Conquer Mount Kilimanjaro via the quiet wilderness of the Rongai Route on this 8-Day Kilimanjaro Mountain Climbing tour. Approach the majestic mountain from the north for the chance to see mountainside animals like monkeys and even the occasional elephant. Hike through rich rainforests along the north-eastern side, then trek to the summit at dawn for a breathtaking African sunrise. With an expert crew of local guides, porters, and cooks, you are in capable hands for a mountain trek that promises to be remarkable.
8-Day Kilimanjaro Mountain Climbing – Highlights
- The Rongai Route approaches from the north and offers a unique perspective on Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as being the quietest of all the routes.
- Experience the spectacular African sunrise from Mount Kilimanjaro – the ultimate reward for conquering Africa’s tallest peak.
- Hike through the dense greenery of Mount Kilimanjaro’s foothills, spotting native monkeys, birds, and wildflowers en route.
- Marvel at the jagged beauty of the Mawenzi cirque during a hike through high-altitude desert, then camp by a lake that lies beneath the 5149-metre peaks.
Is this trip right for you?
- You need a good level of fitness for this adventure. The distances may not be long, but the altitude makes it much harder than your average uphill hike. The going will be slow as your body adjusts.
- Parts of your tour go above 2800 metres where it is common for travellers to experience some adverse health effects due to the altitude.
- You need tried and tested all-purpose hiking equipment.
- Temperatures at night can get very low when you’re above 3500 metres, so warm clothing and a sleeping bag are essential. You can hire this equipment if need be.
- Your safety comes first. All our guides and trek leaders have been trained and are proficient in first aid. They also carry oxygen cylinders on all treks for emergency use.
- Hiking for several days without a shower can be tough – be prepared for some dust and dirt. A mask, wet wipes and a face washer may become your best friends!
8-Day Kilimanjaro Mountain Climbing – Itinerary
Day 1: Marangu
Welcome to Tanzania. Your 8-Day Kilimanjaro Mountain Climbing tour begins in the foothills Kilimanjaro in Marangu. The hotel is a short walking distance from the village’s busy market and some excellent coffee shops. It is also very near some beautiful waterfalls and ancient Chagga caves. Please ensure you are at the hotel by early evening, as your tour starts with a full briefing and kit inspection by an experienced Mount Kilimanjaro climber.
Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
Meals: Dinner
Included activities
- Mt Kilimanjaro – Trek Briefing
- Mt Kilimanjaro – Complimentary equipment hire (sleeping bag and walking poles) – must be requested at time of booking
Day 2: Simba Camp
Enjoy a hearty breakfast before meeting your guides and porters. Each person has a personal porter and there are extra porters for camping equipment and food. This morning you will be transferred to the northern side of the mountain and the village of Nale Moru (1950m).
En route, you stop into one of the clothes lending offices of Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Projects and learn how their program, is assisting porters. As you walk up from the gate you will wind through cultivated farmland and pine forest plantations before entering lush forests.
As you go along, keep your eyes open – many species of bird hide in the trees, and you might be lucky enough to see monkeys and signs of larger game. Your first mountain camp is on the edge of the moorland zone with great views back down to the plains and into Kenya.
Accommodation: Camping (with toilet facilities) (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Included activities
- Mt Kilimanjaro – Services of experienced English speaking mountain guides (first-aid qualified) cooks and porters (a minimum of 1 guide to every 2)
- Fully catered trek including National Park entrance fees, climbing fee, tented camps & rescue services (6 days)
- Mt Kilimanjaro – Porterage of 1 bag (9kg/20lb max)
- Mt Kilimanjaro – Return transfers from hotel to park gate
- Mt Kilimanjaro – Emergency oxygen and comprehensive first aid kits
- Rongai – Kilimanjaro Porters Assitance Project
Special information: Total walking time today is approximately 3–4 hours.
Day 3: Kikelewa Caves
Wake up early for a hot drink and a hearty breakfast. Your walk begins with a steady uphill ascent which will bring you to the second cave (3450 metres). Look above and see the glorious Kibo peak of Mount Kilimanjaro looming – the eastern ice fields cling to the mountain’s crater rim. Down below, the slope sweeps away down into the forests. The third cave is your goal for today, so you will trek further up the mountain and reach the camp in the afternoon.
