Duration: 6 or 7 days trekking; There are two versions of this trek.
Length: 70 km/43 mi total (6-days); 77 km/48 mi total (7-days)
Elevation: Nale Muru (1,950 m/6,400 ft) to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m/19,340 ft and descent to Marangu Gate (1,830 m/6,000 ft)
Description:
The Rongai Route is more scenic than the Marangu Route, easier than the Machame Route, and the success rate on the Rongai is very high. Unlike the Marangu Route where you sleep in huts, Rongai you sleep in tents (tents are included), and the porter pitch your tent for you. Meals are served in a dinner tent or on a blanket outside. The Rongai starts on the north side of the mountain just south of the Kenyan border, and is one of the least traveled routes. The Rongai joins the Marangu for the summit climb, then you descend the Marangu Route on the mountain’s southeast side, so you see Kilimanjaro from many view point. There are two versions of this trek – a direct 6-day itinerary, and a 7-day itinerary that takes a longer route. The more expedient 6-day itinerary is described below and the longer variation is described in the extra days section.
Rongai 6 days:
Arrival Day:
Arrive at the Kilimanjaro International Airport. You will be met at the Airport and transferred to the hotel in Arusha/Moshi for your overnight and briefing by our mountain guide.
Day 1: Arusha/Moshi to Nale Muru to Simba Camp
Elevation(m): 1,387/915 m to 1,950 m to 2,750 m
Elevation(ft): 4,921/3,000 ft to 6,400 ft to 9,020 ft
Distance: 9 km
Hiking Time: 4 hours
Habitat: Montane Forest
Your day starts early with breakfast and a briefing. Transfer by Land Rover through many villages and coffee plantations for 4-6 hours to the attractive wooden village of Nale Muru (1,950 m/6,398 ft). After signing in and preparing the porters, you begin the hike on a wide path winding through fields of maize and potatoes, then enter pine forest. You then start to climb gently but consistently through attractive forest that shelters a variety of wildlife. The forest begins to thin and Simba Camp (2,600 m/8,530ft) is near the “First Cave” at the edge of the moorland zone with extensive views over the Kenyan plains.
Day 2: Simba Camp to Second Cave
Elevation(m): 2,750 m to 3,450 m
Elevation(ft): 9,020 ft to 11,320 ft
Distance: 7 km
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Moorland
Your morning walk is a steady ascent up to the Second Cave. En route, you will enjoy superb views of Kibo and the eastern ice fields on the crater rim.
Day 3: Second Cave to Third Cave
Elevation(m): 3,450m to 3,870m
Elevation(ft): 11,320ft to 12700 ft
Distance: 10km
Hiking Time: 4 hours
Habitat: Semi-Desert
Your continuing steady ascent takes you up to the Third Cave. Closer now, the eastern ice fields on the crater rim continue to draw you upwards. On this day, be careful to notice any signs of altitude sickness.
Day 4: Third Cave to Kibo Huts
Elevation(m): 3,870 m to 4,695 m
Elevation(ft): 15,400ft to 12,700ft
Distance: 10km
Hiking Time: 8 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Today, you hike up to the Kibo Huts at the bottom of the Kibo crater wall, and this is where you join the popular Marangu Route. Plan on doing your hike early in the day, then resting in preparation for your final ascent. Prepare your equipment and warm clothing for your summit climb, then turn in early.
