Day 1: Arrival
To get to Kilimanjaro International Airport, every hiker must arrange their own flights (JRO). We will set up a private transfer for you from JRO to your hotel. You will meet your local Tito Tanzania representative that evening or early the next morning and receive a thorough pre-climb briefing.
- Transport: Private transfer (0.8 hour, 40 km)
- Accommodation: Hotel
Day 2: Marangu Gate to Mandara Hut
After breakfast, we will pick you up from your hotel and take you to Marangu Gate so you can register. Before we begin our trek on a ridge trail through the rainforest, our porters prepare and pack our bags and supplies. The majority of Kilimanjaro’s animal life is concentrated in the mist- and moss-covered forest. Our first night will be spent at Mandara Hut, a collection of A-frame wooden cottages situated in a clearing in the jungle.
- Transport: Private transfer (1 hour, 40 km)
- Hiking time: 3 – 4 hours
- Ascent: 720 m
- altitude: 2700 m
- Accommodation: Hut
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 3: Mandara Hut to Horombo Hut
From Mandara Hut, the trail travels through a brief section of woodland before skirting the Maundi Crater and entering the area where the rain forest meets the moorland. We travel for nearly 6 hours before reaching Horombo Hut.
- Hiking time: 6 – 7 hours
- Ascent: 1020 m
- altitude: 3720 m
- Accomodation: Hut
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 4: Aclimatization at Horombo Hut
The additional day and night in Horombo are perfect for a successful acclimatization. It is highly advised to take a hike toward Mawenzi, passing the Zebra Rocks along the way (approximately 3 hours up and 1.5 hours down), as this will help with acclimatization.
- Hiking time: 4 – 5 hours
- Ascent: 300 m
- Descent: 300 m
- altitude: 4020 m
- Accommodation: Hut
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 5: Horombo Hut to Kibo Hut
As we ascend further into the Alpine desert, at 4130 meters, we cross the final water source. The top is currently 1195 meters higher than Kibo Hut. We will go to bed early in order to obtain the most rest possible since we will be climbing the summit tonight.
- Hiking time: 5 – 6 hours
- Ascent: 980 m
- altitude: 4700 m
- Accomodation: Hut
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 6: Kibo Hut to Summit to Horombo Hut
Around 23:30 is when we usually get up, and after some tea and biscuits, we wander off into the night. This is when things start to become really difficult. The Hans Meyer point (5250m), which also serves as an excellent resting location, is reached after a short, difficult portion of the track. At Gilman’s Point (5681m), which is situated on the crater rim, the path then ascends in a zigzag pattern. This stretch requires a lot of physical and mental work because it is very steep and covered in stone scree.
Snow usually covers the entire distance from Gilman’s Point to Uhuru Peak (5895m), Africa’s highest peak. How long we can spend shooting pictures before the three-hour descent back to Kibo Hut depends on the weather conditions at the peak. We take a little break, gather the equipment we used for the ascent, and continue the 3 hours down to Horombo Hut. We will have our final meal on the mountain later in the evening before a well-deserved rest.
- Hiking time: 12 – 14 hours
- Ascent: 1195 m
- Descent: 2175 m
- Max. altitude: 5895 m
- Accomodation: Hut
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 7: Horombo Hut to Marangu Gate
The last day of the climb, after breakfast, we continue our descent of 1740 meters to Marangu Gate, where you can pick up your summit certificates from the Park Headquarters. After a well-earned shower, head to your hotel to celebrate.
- Transport: Private transfer (1 hour, 40 km)
- Hiking time: 6 – 7 hours
- Descent: 1740 m
- altitude: 3720 m
- Accommodation: Hotel
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch
Day 9: Departure
We’ll say farewell after a much-needed night of rest. If you have scheduled an airport transport with us, a safari, or a vacation to Zanzibar, we will pick you up in the morning for your next destination.
- Transport: Private transfer (0.8 hour, 40 km)
- Meals included: Breakfast
