Kilimanjaro Rongai Route
Day 1: Rongai gate / Nalemoru (1950m) to Simba Camp (2650m) (First Cave Camp)
Time: 3-4hrs / Distance: 6.5km / Altitude Gain700m
Pick up from your hotel, drive to Marangu Gate. On reaching the Marangu Gate (1843m), complete park registration and drive to Nalemoru gate (1950m), you will meet your crew and begin your 6day ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro. Hot lunch at Nalemoru gate. You will start the trek through winding path crossing maize field before entering a dense, mist covered forest area where the blue monkey, black and white colobus and bush baby can be spotted. The trek will take you 3-4 hours to arrive at Simba camp site (2650m). A night will be spent at Simba camp.
Day 2: Simba Camp (2650m) to Second Caves Camp 3150m
Time: 3-4hrs / Distance: 4km / Altitude gain: 500m
After breakfast our trek continues up towards kibo to Second cave, a gentle incline through upper moorland and heather to a lower moorland and heather vegetation zone, hot lunch will be provided at Second caves camp (3150m). Spend the rest of your day resting or you might have small excursions for acclimatization towards Third cave. Chances of seeing kibo peak (the summit peak) and Mawenzi peak will be more. You might also have chances of spotting Jackals and sometimes buffaloes if you are lucky. The trek will take you 3-4 hours. A night will be spent at Second Cave.
Day 3: Second caves Camp (3150m) to Kikelewa Caves (3600m)
Time: 3-4hrs / Distance: 5km / Altitude gain: 450m
After breakfast our trek continues up towards kibo, passing through a more open short moorland and heather vegetation zone to Kikelewa caves camp. Lunch will be provided at your camp. Also Chances of seeing kibo peak (the summit peak) will be more. You might also have chances of spotting Jackals and sometimes buffaloes on this day too if you are lucky. A night will be spent at Kikelewa Cave.
Day 4: Kikelewa Caves (3600m) to Mawenzi Tarn (4330m)
Time: 3-4hrs / Distance: 6km / Altitude gain: 370m
After breakfast Begin trek to Mawenzi Tarn Hut, 4,330m. A short incline through grassy slope leads to a tangible sense of wilderness; you will leave the short vegetation to a low desert area before reaching your camp Mawenzi Tarn Hut, whereby you have hot lunch and spend the rest of your day resting or you might have small excursions for acclimatization. Approximately a 3 to 4 hour trek, distance of 6km.
Day 5: Mawenzi Tarn to Kibo Hut (4700m)
Time: 4-5hrs / Distance: 9km / Altitude Gain: 370m
The route becomes gradually steeper and rockier as we leave Mawenzi Tarn Hut. You will head up stark landscape up to ‘The Saddle’ – the broad lava-stone ridge – between Mawenzi and Kibo. Stunning views of the upper reaches of Kilimanjaro can be seen before you arrive at Kibo Hut (4703m) where you will have a hot meal in the afternoon, a relaxing evening and an early bedtime so you are well rested to start hiking at midnight for your final ascent to the summit.
Day 6: Kibo Hut to Uhuru Peak (5895m) to Horombo Hut (3700m)
Time: 6-8hrs ascent, 5-6hrs descent / Distance: 5km ascent, 15km descent / Altitude Gain: 1195m, Altitude loss: 2195m
Setting off at midnight for the summit, this is the longest and most demanding day of the entire trek. The trail follows a long screed slope past the Hans Meyer Cave and then turns into a single file zigzag. A short rocky path requiring some scrambling leads to Gillman’s Point situated on the crater rim, 5685m. This part of the hike is very steep and is the most challenging section of the route.
Once you reach Gillman’s Point it is just another two hours to Uhuru Peak (5895m), the highest point in Africa. Once there all your hard work will feel more than worth it as you will be rewarded with a spectacular sunrise over ice fields and the Mawenzi peaks. We will spend a short time at Uhuru Peak before starting our descent to Kibo Hut for a break and short time for you to rest. We will then head to Horombo Hut for our last night on Kilimanjaro and a very well-earned sleep.
Day 7: Horombo Hut to Marangu Gate (1800m)
Time: 5-6hrs / Distance: 20km / Altitude loss: 1900m
After breakfast we will descend to Marangu gate retracing our steps past Mandara Hut, back through the magnificent rainforest and finally reaching Marangu gate. Once at the gate you will receive your summit certificates, short celebrations with your porters and be driven back to your hotel where you can have a hot shower and well deserved rest!