Compare Kilimanjaro Hike - Marangu Route by African Budget Safaris vs 6 Days-Kilimanjaro- the Peak of Africa Machame route by Lights on Africa Safaris
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 8 days | 6 days |
| Price From | $ 1,830 | $ 1,999 |
| Price Per Day | $ 229 | $ 333 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Basic | Camping |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Internal airfare and ground transport included |
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| Meals Included |
7 Breakfasts , 6 Lunches and 7 Dinners |
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner |
| Description |
This Kilimanjaro Hike follows the Marangu Route, the easiest and shortest route to the summit of Kilimanjaro. Marangu Route is sometimes called the "Coca Cola" and is the oldest and most popular route up Mount Kilimanjaro. |
The Machame Route is a beautiful route up Kilimanjaro that allows you to experience the southwest and south sides of the mountain, since you go up one way and down another. All your equipment and supplies are carried by porters and a cook prepares all your meals. Unlike the Marangu Route where you sleep in huts, on the Machame you sleep in tents (tents are included), and the porters will pitch your tent for you. Meals are served in a dinner tent or on blanket outside. This makes the machame, which is referred to as the “Whiskey Route”, better suited to more adventurous hikers, and it is also rewards you with better views than the Marangu Route. From Late afternoon sunsets at Shira, to the misty revelations of Kibo’s great Barrance Wall, the Machame Route offers the spunky hiker a continous scenic slide show. The Machame route is normally completed in 6 days, and this greatly helps your acclimatization. The Machame Route takes you high to Lava Tower (4,630 m/15,190 ft) on day 3 then brings you down for an overnight at Barranco Camp (3,950 m/12,960 ft). This intermediate ascent and descent is the secret to a successful acclimatization, and is the reason that this route has a high success rate. |
Day 1: Arrival in Moshi, Hotel transfer
Meals: Dinner
This Kilimanjaro Hike begins with collection from Kilimanjaro Airport situated close to Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Moshi. From the Kilimanjaro International Airport you will be taken to Moshi, a mountain town in northern Tanzania.
On day one you will be briefed on the Marangu Route Kilimanjaro Trek and have time to check your trekking equipment in preparation for your hike. The remainder of the day is free for you to relax at the hotel or explore the lively town of Moshi.
We spend the night at the Keys Hotel in Moshi located on the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. The friendly hotel features a lovely garden, swimming pool, bar and restaurant. Accommodation is in ensuite rooms with air conditioning or in traditional thatched chalets.
Day 2: Moshi – Marangu Gate (1860m) – Mandara Hut (2700m)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day two starts with breakfast at Keys Hotel and then you will be transferred to the Kilimanjaro National Park Gate (1860m).
Upon arrival at the Kilimanjaro National Park we complete the necessary paperwork before starting our hike up Mt. Kilimanjaro. The trek soon takes us into the dense rainforest where we are surrounded by ancient trees draped with moss, giant ferns, lichen and other indigenous vegetation. Walking through the rainforest we keep a look out for black and white colobus monkeys, as well as other wild animals.
After a 4-hour walk we reach our first overnight stop, the Mandara Hut (2650m). Here we rest before visiting Maundi Crater with our mountain guide. From the crater we enjoy wonderful views of the Kenyan interior, before returning to Mandara Hut for dinner and our overnight stay.
Day 3: Mandara Hut (2700m) – Horombo Hut (3700m)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Today begins with an early breakfast before continuing our Marangu Hike up Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain. We soon reach the tree line passing into the heath and moor vegetation zone.
We hike for about 4 – 6 hours to reach the Horombo Hut, at an altitude of 3700m. We will have dinner and stay overnight at Horombo Hut, admiring the spectacular views over Mawenzi, Kibo and the vast plains of Masai steppe.
Day 4: Horombo Hut (3700m) – Zebra Rocks (4020m) – Horombo Hut (3700m)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
We take the day to acclimatise, greatly improving our chances of successfully reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro on this hike.
After a relaxing breakfast we trek for about 4 - 5 hours to reach the Zebra Rocks (4020m), a rock formation named after the distinctive black and white stripes on the rocks. Returning to Horombo Hut we enjoy a warm lunch prepared by our mountain team. The afternoon is free for you to relax and rest up before setting off on the next leg of our Marangu Hike the following day. We have dinner in the evening and spend another night at Horombo Hut.
Day 5: Horombo Hut (3700m) – Kibo Hut (4700m)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
A long and challenging trek awaits us today, lasting about 5 - 6 hours.
Our destination is Kibo Hut with the hiking trail passing the “Last Waterpoint” followed by the so-called “saddle” en route. Today the Kilimanjaro Hike takes us through a barren plateau joining the main summit Kibo with Mawenzi..
Tonight we enjoy an early dinner and get an early night, in preparation for a very early start the next day.
