The Marangu Route or ‘Coca Cola route’ is the oldest and most established of all the Kilimanjaro Routes. While climbing the Marangu Route, you’ll sleep in several established Huts instead of the usual tents. This is the only route of all routes that provides hut-accommodation (dormitory style). The Marangu Route is also the shortest and because of that, most challenging route in terms of acclimating your body to the high altitudes. It might be one of the most popular routes due to its (easier) gradual slope and direct route, but its a very hard one not to underestimate. Some prior training is keen to succesfully reaching the top on the Marangu route.
Being the shortest route to climb Kilimanjaro, it’s also the most affordable. However, this also means you’ll have less time to enjoy some of the scenic viewpoints along the way. So, if ‘taking on the challenge and reaching the top’ is your main goal, this is the right route for you. If you want to ascent slowly (acclimate your body better) & take your time enjoy several sights on the mountain, then it might be better to choose any of the other routes.
The Marangu Route can be done over the course of these 5 or 6 days, where the summit will be reached on day 4 or 5, right at sunrise! Throughout the journey, you’ll be part of a solid team consisting of professional guides, porters, and a skilled cook. Our expert guides will lead the way to the summit, equipping you with essential insights, tips, and strategies for a successful ascent. Rest assured, our guides boast specialized training and years of experience.
Our dedicated porters will handle the transport of your belongings and food, allowing you to climb comfortably with just your daypack. Additionally, our cook will ensure you’re well-fed and full of important nutrients throughout the whole expedition.
On the first day of the Kilimanjaro Marangu route, we´ll drive from Moshi to the Marangu gate of Mount Kilimanjaro National Park. The journey passes through the village of Marangu, which is located on the lower slopes of the mountain. In about 50 minutes we will reach the gate. After reaching the gate, we´ll begin our final preparations so you´ll be fully ready. Porters will be seen arranging and loading their packs, containing the food, water, cooking gas as well as most of your equipment. Make sure that you have all your daypack items (containing at least drinking water, your lunch pack and extra clothing) with you, as the porters ascend a lot quicker than the hikers.
You ascend a cleared ridge trail to Mandara Hut passing through rainforest. The forest is suffused with mist and dripping with beards of moss. Here are most of Kilimanjaro’s animals & plants found are you’re quite likely to encounter some velvet monkeys, birds like the turraco, unique trees and eyecatching flowers. We shall overnight at Mandara Hut in A- shape wooden huts.
From the Mandara Huts, the trail passes through a short stretch of forest and skirts the base of Maundi Crater, crosses a meadow and a wooded stream, then emerges into grassland. After we can take a short detour to scramble up to the rim of Maundi Crater. Here you will have an amazing view of Kibo and its crater. The trail descends further down through moorland. Before reaching Horombo Hut you will get the chance to see some of Kilimanjaro’s most spectacular plants – the endemic giant lobelia which grows up to 3 m in height and the giant groundsel (Senecia Kilimanjari), which can reach heights of 5m! Once we reach a rocky valley we will find ourselves at Horombo Hut where we eat, rest and enjoy share stories of the climb.
Even though this day is ‘optional’, it is still strongly recommended. We climb according to the ‘climb high, sleep low’ principle, which gives your body the chance to get used to the high altitudes. This increases your chance of reaching the summit and is highly recommended for inexperienced climbers.
After breakfast the guide shall take you to climb high to the Zebra rock 4100m or Saddle point 4200m (walk high), to enjoy some great sceneries. After our visit, we will head back to Horombo Hut at 3720m to sleep low again. Back at Horombo we will have lunch, dinner and overnight. Make sure to get a good nights rest as the next day is a tough day where people usually start having trouble with the high altitude. Make sure to go very Pole Pole (Kiswahili for Slowly, Slowly), one breath and one step at a time and drink lots of water.
Today will be a very tiring trek, so remember to walk slowly and drink plenty. After breakfast we will ascend the alpine desert. Make sure you drink enough water and walk slowly. This landscape is a bare open plateau that connects the two famous mountain peaks; Kibo and Mawenzi.
Situated in the barren Alpine desert is Kibo hut, a stone build block house which has bunk beds for 60 climbers. The summit is now a further 1195m up and you will make your final ascent the same night. Prepare for the next night, as it will be a short one… SUMMIT NIGHT.
In the early, early morning. Still shivering from our short and cold night, we will enjoy warm coffee or tea together to lift our spirits. Now we will hike in the dark, with flashlights towards the summit of Uhuru peak at 5895meters high. The first section of the trail consists of a rocky path to the Hans Meyer Cave (5150m), also a good resting spot. The path then zigzags up to Gillman’s point (5681m), which is located on the crater rim. This section is very steep with a lot of stone scree, requiring a great physical and mental effort. This is probably the most demanding section of the entire route. From Gillmans Point you will normally encounter snow all the way to stella’s point and then to the peak. Once at the top, we will enjoy one of the world’s most incredible sunrises. Such moments make the climb well worthwhile. You’ve made it! Uhuru Peak is the highest point of Kilimanjaro ánd the whole of Africa. A place never to forget.
Make sure to bring two sets of clothing. The night will be bitterly cold, but after the sun rises over the peak of Kilimanjaro, the temperature will quickly rise. After the summit, we will make our descent straight down to the Kibo Hut, where we will have a quick rest. After, we shall head to Horombo Hut where we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and some well-earned sleep.
Hopefully well rested and not too soar from the long hike the other day, we will have breakfast. We continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. Today will be a long hike, but an easy one.
The car will be waiting for you at the Mweka Gate to take you back to hotel in Moshi for a hot shower.
Before and after the climb, we provide a stay in our climbers accommodation in Moshi, where we have a good last night and mentally prepare for the climb to come.
On the Marangu Route we camp at the established Huts mentioned in our day-to-day. The advantage is that they’re a bit more comfortable and warmer than the usual tents. On the other hand it can be a bit more crowded as the Marangu Route is a popular route and you certainly won’t be the only one in the Huts. This can however be a great time to socialize and share stories.
There are 60 bunk beds each at Mandara and Kibo Huts, and 120 bunk beds at Horombo Hut. Guests are supplied with mattresses and pillows, but sleeping bags are still required. The huts have communal dining halls and basic washrooms, ranging from flushing toilets and running water at the lower huts to long drop toilets and buckets of water at Kibo Hut.
The cook will prepare 3 good meals a day, so you can take on everyday like a champion. A good meal provides the energy you need to take on the mountain. During the climb, drinking water will be provided, which will be refilled with a water filter at various points on the mountain.
2persons 3persons 4-5persons 6-8persons 9+persons
5 day route €1690 €1660 €1630 €1590 €1570
6 day route €1740 €1695 €1670 €1640 €1610
*Prices are per person.
*It’s possible to join a group
Tip: Go on Safari, Spend a couple of days on Zanzibar or check out one of our many other activities!