Starting from the northeastern side of the mountain near the Kenyan border, the Rongai Route rises above the Amboseli plains and approaches the summit of Kilimanjaro west of the Mawenzi peak. It is an unfrequented route and is also the easiest camping approach to Uhuru Peak. The descent normally uses the Marangu Route. Rongai route is the best option during the rainy season, due to its location, which receives little rain.
The scenically attractive Rongai route approaches Kibo from the unfrequented and drier north-eastern side of Kilimanjaro. The tour departs close to the Kenyan border and offers stunning and impressive views over the African savannah and rugged Mawenzi. Just after Mawenzi Tarn Camp, climbers will pass the only mountain lake in Kilimanjaro National Park. The trails are well developed and pass through fir forest, rain forest, and alpine desert. Although the Rongai route can generally be thought of as an easy route, the rockier stages in the summit area are sometimes a little more demanding. The descent follows the Marangu route and traverses the lush and green rainforest on good paths. Climbers will overnight in mountain tents during the entire climb.
Day 1: Arrive at Moshi
Day 2: Moshi to Marangu gate to Rongai gate to 1st cave camp
Day 3: 1st Cave camp to Kikelewa cave
Day 4: Kikelewa cave to Mawenzi Tarn huts
Day 5: Mawenzi Tarn huts to Kibo huts
Day 6: Kibo huts to the summit to Horombo huts
Day 7: Horombo huts to Marangu gate to the hotel
Day 8: International departures or proceed to safari
- Trip Outline
- Trip Includes
- Trip Excludes
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Day 1: Arrive at Moshi
Day 2: Moshi to Marangu gate to Rongai gate to 1st cave camp
Day 3: 1st Cave camp to Kikelewa cave
Day 4: Kikelewa cave to Mawenzi Tarn huts
Day 5: Mawenzi Tarn huts to Kibo huts
Day 6: Kibo huts to the summit to Horombo huts
Day 7: Horombo huts to Marangu gate to the hotel
Day 8: International departures or proceed to safari
Itineraries
Day 1
Time : 2:00 am
Arrive at Moshi
Our Kilimanjaro adventure starts the Moment you land at Kilimanjaro international Airport, You will be met by our staff at the airport and transferred to our partner lodge in Moshi in the peaceful surrounds of our comfortable pre and post trek accommodation in Honey Badger, or Q wine hotel. Guide will perform a gear check for you after dinner so that next morning you will be ready for your tour start.
Day 2
Time : 8:00 am
Rongai Gate (1950m) – 1st Caves Camp (2600m)
Distance: Approximately 8 kilometers
Habitat: Montane Forest
After an early breakfast at your hotel, you will be picked up from Arusha (1400m) and driven to the Marangu Gate (1980m). At the gate, the porters will organize and pack the belongings for the hike while you and your guide register with the Tanzania National Park (TANAPA). You will then be transferred by vehicle to the Rongai trailhead, which is 2.5 hours away from the Managu Gate. The trail begins in the tall cornfields then leads into the pine forest. This trail has a gradual ascent and allows hikers to enjoy their surroundings. About halfway up the trail you will have a lunch break and you will reach the 1st Caves Camp (2600m) in the late afternoon or early evening. The porters and chef, who move very fast up the mountain, will reach camp before you and set up your tents, boil drinking water, and prepare snacks for your arrival. After washing up, a hot dinner will be served. For overnight, mountain temperatures may drop to freezing so be prepared!
Day 3
Time : 7:00 am
1st Caves Camp (2600m) – Kikelewa Cave (3600m)
Hiking time: 6-7 hours
Habitat: Moorlands
Following a hot breakfast, hikers will continue their ascent to Kikelewa Cave (3600m). The trail passes Second Cave (3450m) and this is a good spot to take a lunch break. Similar to the first night, your tents will be set up prior to arriving at camp and the porters will prepare drinking and washing water for you. You will enjoy evening snacks then dinner prepared by our chef. Be prepared for a cold night as temperatures drop below freezing at this exposed camp.
