Day
1: Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro Marangu Route
Transfer from Moshi town to Marangu Gate (1980m) - Mandara
hut (2700m).
Hiking time: 5 hours.
Distance: About 12 km's.
Habitat: Montane forest.
Elevation change: + 720 m
Early in the morning after breakfast
you will be getting a briefing of your hiking from Climbing Mount
Kilimanjaro guides before been transfer to Marangu gate around 9:00
a.m in the morning which takes about 45 minutes to reach there.
On your arrival to Marangu gate which is located at the Marangu
village normal formality of registration for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
will take place. A backpack is important for you to carry few things
which will be useful for the particularly day trekking such as camera,
extra cloth, skin oil, rain jacket and other things which you will
be directed. Porters will carry other things for your climbing Mount
Kilimanjaro such as food, drinking water, clothes and cooking gas
and normally they walk faster than you so they can be in a position
of preparing of dinner for you on time.
After all the formality our guide will show you a clear trail and
assist you with any additional information or needs you might have.
You now leave the park office and ascend on a cleared ridge route
through the rain forest. The forest covered with mist and
saturated with beards of moss. This trail follows the edge of a
stream through the undergrowth and offers you the option to rejoin
the main trail either, after one and half hours hiking, you will
reach Mandara hut. The weather at Mandara hut isn't much cold and
normal dressing and a jacket is enough. With an exception of Kibo
hut the other huts have a group of wooden A-framed huts in a forest
clearing. Each hut features 6-8 sleeping bunks with solar generated
lighting. The total capacity of the camp is 60 climbers. Water is
piped into the camp from springs above and there are flush toilets behind
the main hut.
Day 2: Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
Marangu Route
Mandara hut (2700m) - Horombo hut (3720m)
Hiking time: 6 hours.
Distance: About 15 km's.
Habitat: Moorland.
Elevation change: + 1020 m
Early in the morning after your breakfast you will starts climbing
towards Horombo hut with your picnic lunch. From Mandara hut the
trail passes through a short stretch of forest, and then heads around
the base of the Maundi Crater where you will leave the forest and
enter the moorland.
We recommend you take a short detour up to the rim of the Maundi
Crater - from here you see the impressive Kibo Crater, and on a
clear day you will also be able to see the glaciers of Kibo. This
is a great photographic opportunity. In the moorlands you will also
encounter some of Kilimanjaro most spectacular and strange plants
in the open moorland - with giant lobelia and groundsel growing
to heights of 3 and 5 metres respectively! Later in the afternoon
you reach Horombo Hut to stay for hot dinner and an overnight. Your
hut will be comfortable enough to ensure a good nights rest. Temperatures
during the night will be around freezing point.
Day 3: Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro Marangu Route
Horombo hut (3720m) - Kibo hut (4700m)
Hiking time: 6 hours
Distance: About 15 km's
Habitat: Alpine desert
Elevation change: + 980 m
The climb is becoming more difficult as the oxygen at these altitudes
begins to thin out considerably. To begin today you can take one
of the two trails to the "Saddle", located between the peaks of
Mawenzi and Kibo. Stick to the lower route, which is much easier
and has the added benefit of taking you past the last watering point.
You should stock up with all the water you will need - the next
watering point will be at Horombo hut when you return there on your
descent the night after next. Once again remember to take it slowly
and drink enough water. It will take from 5 to 7 hours to reach
Kibo Hut where you will rest and have dinner. This is a barren area
of extreme conditions, with temperatures at night sometimes dropping
to below freezing point and daytime temperatures being relatively
high. Kibo hut is a large stone house that can comfortably sleep
60 hikers in bunk beds - remember there is no water supply at this
hut. There are toilet facilities behind the hut.
Spend time this afternoon preparing your equipment as you will be
making your final ascent tonight-you will need your ski-stick and
extra thermal clothing for your summit bid - also ensure that your
headlamp and camera batteries are in order and make sure you have
spare sets of batteries available as well. Carry your water in a
thermal flask otherwise it will freeze later. Make sure you are
in bed by 7:00 pm - you will need all the sleep you can get before
your very early wake up call in only four and half hours time.
Day 4: Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
Marangu Route
Kibo hut (4700 m) - Uhuru
Peak (5895 m) - Horombo hut (3720 m)
Hiking time: 10 hours
Distance: About 27 km's
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
Elevation change: + 1195 m, - 2175 m
Today will by far be your toughest day, you will be woken just before
midnight and soon head off into the cold night up a rocky path towards
to the Hans Meyer Cave at 5150 metres - you may take a short rest
here before continuing your ascent up to Gillman's point at 5680
metres. Probably the most demanding section of the entire route
as it is very steep and stony - go slowly and carefully here. From
Gillman's Point, you will more than likely be walking through snow
for the next 2 hours, when you will finally reach the summit of
Uhuru Peak at 5895 metres.
Cold and fatigue will set in quickly here and you may find it very
difficult to get started again. So spend a little time to enjoy
the fact that you have conquered Kilimanjaro, get the camera out
and take some pictures, then it will be best that you get moving
again - it's a long way down! The first part of your descent to
Kibo hut will take almost another 3 hours. After a short rest you
which will be accompanied with heavy breakfast, you will begin the
next part of your descent - it will take another 3 hours of hiking
to get to Horombo hut. Arriving Horombo hut at afternoon for hot
hut lunch and rest as well as dinner and spend overnight there.
You will no doubt have a good sleep, feeling exhilarated and proud
of your achievement.
Day 5: Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
Marangu Route
Horombo hut (3720 m) -
Mandara hut (1980m)
Hiking time: 6 hours
Distance: About 27 km's
Habitat: Moorland + Rain Forest
Elevation change: - 1740 m
After an early and well-deserved breakfast, you continue your descent
passing the Mandara hut, down to the Marangu gate - this will take
the best part of six hours. At Marangu gate you sign your
name and details in a register. To make your achievement official,
you will receive a summit certificate. If you reached Gillman's
Point you will be presented with a green certificate, and if you
made it all the way to Uhuru Peak you will have earned yourself
a gold certificate. You then take a road transfer back to your hotel
where you have certainly earned a long hot shower and a drink or
three to celebrate before getting a decent night's rest in a comfortable
bed. |