7 Days Climbing Safari in Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

According to annual research and report journals, the average summit successful rate across all climbers using the Marangu route is 65%. The summit success rate depends heavily upon climate like rainfall and snow, and the person's fitness. The climate, however, in the Marangu route is not that much troublesome.

You can only expect acclimatization at Kibo and Horombo camp where there is low oxygen as altitude increases. This is a unique safari for the venturesome. The hike via Marangu route can be done in six days and the points on the trail are at Marangu Gate which is your starting point, Mandara Hut, Horombo Hut, and Kibo Hut.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival day

On the day of arrival, you will be picked up from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) to the hotel in Moshi town where you will be staying for dinner and overnight. At the hotel, you will meet a mountain guide who will briefly explain to you the itinerary for the next day and all the essential information about climbing Mount Kilimanjaro including the route, hiking equipment, and other important information.

Day 2: Hiking from Marangu Gate to Mandara Hut

After breakfast in your hotel, a car with driver and guide will be waiting for you outside. You will have an hour of private drive from Moshi town to Kilimanjaro Mountain at Marangu Gate. At the gate, the registration and payment process will be done while porters are organizing luggage, ready to start a tour. It takes a four-hour hike to the first hut.

Through an elevation of 6,100 feet to 8,875 feet and through the verdant scenery of a mountain forest, you will see that the forest stems with bird life, Colobus monkey, as well as other monkeys teeming the jungle.

Day 3: Hiking from Mandara Hut to Horombo Hut

After breakfast at Mandara Hut, you will be ascending to Horombo Hut. The altitude begins to change and will slow down your pace while you enjoy the flora and the view of Mawenzi and Kibo Peak. This will take six hours with an elevation of 3,780 meters. Arrive at the Horombo Hut, 11 kilometers from Mandara, and your lunch box will be provided on the way. At Horombo Hut, you will have rest, dinner, and an overnight stay.

Day 4: Acclimatization day

You will spend three hours walking to zebra rock for acclimatization and after that, you will hike down to Horombo Hut for lunch, rest, dinner, and your overnight accommodation.

Day 5: From Horombo Hut to Kibo Hut (Summit night)

After breakfast at Horombo Hut, the hike to Kibo Hut begins. You will ascend further, passing the last watering point, walking onto the saddle of Kilimanjaro between the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi. Vegetation begins with upper heath land but then disappears into moonscape.

Your lunch box will be provided on the way. At Kibo Hut, you will have rest, dinner, and an overnight lodging while preparing yourself for Uhuru Peak summit at night around 12:00 a.m. On the way to the summit, you will pass through Gillman’s point, Stella point, and finally end up at the Uhuru Peak, the roof of Africa.

Day 6: Descend from summit to Kibo and Horombo Hut

The beginning of day five might still catch you at the Uhuru Peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. You can take a beautiful picture while the sun is rising and as you slowly start to hike down to Kibo Hut for breakfast. Rest and later on, you will start to descend again to Horombo Hut where you will have lunch, rest, dinner, and an overnight stay.

Day 7: Descend from Horombo Hut to Marangu Gate (Final day of the tour)

You will descend from Horombo Hut to Marangu Gate exit. The driver will drop you off from the gate to the hotel in Moshi for lunch and then you can rest but if your flight is on the same day, then the driver will drop you off to the airport for your departure.

This safari will take place at Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. The Kilimanjaro Mountain is also known as the “the roof of Africa.” Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa's highest mountain and one of the continent's magnificent sights, at 5,896 meters. It has three main volcanic peaks, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. The name itself, "Kilimanjaro" is a mystery wreathed in clouds. It might mean "Mountain of Light, "Mountain of Greatness," or "Mountain of Caravans."

Above the gently rolling hills and plateau of northern Tanzania rises the snowy peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, its slopes and glaciers shimmering above the rising clouds. Kilimanjaro is located near the town of Moshi and is a protected area, carefully regulated for climbers to enjoy without leaving a trace of their presence. The mountain’s ecosystems are as strikingly beautiful as they are varied and diverse.

Once inside the park, thick lowland forest covers the lower altitudes and breaks into alpine meadows once the air begins to thin. Near the peak, the landscape is harsh and barren, with rocks and ice the predominant features above a breathtaking African view. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is the highlight of most visitors’ experiences in Tanzania.

Few mountains can claim the grandeur, the breathtaking views of Amboseli National Park in Kenya, the Rift Valley, and the Masaai Steppe, that belongs to Kilimanjaro. Hiking on the rooftop of Africa, the highest point on the continent is at 5,896 meters. It is the adventure of a lifetime, especially because, if paced well, everyone from seasoned trekkers to first-time enthusiasts, can scale the snowy peak.

There is also so much more to Kilimanjaro than her summit. The ascent of the slopes is a virtual climatic world tour, from the tropics to the Arctic. Even before you cross the national park boundary at the 2,700 meter contour, the cultivated foot slopes give way to lush montane forest inhabited by the elusive elephant, leopard, buffalo, the endangered Abbot’s duiker, and other small antelope and primates.

Higher still lies the moorland zone, where a cover of giant heather is studded with otherworldly giant lobelias. Above 4,000 meters, a surreal alpine desert supports little life other than a few hardy mosses and lichen. Then finally, the last vestigial vegetation gives way to a winter wonderland of ice and snow, and the magnificent beauty of the roof of the continent.

Mount Kilimanjaro is perfect for those scenic photographs so do not miss out on using your camera for this unique experience. You could also opt for some sightseeing in Africa's highest peak. Spa treatments are also available with some additional payment.

• 6 nights accommodation
• All activities mentioned in the itinerary
• Transfers to and from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO)
• All park entrance fee, rescue fee, and 18% VAT
• Daily meals
• Guide, porters, and cook services
• Transfer from and to the mountain starting point or gate

• Hiking equipment and gears
• Personal items
• Tipping

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• A reservation requires a deposit of 30% of the total price.
• The deposit is fully refundable if the booking is cancelled up to 14 days before the arrival date.
• The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.