Day 6: Kibo Hut (4700m) – Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Horombo Hut (3700m)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Today is the most exciting day on our Marangu Hike as we will reach the summit of Kilimanjaro!
We start the final stretch of the trek at night while the lava ash is still frozen, making it is easier to walk on. The mountain guide wakes you at 23:00 hrs and by midnight we set off on the long and tough trek to the summit. Making our way slowly but surely up Kilimanjaro we pass the Hans Meyer Cave at 5220m. We reach the crater rim of Kilimanjaro, Gillman’s Point at 5681m, as the rises casting its warming rays over the surrounding landscape.
Leaving the cold night behind us we hike for a further 1 - 2 hours to reach the highest point of Kilimanjaro, Uhuru Peak. Standing at 5895m on Uhuru Peak you will be rewarded with magnificent sweeping views of the lower slopes of Africa's tallest mountain and the landscapes below. Here you experience the inspiring sense of achievement at having climbed to the “Roof of Africa”!
We retrace our steps following the same trail back down Kilimanjaro. The now-thawed lava ash makes for a speedy descent to Kibo Hut, where a warm meal and welcome from the mountain team awaits you. After a 1 - 2 hour break to regain strength we continue our Marangu hike to Horombo Hut (3700m), arriving in the afternoon. The evening meal is followed by a well-deserved early night!
Day 7: Horombo Hut (3700m) – Marangu Gate (1860m) – Moshi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
The final stretch of this Kilimanjaro Hike passes through heath and moor terrain as we return to the Mandara Hut at 2700m. After a warm lunch at Mandara Hut we head back into the tropical rainforest reaching the Kilimanjaro National Park Gate (1860m) after 6 hours trekking today.
At the gate we say goodbye to our mountain guides and transfer back to the nearby Keys Hotel where we spent the first night of this hike up Kilimanjaro. Back at the hotel you can warm up with a shower or take a refreshing dip in the pool relaxing after your days on the mountain. The last evening is spent relaxing at the Keys Hotel in Moshi celebrating your great feat of successfully reaching the summit of the Mount Kilimanjaro!
Our evening meal and last overnight stay will be in Moshi.
Day 8: Moshi – Transfer
Meals: Breakfast
On day eight you have a hearty breakfast at the hotel, before continuing with your travels or taking a transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport. This brings your memorable Kilimanjaro Hike via Marangu Route to a close.
Arrival Day:
Arrive at the Kilimanjaro International Airport. You will be met at the Airport and transferred to the hotel in Arusha or in Moshi for your overnight and briefing by our mountain guide.
Day 1: Machame Gate to Machame Camp
Elevation (m): 1,490m to 2,980m
Elevation (ft): 4,890ft to 9,780ft
Distance: 18km
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
Habitat: Montane Forest
Your day starts early with a briefing, followed by breakfast and a 50-minute drive from Moshi or a one and half hours’ drive from Arusha to the Machame Village (1,490 m/4,890 ft) where your guides and porters prepare and pack your equipment and supplies. You will receive a lunch pack, and you can also buy mineral water in the village. If the road is very muddy, it may be impossible to drive from the village to the Machame Gate, and in this case, it will take you an hour to complete the muddy 3 km walk to the gate. After registering at the park office, you start your ascent and enter the rain forest immediately. Heavy rains on this side of the mountain often transform the trail into a soggy, slippery experience, so good footgear, trekking poles, and gaiters are useful. You will enjoy a welcome lunch stop halfway up and will reach the Machame camping area in the late afternoon. Your porters will arrive at camp before you and will erect your tent before you arrive. In the evening, the porters boil drinking and washing water while the cook prepares your dinner. Night temperaturs can drop to freezing at the Machame Camp.
Day 2: Machame Camp to Shira Camp
Elevation (m): 2,980m to 3,840m
Elevation (ft): 9,780ft to 12,600ft
Distance: 9km
Walking Time: 4-6 hours
Habitat: Moorland
You rise early at Machame camp, and after breakfast, climb for an hour to the top of the forest, then for 2 hours through a gentle moorland. After a short lunch and rest, you continue up a rocky ridge onto the Shira Plateau where you will be able to see Kilimanjaro’s great Western Breach with its stunning glaciers. Sometimes, the walls of the Western Breach are draped with extensive ice curtains. You are now west of Kibo on the opposite side of the mountain from the Marangu Route. After a short hike west, you reach the shira campsite. The porters will boil drinking and washing water before serving dinner. The night at this exposed camp will be colder, with temperatures dropping below freezing.