Day 4
Time : 5:00 am
Kikelewa Cave (3600) – Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4330m)
Hiking time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Moorlands
On this day, hikers will enjoy a short, yet steep trail to Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4330m). In the moorland, you will spot exotic plants, including giant lobelia and groundsel. At camp, hikers will enjoy spectacular views and allow their bodies to acclimate. Hot dinner and washing water will be prepared for hikers as they enjoy the magnificent sunset.
Day 5
Time : 6:00 am
Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4330m) – Kibo Hut (4700m)
Hiking time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Alpine desert
After breakfast, hikers will continue ascending east for a half-day hike to Kibo Hut. Kibo is located in the “Saddle,” which refers to the area located between the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo in an alpine desert. There is no water at this camp, but hikers can buy mineral water and soft drinks at the camp office. An early dinner will be served so hikers can rest before attempting the summit the same night. Your guide will brief you in detail on how to prepare for summit night. Get to sleep by 19:00!
Day 6
Time : 9:00 am
Kibo Hut (4700m) – Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Horombo Hut (3720m)
Hiking time: 8 hours to Uhuru and 6 hours to Horombo
Habitat: Stone scree / ice-cap summit
Distance: Approximately 6 kilometers ascent and 21 kilometers descent
Your guide will wake you around 23:30 for tea and biscuits. You will then begin your summit attempt. The trail is rocky up to Hans Meyer Cave (5150m). You continue your ascent to Gillman’s point (5681m). Reaching this section is an impressive achievement as the trail is steep, rocky, and at high altitude. Gillman’s is located on the crater rim. From this point, you will usually experience a snow covered trail until you reach the summit, Uhuru Peak (5895m). Reaching the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro is a lifetime accomplishment! You will be able to spend a short time on the summit taking photographs and drinking tea before the descent to Barafu begins. The hike down to Kibo Hut takes about 3 hours.
At Kibo Hut, you will rest and enjoy a hot lunch in the sun. After eating, you will continue descending down to Horombo Hut (3720m). You will have a dinner, wash, and rest soundly at the hut after a
Day 7
Time : 7:00 am
Horombo Hut (3720m) – Marangu Gate (1980m)
Hiking time: 6 hours
Distance: Approximately 27 kilometers
Following a well-deserved breakfast, your staff will have a big celebration full of dancing and singing. It is here on the mountain that you will present your tips to the guide, assistant guides, chef(s), and porters. After celebrating, you will descend for 6 hours back to Marangu Gate (1980m). The National Park requires all hikers to sign their names to receive certificates of completion. Hikers who reached Gillman’s Point (5681m) receive green certificates and hikers who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates. After receiving certificates, you will drive back to Moshi for long overdue showers and more celebrations.
Day 8
Time : 2:00 am
International flight or proceed to safari
Transfers:
- 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;
Entry fees:
- All park fees are collected by the Kilimanjaro National Park ( conservation fees, camping fees, crew fees, vehicle fees, rescue fee,s and all other fees collected by the Tanzania National Parks Authority).
Accommodation:
- One night at 3* hotel (Honey Badger, AMEG Lodge or Park View Inn) before the expedition and one night after; The hotels have everything for your comfortable stay - caring staff, nice rooms, reliable Wi-Fi, restaurant and swimming pool);
- Tented accommodation on Mount Kilimanjaro (modern, comfortable 4-Season tents
Please note:
All accommodation is on sharing basis (i.e. you will be sharing with your travel companion a twin/double room in the hotel and a tent during the hike. If you travel alone, we will match you with a same-sex adventurer).
Meals:
- 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).
Hiking and safety equipment
- 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.
Climbing crew:
- Professional guides, licensed by Kilimanjaro National Park. All our guides are the holder of Wilderness First Responder or Wilderness First Aid certifications. All our guides have 7+years of successful mountaineering experience;
- Dedicated support crew (assistant guides, camp master, porters, cooks, etc.).
- Airline tickets;
- Visa fee;
- Lunch and dinner at the hotel (before and after the ascent);
- Personal gear rentals;
- Tips for the mountain crew
- Mountaineering insurance.
