|
HIKING THE MIGHTY KILIMANJARO - MARANGU
ROUTE
Itinerary
| Biomes
| Price
| Included
| Excluded
| Discounts
| Extra
Charges | Getting
to Moshi
Itinerary
When you arrive in Moshi, you will be transfered from the
Kilimanjaro Airport to the Keys Hotel ($10/person one-way).
If you are flying directly into the Kilimanjaro Airport, we
recommend at least one rest day before starting your trek.
If you are transferring from Nairobi, this can act as your
rest day.
A briefing will be held the evening before your trek, and
you must separate one bag for the trek from your other luggage.
Extra luggage can be stored in a locked storage room at the
Keys Hotel at no charge.
The next morning, enjoy a hearty breakfast before last-minute
trip preparations at our office. Land Rovers will drive you
to the mountain to begin the journey. Depending on the route
you take, the drive to the trailhead can take up to one hour
and can be very bumpy.
 Once
you reach the park gate, climbers are requested to make their
final preparations for the climb. Porters will be seen arranging
their packs containing the food, water, firewood, and other
equipment. Make sure that you have all your day pack items
with you as the porters travel very quickly. The guides will
be pleased to assist with any additional information.
The average hiking day begins between 8-9am and is about
5 to 6 hours, walking very, very slowly. The distances you
will hike each day are very moderate so as to acclimate a
little at a time. Your guides will repeat over and over, "pole
pole" (po-ly, po-ly) , which means "go slowly"
in Swahili.
The terrain lower down is absolutely gorgeous and fascinating.
Higher up, the views are vast. There is little to do at the
camps themselves, so take advantage of the slow pace to absorb
the scenery and take every photo opportunity.
The hike to the summit starts around midnight depending on
your route and speed of your group. You will go as high as
you feel fit. Some people stop at the crater rim, and others
continue to the very highest point on the mountain. Your guides
will then take you down as quickly as possible to minimize
any altitude problems. You will continue past your last campsite
to the next one for overnight.
At the end of your trek, you will be picked up at the trail
head by Land Rover and taken back to the Keys Hotel
for a hot shower and warm bed.
Biomes
You will experience many different biomes as you climb Kilimanjaro.
The land is cultivated and inhabited up to about 1900 meters
(6234 ft) in elevation. You will begin the hike at the edge
of the forest. This starts in a dense rainforest with an extremely
high ceiling. The forest turns into a shorter forest with
moss and giant ferns until about 2800 meters (9186 ft).
Next comes the heather biome to 3300 meters (10,827 ft) when
Moorland appears with the unusual Senecio Kilimanjari trees.
From 4000 to 4800 meters (13,123 ft to 15,748 ft), you will
go through Alpine Desert where some mosses, lichens, and starchy
flowers are all that remain. The area around the summit is
Arctic conditions. It looks a bit like moonscape with only
rock and glacier.
MACHAME ROUTE
Duration: 5 days hiking (48kms ascend and
descend 48kms = aprox. 96 kms total)
Price: $1050 /person
$1000/person for groups of 6 or more
Extra day on the mountain: $190/person
Low Season: $50/person off April 1 - May 31 and November
The Marangu Route is also known as the "Coca Cola"
or "tourist" route. It is the easiest and shortest
route to the summit. This is also the only route with the
comforts of sleeping huts at every camp site with solar lights
and comfortable beds. The huts are communal, and the bunks
have a sponge mattress and pillow. There are 60 beds at both
Mandara and Kibo Huts and 120 beds at Horombo Hut. Bathrooms
and running water are available at the two lower huts. Mens'
and ladies' latrines are available at the last camp but are
very basic.All climbing groups, often from several countries
around the world, share meals in dining huts providing a jovial
and energetic atmosphere. Soft drinks, bottled water, and
beer are for sale at the huts. Bring small Tanzanian bills
to purchase these items (prices increase with elevation).
