5-Day Marangu Route Kilimanjaro Climb
The classic hut route to the Roof of Africa.
About this safari
The classic hut route to the Roof of Africa. Sleep in mountain huts rather than tents, climb through rainforest, moorland and alpine desert, and reach Uhuru Peak at 5,895 m on the fourth night.
This 5 days private safari starts in Moshi and takes you to The only Kilimanjaro route with dormitory huts, Maundi Crater viewpoint on the first afternoon, The Saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo, Sunrise at Gillman's Point and Uhuru Peak. Your own vehicle and guide set the pace, and every stay and transfer is confirmed around your dates.
Safari snapshot
A quick look at the route, day by day.
| Day | Place | Highlights | Hotel options |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Marangu Gate to Mandara Hut (2,720 m) | Game drives with your private guide | Mandara Hut (shared A-frame huts) |
| Day 2 | Mandara Hut to Horombo Hut (3,720 m) | Game drives with your private guide | Horombo Hut (shared huts) |
| Day 3 | Horombo Hut to Kibo Hut (4,703 m) | Game drives with your private guide | Kibo Hut (bunk rooms) |
| Day 4 | Summit night: Uhuru Peak (5,895 m), down to Horombo | Game drives with your private guide | Horombo Hut (shared huts) |
| Day 5 | Horombo Hut to Marangu Gate and Moshi | Game drives with your private guide | Departure |
Ways to customise this trip
- Add a night in the bush, a cultural visit or a balloon flight
- Upgrade your stays or finish with beach time in Zanzibar
Route
- Day 1Mount Kilimanjaro
- Day 2Mount Kilimanjaro
- Day 3Mount Kilimanjaro
- Day 4Mount Kilimanjaro
- Day 5Mount Kilimanjaro
Day by day
Here is how the days run. We can adjust the route around your dates and the pace you want.
1Day 1Marangu Gate to Mandara Hut (2,720 m)Mandara Hut (shared A-frame huts) / Lunch, Dinner
We collect you from your hotel in Moshi after breakfast and drive about an hour to Marangu Gate (1,860 m), where your guide completes the park registration while the porters weigh and pack the loads. The trail climbs gently for four to five hours through montane rainforest — listen for blue monkeys and look for black-and-white colobus in the canopy. Lunch is served along the way. After settling into the A-frame huts at Mandara, take a short afternoon walk to the rim of Maundi Crater for your first view towards Kibo and across to Kenya on a clear day. Dinner is in the communal dining hut.
- Main stop
- Mount Kilimanjaro
- Accommodation
- Mandara Hut (shared A-frame huts)
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner
2Day 2Mandara Hut to Horombo Hut (3,720 m)Horombo Hut (shared huts) / Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
The forest ends soon after breakfast and the path opens into heath and moorland dotted with giant groundsels and lobelias. It is a steady six to seven hours and about 12 km, with Mawenzi's jagged peaks ahead and the summit dome of Kibo coming into view. Walk slowly — 'pole pole' is the rule your guide will repeat all week — and keep drinking water. Lunch is taken on the trail. Horombo is a busy hut village where climbers going up meet those coming down, and the sunset over the cloud layer below is often spectacular. Your guide checks your pulse and oxygen level each evening.
- Main stop
- Mount Kilimanjaro
- Accommodation
- Horombo Hut (shared huts)
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
3Day 3Horombo Hut to Kibo Hut (4,703 m)Kibo Hut (bunk rooms) / Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today you leave the vegetation behind and cross the Saddle, a wide alpine desert between Mawenzi and Kibo where little grows and the air is noticeably thinner. The walk is about 10 km and six to seven hours, on gentle gradients but at high altitude, so the pace stays slow. You arrive at Kibo Hut in the afternoon for an early dinner and a summit briefing: what to wear, what to carry and how the night will run. Lay out your warmest layers, head torch and water (insulated so it does not freeze), then rest. Wake-up is around 11 pm.
- Main stop
- Mount Kilimanjaro
- Accommodation
- Kibo Hut (bunk rooms)
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
4Day 4Summit night: Uhuru Peak (5,895 m), down to HoromboHorombo Hut (shared huts) / Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After tea and biscuits you start climbing at about midnight by head torch, zig-zagging up steep scree towards Hans Meyer Cave and Gillman's Point (5,685 m) on the crater rim, which most climbers reach around sunrise — usually six to seven hours from Kibo. From there it is another one to two hours around the rim, past glaciers, to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa. After photos at the summit sign you descend to Kibo Hut for a rest and a hot meal, then continue down to Horombo. It is a long day of 12 to 15 hours, and your guides set the pace and watch every climber closely.
