaro. All your equipment and supplies are portered and a cook prepares all your meals. Where accommodation on the Marangu route is in huts, the Machame route offers strictly tents only. This makes Machame (also referred to as the "Whiskey route") better suited to the slightly more adventurous hiker, rewarding him with a scenic splendor such as not seen on the Marangu route. From late afternoon sunsets at Shira, to the misty revelations of Kibo at the great Barranco Wall, the Machame route offers the adventurous hiker a stunning scenic "slide show" over 6 days. The Machame route is normally completed in a minimum of 6 days. .

There is an added benefit to this, as you are afforded the most valuable commodity on the mountain - acclimatisation. The Machame route takes you high to Lava Tower (4630m) on the day 3 and brings you down by nearly 700m for an overnight at Barranco camp (3950m). This is the secret to successful acclimatisation..

6 day Itinerary for the Machame route.

The Machame route can also be completed in 5 days. On day 3 on the itinerary below, you go directly to Kibo with an overnight at the Arrow Glacier camp, with your final summating attempt on day 4. An extremely physically and mentally demanding option, not recommended for the average climber..

Day 1: Machame Gate (1490m) - Machame camp (2980m).

Hiking time: 7 hours.

Distance: About 18 km's.

Habitat: Montane forest.

Your day starts early with a briefing, followed by breakfast and a 45-minute drive from Moshi (910m) to the Machame village (1490m). The guides and porters prepare and pack the supplies and your equipment in the village. You will receive a lunch pack and you can also buy mineral water in the village. Depending on the condition of the road, it is possible to drive from the village to the Machame gate, but if not, the muddy 3 km walk will take about 1 hour to complete. After registering at the gate office, you start your ascent and enter the rain forest almost immediately. There is a strong possibility of rain in the forest, which will transform the trail into a very soggy, muddy and slippery experience. You will have a welcome lunch stop about half way and will reach the Machame camping area in the late afternoon.

Your porters (arriving at the camp site long before you) will have erected your tent on your arrival. In the evening the porters will boil drinking and washing water and the cook will prepare dinner, before you retire to your tent for the night. Night temperatures can already drop to freezing point at this campsite..

            Day 2: Machame camp (2980m) - Shira camp (3840m).

Hiking time: 6 hours

                                      .

Distance: About 9 km's.

Habitat: Moorland.

You rise early at Machame camp and after breakfast you climb an hour or so to the top of the forest and then for 2 hours at a gentler gradient through the moorland zone. After a short lunch and rest, you continue up a rocky ridge onto the Shira plateau. By now you will be able to see in an easterly direction, the Western Breach with its stunning glaciers. You are now due west of Kibo and after a short hike you will reach the Shira campsite at 3 840m. The porters will boil drinking and washing water, before serving dinner. The night at this exposed camp will even be colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to well below freezing.

Day 3: Shira (3840m) - Lava Tower (4630m)-Barranco camp (3950m).

Hiking time: 7 hours

                                      .

Distance: About 15 km's.

Habitat: Semi desert.

The route now turns east into a semi desert and rocky landscape surrounding Lava Tower, where you reach an altitude of 4630m after about a 5 hours walk. Lunch is served in a designated area before ascending the rocky scree path to Lava Tower (4630m). Definitely, the toughest day so far. It is normally around this point, where for the first time, some climbers will start to feel symptoms of breathlessness, irritability and headaches. After lunch you descent again by almost 680m to the Barranco camping area and after reaching the high altitude of 4600m at Lava Tower, the true acclimatisation benefit of this day becomes clear. This descent to Barranco camp takes about 2 hours and offers great opportunities to take some beautiful photographs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall. The camp is situated in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, which should provide you with a memorable sunset while you wait for the preparation of your dinner.

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Day 4: Barranco camp (3950m) - Barafu camp (4550m).

Hiking time: 7 hours.

Distance: About 13 km's.

Habitat: Alpine desert               .