Day 5: Summit Day! Kibo Huts to Uhuru Peak to Horombo Huts
Elevation(m ): 4,695 m to 5,895 m to 3,690 m
Elevation(ft): 15,400 ft to 19,340 ft to 12,100 ft
Distance: 4 km up, 14 km down
Hiking Time: 10-15 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Wake at midnight to a light breakfast, then prepare for your summit ascent. The goal is to climb before dawn so that you can reach Uhuru Peak shortly after sunrise. Leave at 1 AM, switchback up steep scree or possibly snow, and reach Gilman’s Point on the crater rim at 5,861 m/18,640 ft between 5 and 7 AM. Here, views of the fabled crater and its icecaps greet you. Another 2 hours of hiking along the crater rim near the celebrated snows takes you to Kilimanjaro’s true summit, Uhuru Peak, by 9 AM. This is Africa’s highest point, and you would have to travel more than 3,000 miles toward the Himalayas to find a higher peak! Be sure to have your picture taken at the summit to show your friends. After your summit stay, descend back to the Kibo Huts, have lunch, rest, collect your things, and re cross the saddle to the Horombo Huts. Eat dinner and get some well-deserved sleep! You do the beginning of this climb in the dark with headlamps flashlights. It will be very cold until you start descending, so you will need all of your warm layers. This is, by far, the most difficult part of the trek. Slowly slowly, or, “pole pole,” and an optimistic attitude will get you there!
Day 6: Horombo Huts to Marangu Gate to Arusha/Moshi
Elevation(m): 3,690 m to 1,830 m to 1,387/890 m
Elevation(ft): 12,100 ft to 6,000 ft to 4,921/2,920 ft
Distance: 18 km
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
Wake as usual, pack, and descend through the moorland to the Mandara Huts. Have lunch there then continue your triumphant recessional down through lush forest to the park gate, which you should reach around 2 or 3 PM. Remember to tip your guides, cooks, and porters, since you will be leaving them here. A vehicle will take you back to the Hotel in Arusha/Moshi, where it is definitely time for celebration!
Arusha/Moshi:
Depart for the airport or other destinations in Tanzania or Kenya. A trip to the beaches at Zanzibar is a good way to recuperate. We can arrange many reasonably priced trips and safaris to the Tanzania Nothern Parks such as trips to Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara National Park, Tarangire National Park and to Arusha National Park. Also we can arrange trips to Southern Circuit such as trips to Selous game reserve, Mikumi National Park and Ruaha National Park.
7-days Itinerary:
You can add a day to this trek by taking a longer route that swings east to the Mawenzi Tarn, then crosses the saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo to rejoin the route at the Kibo Huts. This itinerary greatly helps you acclimatization, and increases you chances of success.
Day 1: Arusha/Moshi to Nale Muru to Simba Camp
Elevation(m): 1,387/915 m to 1,950 m to 2,750 m
Elevation(ft): 4,921/3,000 ft to 6,400 ft to 9,020 ft
Distance: 9 km
Hiking Time: 4 hours
Habitat: Montane Forest
Your day starts early with breakfast and a briefing. Transfer by Land Rover through many villages and coffee plantations for 4-6 hours to the attractive wooden village of Nale Muru (1,950 m/6,398 ft). After signing in and preparing the porters, you begin the hike on a wide path winding through fields of maize and potatoes, then enter pine forest. You then start to climb gently but consistently through attractive forest that shelters a variety of wildlife. The forest begins to thin and Simba Camp (2,600 m/8,530ft) is near the “First Cave” at the edge of the moorland zone with extensive views over the Kenyan plains.
Day 2: Simba Camp To Kikelewa Camp
Elevation(m): 2,750 m to 3,600 m
Elevation(ft): 9,020 ft to 11,810 ft
Distance: 17 km
Hiking Time: 7 hours
Habitat: Moorland
You make a steady ascent to the Second Cave where you have lunch. You leave the direct trail at the Second Cave, and strike out across the moorland on a smaller path toward Mawenzi’s jagged peaks. After another 10 km, you reach the Kikelewa Camp in a sheltered valley with giant Senecios nearby. The Kikelewa Cave is also nearby.
Day 3: Kikelewa Camp To Mawenzi Tarn
Elevation(m): 3,600 m to 4,330 m
Elevation(ft): 14,205 ft to 14,205 ft
Distance: 7 km
Hiking Time: 4 hours
Habitat: Semi Desert
you do a short, steep climb up grassy slopes rewarded by superb all-round views and a tangible sense of wilderness. Shortly after you leave the vegetation behind, you reach the Mawenzi Tarn, which is situated in a spectacular cirque directly beneath the towering spires of Mawenzi. After this short hike, you can spend the afternoon exploring this exciting area.