- Main stop
- Mount Kilimanjaro
- Accommodation
- Horombo Hut (shared huts)
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
5Day 5Horombo Hut to Marangu Gate and MoshiBreakfast, Lunch
Breakfast, then a final descent of about 20 km back through moorland and rainforest, retracing the route to Mandara and on to Marangu Gate in six to seven hours. At the gate you sign out of the park and successful climbers receive their summit certificates — green for Gillman's Point, gold for Uhuru Peak. This is also when you say goodbye to the crew; the guide will explain how tipping works. Our vehicle takes you back to your hotel in Moshi or Arusha for a long hot shower. We can add a night's accommodation or a transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport.
- Main stop
- Mount Kilimanjaro
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation
Where you stay on this trip. We can move the comfort level up or down when we plan your dates.
Day 1Mandara Hut (shared A-frame huts)
Days 2, 4Horombo Hut (shared huts)
Day 3Kibo Hut (bunk rooms)Tour rates
Your price depends on your dates, group size and the stays you choose. We confirm it in writing once we have checked availability.
Prices are per person and assume shared rooms. Season, park fees, group size, flights and lodge availability all affect the final quote.
Get my exact quoteWhat’s included
Included
- Kilimanjaro National Park fees, camping or hut fees and rescue fees
- Professional mountain guide, assistant guides, cook and porters
- All meals on the mountain and treated drinking water
- Daily health checks with a pulse oximeter
- Transfers between Moshi or Arusha and the park gates
- Summit certificate
- Dormitory beds in the mountain huts
Not included
- International and domestic flights
- Hotel nights before and after the climb (we can add them)
- Sleeping bag and personal trekking gear (available to rent)
- Travel insurance covering trekking to 6,000 m
- Tips for the mountain crew
- Visa fees
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Read guideFrequently asked questions
Can this 5 days itinerary be changed?
Yes. We can review your dates, daily pace, room preferences and interests, then build a specific proposal. Changes to flights, activities or park nights may affect cost and availability.
Which accommodation will I stay in?
Your proposal will name the properties and room categories for each night. Any stays shown here are planning options and remain subject to availability; alternative properties are agreed before confirmation.
What wildlife will we see?
Wildlife sightings depend on season, weather and the animals themselves. Your guide plans around local conditions, but particular species, migration movements and river crossings cannot be guaranteed.
Can I change the route and accommodation?
Yes. The published routes are starting points. Tell us your dates, interests and preferred comfort level so we can adjust nights, transfers and activities before quoting.
What determines the final price?
The travel season, number of travellers sharing a vehicle, park fees, room arrangements, lodge availability and domestic flights all affect cost. Your written proposal will identify inclusions and optional extras.
Can the safari finish in Zanzibar?
A mainland safari can connect with Zanzibar by a separately arranged domestic flight. Leave enough time for the transfer and confirm baggage allowances before booking flights.
When is the best time for a Tanzania safari?
Wildlife can be seen all year. June to October is dry, with animals gathering near water. January to March brings the calving season in the southern Serengeti. April and May are the long rains: greener, quieter and often better value. We match the parks and camps to the month you travel.
How many days do I need?
Two or three days suit Tarangire and Ngorongoro. Four to six days let you add the Serengeti without rushing, and seven or more give time for extra parks, a cultural visit or the coast. Fewer long drives usually means a better trip.
Is the safari private?
Our tailor-made safaris are private: your own vehicle and guide, and a daily pace set around your group. Shared departures can sometimes be arranged for solo travellers — ask us and we’ll explain the options.
What vehicle will we travel in?
Game drives are in a 4x4 safari vehicle with a pop-up roof for viewing and photography. Your proposal confirms the vehicle and seating for your group size.
Is a safari suitable for children?
Yes, with the right planning. We keep drives shorter, choose family-friendly rooms and build in rest time. Some camps and activities have minimum ages, so please share each child’s age when you enquire.
Can you cater for dietary needs?
Most lodges and camps can prepare vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and other meals with notice. Tell us about allergies or requirements when you enquire and we’ll pass them to every property on your route.
Do I need vaccinations or malaria tablets?
Requirements depend on your nationality and recent travel, and a yellow fever certificate may be needed if you arrive from certain countries. Malaria precautions are generally advised. Please check with a travel health clinic before you go.
What should I budget for tips?
Tipping is not compulsory but is customary for guides and lodge staff. We include current guidance with your proposal so you can plan for it in advance.
Will there be Wi-Fi and charging?
Many lodges and camps offer charging points and some Wi-Fi, but the connection can be slow or limited to main areas in remote parks. A spare power bank is useful on game drives.
How far in advance should I book?
For July to October and the holiday season, three to nine months ahead gives the best choice of camps. Shorter notice is often possible — send us your dates and we’ll check availability.
A few details.
A good beginning.
Tell us who is coming and what you would love to find here. We’ll send back a route you can read, question and make your own.
- Planned around your dates and interests
- Midrange or luxury, at your pace
- A personal conversation with our local team