6-Day Marangu Route Climb

The extra day is an acclimatisation day at Horombo Hut (3720m), which gives your body more time to adjust before the climb to Kibo Hut. The standard five-day climb goes up too fast for many people. The extra day includes an optional walk to Zebra Rocks at about 4000m, and it gives you a fairer chance of reaching Uhuru Peak.

Simple and shared. Marangu is the only Kilimanjaro route where you sleep in huts rather than tents all the way up. Mandara Hut is a group of A-frame wooden cabins, and the huts have bunk beds and shared dining halls, so evenings are sociable. You'll share them with other climbers.

You start at Marangu Gate (1860m), sleep at Mandara Hut (2720m), then spend two nights at Horombo Hut (3720m) and one at Kibo Hut (4703m). On summit night you pass Gilman's Point on the crater rim at 5685m and continue to Uhuru Peak at 5895m. After the summit you sleep at Horombo again before walking out to the gate.

You leave Kibo Hut around midnight and zigzag up scree slopes by headlamp in bitter cold. You reach Gilman's Point on the crater rim at 5685m, then follow the rim to Uhuru Peak at 5895m, ideally around sunrise. The descent is long, back through Kibo and down to Horombo, so it's a very full day.

Not really. The huts make it more comfortable, but the climb is just as demanding, and summit night is steep and cold. It needs good fitness, though no technical skills. The biggest challenge is the height gain between Horombo and Kibo, which is why we run this six-day version with an extra day at Horombo.

At Marangu Gate (1860m), because you go up and come down the same path. On the last day you walk down through moorland and rainforest, sign the park register at the gate, receive your summit certificate and transfer to your hotel. Kilimanjaro International Airport is the usual arrival point for climbers flying in.

Climbers who'd rather sleep in a hut and eat in a dining hall than camp, including people who simply don't enjoy tents. It still needs good fitness and determination, so it's not a shortcut for people new to hiking. If scenic variety matters most, Lemosho may fit better, and our Arusha team can talk through the options.

There are no fixed departure dates listed, so ask us. As a general guide, the drier months from about late June to October and from around January to early March are the most popular. The huts give shelter in wet weather, but the long rains of roughly April and May still make the trails muddy.

Layers for warm rainforest, cool moorland and freezing temperatures on summit night. Bring broken-in waterproof boots, thermal base layers, a fleece, an insulated jacket, a waterproof shell, warm gloves and a hat, a headlamp with spare batteries, a daypack and trekking poles. Most visitors also need a Tanzanian tourist visa, through the official eVisa portal or on arrival.

The 6-Day Marangu Route Climb is 6 days and 5 nights. The day-by-day itinerary on this page shows where you go and stay each day.

This trip visits Mount Kilimanjaro.

It is rated moderate: a reasonable level of general fitness is enough.

It runs for groups of 2 to 15 travellers.

Included: Mountain hut accommodation, All meals included, Professional guides, Park fees and permits, Shared sleeping facilities and Emergency first aid.

Not included: International flights, Travel insurance, Personal gear and clothing, Tips for staff, Visa fees and Personal expenses.