Day 4: Rest at Mawenzi Tarn
Is your extra day on the mountain, and you will spend two nights at Mawenzi Tarn. You can hike up toward Mawenzi for a splendid acclimatization hike.
Day 5: Mawenzi Tarn to Kibo Huts
Elevation(m): 4,330m to 4,695 m
Elevation(ft): 15,400 ft to 14,200ft
Distance: 8 km
Hiking Time: 5 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
You cross the lunar desert of the saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo to reach the Kibo Huts at the bottom of Kibo’s crater wall. You should spend the remainder of the day resting and preparing for your summit climb.
Day 6: Summit Day! Kibo Huts to Uhuru Peak to Horombo Huts
Elevation(m ): 4,695 m to 5,895 m to 3,690 m
Elevation(ft): 15,400 ft to 19,340 ft to 12,100 ft
Distance: 4 km up, 14 km down
Hiking Time: 10-15 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Wake at midnight to a light breakfast, then prepare for your summit ascent. The goal is to climb before dawn so that you can reach Uhuru Peak shortly after sunrise. Leave at 1 AM, switchback up steep scree or possibly snow, and reach Gilman’s Point on the crater rim at 5,861 m/18,640 ft between 5 and 7 AM. Here, views of the fabled crater and its icecaps greet you. Another 2 hours of hiking along the crater rim near the celebrated snows takes you to Kilimanjaro’s true summit, Uhuru Peak, by 9 AM. This is Africa’s highest point, and you would have to travel more than 3,000 miles toward the Himalayas to find a higher peak! Be sure to have your picture taken at the summit to show your friends. After your summit stay, descend back to the Kibo Huts, have lunch, rest, collect your things, and re cross the saddle to the Horombo Huts. Eat dinner and get some well-deserved sleep! You do the beginning of this climb in the dark with headlamps flashlights. It will be very cold until you start descending, so you will need all of your warm layers. This is, by far, the most difficult part of the trek. Slowly slowly, or, “pole pole,” and an
optimistic attitude will get you there!
Day 7: Horombo Huts to Marangu Gate to Arusha/Moshi
Elevation(m): 3,690 m to 1,830 m to 1,387/890 m
Elevation(ft): 12,100 ft to 6,000 ft to 4,921/2,920 ft
Distance: 18 km
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
Wake as usual, pack, and descend through the moorland to the Mandara Huts. Have lunch there then continue your triumphant recessional down through lush forest to the park gate, which you should reach around 2 or 3 PM. Remember to tip your guides, cooks, and porters, since you will be leaving them here. A vehicle will take you back to the Hotel in Arusha/Moshi, where it is definitely time for celebration!
Arusha/Moshi:
Depart for the airport or other destinations in Tanzania or Kenya. A trip to the beaches at Zanzibar is a good way to recuperate. We can arrange many reasonably priced trips and safaris to the Tanzania Nothern Parks such as trips to Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara National Park, Tarangire National Park and to Arusha National Park. Also we can arrange trips to Southern Circuit such as trips to Selous game reserve, Mikumi National Park and Ruaha National Park.
Note that if you skip the rest day, you can visit Mawenzi Tarn on a 6-day itinerary.
Discounts available for groups of 4 persons and above
Price Includes:
- Transport to and from mountain gates.
- All parks entry fees.
- All camping fees.
- Rescue fees.
- Guide and porters fees.
- Guide and porters salaries.
- All accommodations on the mountain based on three meals a day.
- Cook and all kitchen utensils.
Price Excludes:
- International and domestic flights (we can arrange on request)
- Accommodation on the first night upon your arrival before climb and on the last day after climb (book with us)
- Airport transfers (book with us)
- Tips, drinks and all items of personal nature
- Hard and soft drinks and tips
- Sleeping bags but we can provide for hire on request.
- All Mountain Gears (we can arrange hire of this)
