- Arusha, Tanzania
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Marangu Route, popularly called “Coca-Cola Route”, is the most renowned route to trek Kilimanjaro. Marangu is the only route that provides sleeping in huts, all the way to Uhuru Peak, contrary to all other routes where you get to sleep in tents/sleeping bags. The route is very steady, with gradual slopes, but it is far from easy. It has a very low success rate, because trackers tend to not take it seriously, due to its reputation to be “Tourists Route”. You do not need camping gear while trekking Marangu, but by all means you need to be physically prepared for the climb, otherwise there is a good chance for dropping out before reaching the top. The route is offered at 5 or 6 days, but note that on shorter plan you do not have a day for acclimatization, which is usually necessary to accommodate high altitude conditions. Descend is at Marangu gate.
You will be picked up from your hotel in the morning and driven to the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Gate. Once signed in at the park and final preparations are complete, we start ascending on a cleared ridge trail through the rainforest. Our first night is at Mandara Hut camp set in a forest clearing. This camp consists of a group of wooden A-framed huts and flush toilets behind the main hut.
In the morning we leave camp and trek through a short stretch of forest through to moorland, circumventing the base of the Maundi Crater. In the afternoon we will reach the Horombo Hut where will we stay overnight.
A day here provides an opportunity for you to acclimatize gradually to the altitude. There are a few walks you can make in the vicinity of the hut – the most popular of which is to the base of Mawenzi Peak, the dramatic eastern summit of Kili. This walk takes four to five hours (round trip), and will get you to an altitude of 4048m before you return to the hut – this will stand you in good stead later on. Overnight stay at Horombo Hut (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Today we continue our ascent into the Alpine desert zone to Kibo Hut. This afternoon we will have an early dinner, prepare your personal gear for the summit and then get some sleep. Our summit trek starts around midnight.
You will be woken around 23:30pm, and after a hot breakfast we will start our final summit. The first section of the trail consists of a rocky path to Hans Meyer point (5250m). The path then zigzags up to Gillman’s point (5681m) on the crater rim. This section is very steep with a lot of scree. From Gillman’s Point we could encounter snow all the way up to Uhuru peak (5895m), the highest point in Africa. After taking photos at the summit we start the 3 hours descent back to Kibo Hut. After a short rest we pack up all your personal gear and trek down to Horombo Hut (3 hours). Tonight is our last night on the mountain.
This morning we make our final descent down to Marangu Gate where we started. You will be taken for lunch and here you will receive your summit certificate to commemorate your great achievement. We will then drive you back to your hotel where we will say our farewell.
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Kalaita Adventures Limited is a Tanzanian company that specializes in travel to incredible, unique and sometimes remote destinations Tanzania. We have arranged our company in such a way, that we are able to provide assistance in these areas by funding various projects that we have initiated ourselves.