This route is usually done on 5 days but can be done in 6
days for better acclimatization. The extra day can be spent
resting at Horombo or climbing the small peak of Mawenzi.
Marangu Itinerary
DAY 1
To Mandara Hut
1700m to 2740m
5500ft to 9000ft
12 kms, 2-3 hours
Montane Forest
After breakfast and briefing, drive to the Kilimanjaro National
Park Gate (45 minutes), register and commence the climb. Walk
through the rainforest to the Mandara encampment located at
9000 ft / 2740 m. A side trip to Maundi Crater is a good way
to see the surroundings including Northern Tanzania and Kenya.
In the rainforest, look for towering Eucalyptus trees, bird
life, and Colubus monkeys.
DAY 2
To Horombo Camp
2700m to 3700m
9000ft to 12,100ft
15 kms, 4-5 hours
Heathland After about 1 hour, you will leave the glades of
the rainforest and follow an ascending path on the open moorlands
to the Horombo encampment. Views of Mawenzi and the summit
of Kibo are amazing. Look for giant lobelias and grounsels.
You will start to feel the affects of the altitude.
If you wish to extend you trek, here you can spend an extra
day resting at Horombo or climbing the small peak of Mawenzi.
DAY 3
To Kibo Camp
3700m to 4700m
12,100ft to 15,400ft
15 kms, aprox. 6 hours
Alpine Desert Ascending, we now pass the last watering point,
walking onto the saddle of Kilimanjaro between the peaks of
Kibo and Mawenzi. Vegetation begins with upper heathland but
then disappears into "moonscape". Dinner, rest,
and prepare for summit climb.
 DAY
4
To Summit and Horombo
4700m to 5895m
(and down to 3700m)
15,400ft to 19,300ft
(and down to 12,100ft)
6 kms up, aprox. 7 hours
36 km down, 10-15 hours
Alpine Desert
Very early in the morning (midnight to 2am), commence the
climb to the summit on steep and heavy scree or snow up to
Gilman's point located on the crater rim at 18640 ft / 5861
m (4-6 hours). Continuing, we now ascend to Uhuru Peak, which
is the highest point in Africa: 19340 ft / 5895 m (1-2 hours).
Unbelievable views at every turn. Get your picture taken at
the summit to show your friends. From here, we now descend,
stopping for lunch and a rest at Kibo before continuing on
to the Horombo encampment for dinner and a tired but happy
overnight (1-2 hours).
This beginning of this climb is done in the dark and requires
headlamps or flashlights. It will be very cold until you start
descending, so you will need all of your warm layers. This
is, by far, the most difficult part of the trek with many
switchbacks. "Pole pole" and an optimistic attitude
will get you there!
DAY 5
To Moshi
3700m to 1700m
12,100ft to 5500ft
12km, 4-6 hours After breakfast, A steady descent takes us
down through moorland to Mandara Hut (2700m / 8858 ft), the
first stopping place at the Marangu route. Continue descending
through lovely lush forest on a good path to the National
Park gate at Marangu (1830 m / 6004 ft). 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).
A vehicle will meet you at Marangu village to drive you back
to the Springlands Hotel in Moshi. Don't forget to tip your
guides and porters. It is time for celebration!
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN YOUR TRIP
• National Park gate fees
• Transport from Moshi to starting point on mountain
and return to Moshi
• Hut / camping fees and tents
• Qualified guides for all routes
• Porters' salaries
• Rescue fees
• All meals on the mountain
• Two nights accommodation in Moshi bed and breakfast,
double or triple occupancy
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:
• Tips for guides and porters
• The typical tip is $20/guide/day, $15/porter/day, and
something in between for assistant guides. This is from the
whole group not per climber. If they did extra or special
work, it is nice to tip higher than this.
• Expect 2 porters per hiker, 1 guide per 8 hikers,
and 1 assistant guide per 4 hikers (assistant guides double
as porters).