Day 3: Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp
Elevation (m): 3,840m to 4,630m to 3,950m
Elevation (ft): 12,600ft to 15,190ft to 12,960ft
Distance: 15 km
Walking Time: 5-7 hours
Habitat: Semi-desert
After breakfast, you will walk up a steepening path above the highest vegetation toward Kilimanjaro’s looming mass. After several hours, you walk thorough a rocky landscape to reach the prominent landmark called Lava Tower, also called the “Shark’s Tooth.” at 4,630 m/15,190ft. This chunky remnant of Kilimanjaro’s earlier volcanic activity is several hundred feet high, and the trail passes right below it. For extra credit, the sure-footed can scramble to the top of the tower. After a lunch stop near Lava Tower, descend for 2 hours belowthe lower cliffs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall to Barranco Camp at 3,950 m/12,960 ft. There are numerous photo opportunities on this hike, especially if the walls are festooned with ice. Barranco Camp is in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Walls, which should provide you with a memorable sunset while you wait for your dinner. On this day, be careful to notice any signs of altitude sickness. Although you end the day at almost the same elevation as when you started, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.
Day 4: Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp
Elevation (m): 3,950m to 4,550m
Elevation (ft): 12,960ft to 14,930ft
Distance: 13km
Hiking Time: 8 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
After spending a night under the imposing Great Barranco Wall, you climb this awesome obstacle, which turns out to be easier than it looks. Topping out just below the Heim Glacier, you can now appreciate just how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is. The route then heads down through the Karanga Valley and goes over intervening ridges and valleys to join the Mweka Route, which will be your descent route. You have now completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. For now, all eyes are still on the summit, so turn left and hike up the ridge for another hour to the Barafu Hut. The last water on the route is in the Karanga Valley; there is no water at Barafu Camp, even though Barafu is the Swahili word for “ice.” The famous snows of Kilimanjaro are far above Barafu Camp near the summit of the mountain. Your tent will be pitched on a narrow, stony, wind-swept ridge, so make sure that you familiarize yourself with the terrain before dark to avoid any accidents. Prepare your equipment and warm clothing for your summit climb. This should include replacing your headlamp and camera batteries, and to prevent freezing, consider carrying your water in a thermal flask. Go to bed by 7 PM, and try to get a few hours of precious sleep.
Day 5: Summit Day! “Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp”
Elevation (m): 4,550m to 5,895m (and down to 3,100m)
Elevation (ft): 14,930ft to 19,340ft (and down to 10,170ft)
Distance: 7km up / 23km down
Hiking Time: 6 – 8 hours up / 7 – 8 hours down
Habitat: Stone scree, seasonal snow and ice-capped summit
You will rise around 11:30 PM, and after some steaming tea and biscuits, you shuffle off into the night. Your 6-hour climb northwest up through heavy scree between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers to Stella Point on the crater rim is the most challenging part of the route for most climbers. At Stella Point (5,685 m/18,650 ft) you stop for a short rest and a chance to see a supremely sanguine sunrise. At Stella Point you join the top part of the Marangu Route, but do not stop here too long, as it will be extremely difficult to start again due to cold and fatigue. Depending on the season and recent storms, you may encounter snow on your remaining hike along the rim to Uhuru Peak. On the summit, you can enjoy your accomplishment and know that you are creating a day that you will remember for the rest of your life. After your 3-hour descent from the summit back to Barafu Camp, you will have a well-earned but short rest, collect your gear, and hike down a rock and scree path into the moorland and eventually into the forest to Mweka Camp (3,100 m/10,170 ft) “You will want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down”. This camp is in the upper forest, so you can expect mist or rain in the late afternoon. Dinner, and washing water will be prepared, and the camp office sells drinking water, soft drinks, chocolates, and beer!
Day 6: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate to Moshi/Arusha
Elevation (m): 3,100m to 1,980m to 890m
Elevation (ft): 10,170ft to 6500ft to 2,920ft
Distance: 15 km
Hiking Time: 3 – 4 hours
Habitat: Forest
After a well-deserved breakfast, it is a short, scenic, 3-hour hike back to the park gate. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy). Don’t give your porters any tips until you and all your gear have reached the gate safely, but do remember to tip your staff at the gate. At Mweka Gate, you can sign your name and add details in a register. This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Climbers who reached Stella Point are issued green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak receive gold certificates. From the Mweka Gate, you will continue down to the Mweka Village, possibly a muddy, 3 km, 1 hour hike if the road is too muddy for vehicles. In the Mweka Village you will be served a delicious hot lunch after which you are driven back to Moshi/Arusha for an overdue hot shower and comfortable night in a hotel.
Arusha/Moshi:
Depart for the airport or other destinations in Tanzania or Kenya. A trip to the beaches at Zanzibar is a good way to recuperate. We can arrange many reasonably priced trips and safaris to the Tanzania Nothern Parks such as trips to Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara National Park, Tarangire National Park and to Arusha National Park. Also we can arrange trips to Southern Circuit such as trips to Selous Game Reserve, Mikumi National Park and Ruaha National Park.