Lemosho route is around 70 kms or 42 miles whether you opt for the 7 or 8 day version. It joins up with the Machame Route between Shira and Barranco so the terrain is very similar.
Barranco Wall Mt Kilimanjaro – A Steep Climb But Totally Doable. The Barranco Wall on Mount Kilimanjaro forms part of your early morning exercise on day 4 for climbers on the Machame, Shira, Umbwe and Lemosho Route. ... You need no technical climbing skills to be able to scale the Barranco wall.
Mount Kilimanjaro can be a dangerous mountain to climb. Nearly 1,000 rescues and ten deaths on the mountain occur each year. While climbing the mountain itself is dangerous, the Barranco Wall is a portion of the climb that does not require technical skills to navigate.
Lemosho has the highest summit success rate of all route! Machame is the second most popular route on Kilimanjaro
The Lemosho route is a good eight day hike for those who have not trekked much at high altitudes, with an effective extra day's acclimatization, giving a better success rate. Experienced and already acclimatized mountaineers may opt for the more difficult 7 day ascent along the Lemosho route
There are public toilets at every camp stop on a Kilimanjaro trek. You're going to need to lower your expectations though. Forget porcelain loos with lockable doors, marble sinks with soap dispensers, hot water and hi-tech hand driers.
Technically speaking, Mount Kilimanjaro is also relatively safe compared to other mountains of similar altitude and the risks are low compared to other mountains. ... The main reason why climbers do not reach the summit is altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness (AMS), caused by the high elevation.
At the summit, Uhuru Point, the night time temperatures can range between 20 and -20 degrees Fahrenheit (-7 to -29 degrees Celsius).
As we mentioned before, Kilimanjaro is suitable for beginners; they do very well. The best advice is for everyone to arrive in great shape. Don't underestimate the climb because you know someone did it who you believe was not fit. Train for the adventure.
By far, the reason people have to abandon their Kilimanjaro attempt is due to altitude sickness. At high elevations, nearly everyone will experience some symptoms of altitude sickness. Mild levels of altitude sickness include a headache, nausea, lack of appetite, dizziness, and lethargy. This is normal.
Why? Because winds carry moisture from the ocean. When they hit large objects, like mountains, they rise, cool and condense, forming clouds and precipitation (i.e. rain and snow). There are two main winds that drive weather patterns on Mount Kilimanjaro – the South-east trade winds and Northeast anti-trade winds.
Kilimanjaro is an achievement many hikers, athletes, and nature lovers have set their eyes on. But towering 19,341 feet, with a nearly 50% fail rate, reaching the peak takes a hefty amount of work against significant odds. Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro is absolutely worth it.
How long does it take to train to climb Kilimanjaro? If you aren't already active each day (hiking, walking, or running several miles), if you aren't in great shape it's recommended that you take at least 8 weeks (or 2 months) to train.
The short answer is “Yes”. You may get a phone signal all the way through the summit. Over the years, the mobile network coverage on Kilimanjaro has improved greatly. Nearly everyone who treks nowadays brings Electronic Gadgets On Kilimanjaro, especially smartphones
Here are some common animals that you have a chance of seeing on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Blue Monkey. ...
White Necked Raven. ...
Colobus Monkey. ...
Four Striped Mouse. ...
Bush Baby.
200,000 years ago
How to minimize your chances of suffering from altitude sickness on Kilimanjaro:
Acclimatize prior to the climb. ...
Start the climb in the best possible health and with an excellent level of physical fitness. ...
Take it easy on the trail and in camp. ...
Drink plenty of fluids. ...
Eat well. ...
Sleep well. ...
Relax.
The fact that there are still glaciers is due to the prolonged 'cold snaps', or ice ages, that have occurred down the centuries, allowing the glaciers to regroup and reappear on the mountain.
The best time to climb Kilimanjaro are the months of January through early-March and June through October. The clear skies, great views, and the sunshine makes it the best comfortable hiking conditions. However, there is always the possibility of weather changing dramatically, regardless of the season.
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