• Budget $250 per hiker for tips for a 6-day trek.
• Tips should not be dependent on whether you summit
or not, but rather whether they were professional and had
your best interests in mind.
• Mountain equipment
• Some equipment is available for rent.
• Tents and foam sleeping pads are included on camping
routes.
DISCOUNTS:
Groups of 6 or more get a $50/person discount.
Low Season Discounts:
L ow
season is $50/person off April 1 - May 31 and November.
Kilimanjaro treks are offered at a $50/person discount on
all routes. This can be combined with the group discount.
EXTRA CHARGES:
Extra days on the mountain are available for $190/person/day.
Oxygen is available for $30.
Extra porters (for camera gear, etc.) are $15/day
Getting to Moshi
Ideally, you want to fly into the Kilimanjaro Airport. KLM
has direct flights from Amsterdam. These flights are more
expensive than flying into Nairobi, but you save yourself
two days of travel and expenses. We provide transportation
between the Kilimanjaro Airport and the Keys Hotel
for $10/person one-way.
From/To Arusha
The Davanu Shuttle (see below) goes between Arusha and Moshi
once a day for $15/person one-way. We can arrange for a private
car for $80 one-way for the car.
From/To Nairobi
The first option is to take any of the two shuttles that leaves
every morning at 8am from Nairobi, Kenya, which cost $35 per
person each way and takes approximately six hours. You can
also fly to the Kilimanjaro International Airport, which is
located halfway between Moshi and Arusha. This costs around
$200 per person one way from Nairobi, Kenya. The third option
is to take a private car from Nairobi to Moshi. The car fits
7-8 people and costs $400 total each way, or a mini-bus for
$500 total each way (20-25 people). You determine time and
place of pick-up.
Shuttle Buses
These are 25, 35, or 55 person shuttle buses that go from
the Nairobi, Kenya to Moshi. This is not the most comfortable
route (very bumpy and dusty), but it is a quintessential African
experience. Excitement builds as you see African wildlife,
Masai villagers, Mt. Meru, and finally Kilimanjaro emerge
in the countryside around you. 
The shuttle stops at the Tanzanian border where all passengers
must disembark and go through immigration. A visa is required
to enter Tanzania. Luggage may also be removed and randomly
inspected by customs agents.
There is one bathroom stop on the Kenyan side of the border
where you can also purchase refreshments. There is also a
stop in Arusha to switch shuttles and get lunch. You will
probably want to bring your own snacks and drinks for the
trip.
The shuttles leave from Nairobi at 8:00am. They will also
pick up at various hotels in the city center. The shuttle
from Moshi leaves early in the morning, and also picks up
at a few hotels in town. Arrive at the shuttle 1/2 hour early
to get your luggage loaded. Travel times vary greatly, but
allow at least 6 hours. The shuttle operates every day of
the year including holidays.
If you take the afternoon shuttle, it only goes as far as
Arusha. We can arrange for a private car to drive from Arusha
to Moshi for $70 one-way for the car.
Take a look to the Shuttle Buses we recommend:
The Riverside Shuttle
The Impala Shuttle
Flights
The flight from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro is approximately
9 1/2 hours. Because of the long flight, we recommend a rest
day in Moshi before starting your trek.
The only airlines that fly into the Kilimanjaro Airport are
KLM, Ethiopia Airlines, Kenya Air, and Precision Air.
Flights between Nairobi and Kilimanjaro cost around $200/person
one-way. Flights from Kilimanjaro to Zanzibar are around $160/person
one-way. Flights form Arusha to Zanzibar are around $180/person
one-way. Flights from Zanzibar to Nairobi are about $200-260/person
one-way.
You can now book flights on-line:
Precision Air
Air Tanzania
Air Kenya
From/To Dodoma
Buses leave Moshi for Dodoma at 6:30am. They take 8-9 hours
and cost $20. These are public buses so not deluxe, they are
safe.
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