After spending a night at the Great Barranco Wall (a very imposing sight at first), you make your way up this awesome looking obstacle, which in the end normally turns out easier than what you anticipated. Topping out just below the Heim Glacier, you now appreciate just how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is. The route then heads down through the Karanga Valley over intervening ridges and valleys, and then joins up with the Mweka route. This is the preferred route down from the summit, so remember it. Turn left up the ridge and after another hour or so, you reach Barafu Hut.

The last water stop on the route is the Karranga Valley, as there is no water at Barafu camp. Barafu is the Swahili word for "ice" and it is a bleak and inhospitable camping area to spend the night. Totally exposed to the ever-present gales the tents are pitched on a narrow, stony, and dangerous ridge. Make sure that you familiarise yourself with the terrain before dark to avoid any accidents. The summit is now a further 1345m up and you will make the final ascent the same night. Prepare your equipment, ski stick and thermal clothing for your summit attempt. This should include the replacement of your headlamp and camera batteries and make sure you have a spare set available as well. To prevent freezing it will be wise to carry your water in a thermal flask. Go to bed at round about 19h00 and try to get some precious rest and sleep.

Day 5: SUMMIT ATTEMPT, Barafu camp (4550m) - Uhuru Peak (5895m)-Mweka (3100m).

Hiking time: 8 hours to reach Uhuru Peak.

7/8 hours to descend to Mweka.           

Distance: About 7 km's ascent - 23 km's descent.

Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit.

You will rise around 23h30, and after some tea and biscuits you shuffle off into the night. You will head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This 6-hour walk to Stella point is for many climbers, mentally and physically the most challenging on the route. At Stella Point (5685m) you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting). From Stella Point you will normally encounter snow all the way on your 2-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak. The time you will spend on the summit will depend on the weather conditions. Do not stop here for too long, as it will be extremely difficult to start again due to cold and fatigue. Enjoy your accomplishment and a day to remember for the rest of your life. The walk back to Barafu from the summit, takes about 3 hours. Here you will have a well earned but short rest and collect the rest of your gear, before heading down to Mweka hut (3100m). The route is not difficult and will take you down the rock and scree path into the moorland and eventually into the forest. The camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Dinner and washing water will be prepared.

Day 6: Mweka camp (3100m) - Mweka Gate (1980m).

Hiking time: 3 hours.

Distance: About 15 km's          .

Habitat: Forest   .

            . After an early and well-deserved breakfast, it is a short 3-hour and scenic hike back to the Park gate. At Mweka gate you sign your name and details in a register. This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Those climbers who reached Stella Point (5685m) are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates. From the Mweka Gate you will continue down into the Mweka village, normally a muddy 3 km (1 hour) hike. In the Mweka village you will be served a delicious hot lunch!! You now drive back to Arusha for a long over due hot shower, dinner and celebrations!!  

Climbing mount Kilimanjaro you must have Personal Mountain gears: Please ask us we will send us what gears do you need. The Company provides MountainTents, Tables, Chairs, Food, Water and all you need.

The Price for 6 days Climbing Kilimanjaro is 1260 US $ per person.

These prices include:

• 2 nights hotel accommodation in Moshi (before & after climb)
• Breakfast at hotel
• Group transport to and from Moshi to the trail/route  head
• Kilimanjaro National Park fees
• Guides/porters
• Tents
• All meals on the mountain
• Accommodation in the Mountain

Costs of additional services:

• Pick up and drop off at Kilimanjaro Airport, per way $10.
• Bottled oxygen, only for rescue/emergency use $30  (not necessary).
• Extra acclimatization day $180
• Extra hotel night, per room $60  
• Mount Meru climb (3 nights/4 days), per person $625

Not included in price:

• Airfare From Your Country to Kilimanjaro Airport
• Lunch or dinner at hotel
• Personal gear and equipment
• Tips

Other routes (Marangu, Shira, Lemosho-Londrosi) itineraries are available:

For more information and bookings, please email us:

Email: aboutkilimanjaro@lycos.com