Accommodation: Camping (with toilet facilities) (1 night)
Meals; Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Special information: Total walking time today is approximately 5 hours.
Day 4: Mawenzi Tarn
This morning after breakfast, you have a steady but steep ascent under the jagged peaks of Mawenzi. Depart the grassy slopes and vegetation zone behind as you enter the high-altitude desert.
Make the hike to the Mawenzi Tarn, the location of tonight’s camp. This is the only permanent lake on Mount Kilimanjaro. You will see the 5149-metre peak towering above you as you complete your trek. Enjoy free time this afternoon – take the chance to relax. It is important to pace yourself – this is part of the acclimatisation process.
Accommodation: Camping (with toilet facilities) (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Special information: Total walking time today is approximately 4 hours.
Day 5: Kibo Camp/Uhuru Peak
After a good breakfast today, head out into the lunar landscape of ‘The Saddle’, a broad tundra desert between the two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo. From there you can take in spectacular views of the mountain’s upper reaches. Proceed to Kibo Camp (4703 metres), which that has limited facilities.
Tonight, prepare for tomorrow’s final ascent. Take the chance to re-pack your bag and leave any non-essential items with the porters – you will need all your energy for the summit. It is important to sleep early tonight and get as good a sleep as you can, as there will be a midnight start in order to reach the summit in the morning before the cloud cover settles and have time to get back down.
Accommodation: Camping (with toilet facilities) (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Special information: Total walking time today is approximately 4–5 hours.
Day 6: Uhuru Peak/Horombo Camp
Be prepared for a demanding and rewarding day. You will have to wake before midnight. Commencing your walk in darkness, you will zig-zag up a long scree slope by the light of your head torch. At this time of day the scree is still frozen, which makes it easier to walk on. After approximately 2 hours you should reach Hans Meyer’s Cave, which is named after the German geologist who made the first successful ascent in 1889.
The gradient will get steeper, and 3 hours on (this is the hardest stretch of the ascent) you should reach the crater rim at Johanne’s Notch. From here it’s a short scramble to Gillman’s Point (5680m) in time for dawn. The reward is the dramatic spectacle of the sun rising over the ice fields and craggy peaks of Mawenzi – the profusion of colours and shapes make all the exertion seem worthwhile.
Those with some drive left can take another couple of hours to hike along the crater rim to Uhuru (Freedom) Peak (5895m). Your descent retraces the route to Kibo Camp. Here you can get some food and recharge a little before descending back to Horombo Camp for a well-earned rest.
Accommodation: Camping (with toilet facilities) (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Special information: Total walking time today is approximately 13 hours.
Day 7: Marangu
The descent from Horombo to Mandara Camp takes roughly 3 hours, and the final part of the descent through the forest to Marangu Gate takes another 2 hours hike. Vehicles will be waiting at the gate to take you and your crew back to the hotel. Enjoy a nice hot shower – a real treat after the intense physical effort of the last few days. Over a celebratory meal you can relive and share your experiences of the past five days on the mountain.
Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 8: Marangu
Your trip comes to an end after breakfast. Transfers to Kilimanjaro International Airport, Uganda for gorilla trekking or Zanzibar for a beach holiday can be arranged locally.
Meals: Breakfast
8-Day Kilimanjaro Mountain Climbing – Inclusions
- Meals: 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners
- Transport in a 4×4 safari vehicle
- Accommodation: Camping (with toilet facilities) (5 nights), Hotel (2 nights)
- Mt Kilimanjaro – Trek Briefing
- Mt Kilimanjaro – Complimentary equipment hire (sleeping bag and walking poles) – must be requested at time of booking
- Mt Kilimanjaro – Services of experienced English speaking mountain guides (first-aid qualified) cooks and porters (a minimum of 1 guide to every 2)
- Fully catered trek including National Park entrance fees, climbing fee, tented camps & rescue services (6 days)
- Mt Kilimanjaro – Porterage of 1 bag (9kg/20lb max)
- Mt Kilimanjaro – Return transfers from hotel to park gate
- Mt Kilimanjaro – Emergency oxygen and comprehensive first aid kits
- Rongai – Kilimanjaro Porters Assitance Project
