5 Days Marangu Route
Mount Kilimanjaro
DURATION
5 Days
TYPE
Trekking
GROUP
Private departure
STARTS
Arusha / JRO
Trip tools
Read this trip in your language and choose kilometres or miles. Your choice applies to the altitude chart, weather and every day below.
Altitude & distance
High point · Uhuru Peak
5,895 m
Total trekking distance
≈ 72 km
Nights above 3,500 m
3
Distances and altitudes are approximate. Your final itinerary confirms each day’s route.
Typical weather · Kilimanjaro
Jan · Mostly dry
Rainforest zone, daytime
25°C
Summit before dawn
−8°C
Warm, clear and one of the best months to climb.
Long-term averages for planning, not a forecast. Wind can make summit temperatures feel much colder.
Health & safety tips
- Walk slowly ("pole pole"), drink 3–4 litres a day and eat even when your appetite drops.
- Mild headache, nausea, poor sleep or tiredness are common early signs of altitude sickness — tell your guide straight away.
- Confusion, loss of balance, breathlessness at rest or a wet cough are emergencies: the treatment is immediate descent.
- Your guides check pulse and oxygen saturation daily; their decision to turn around is made for your safety.
- Talk to a doctor before travel about fitness, heart or lung conditions, pregnancy and altitude medication such as acetazolamide.
- Carry travel insurance that explicitly covers trekking to the summit altitude and helicopter evacuation.
General preparation guidance, not medical advice. See a travel-health professional 6–8 weeks before you travel.
Trip overview
The only route with hut accommodation, and the shortest way to Uhuru Peak. Every departure is private: your own guide, your own 4×4 with a pop-up roof, and a pace you set. Dates, lodges and length can all be adjusted before you pay a deposit.
Day by day
Register at Marangu Gate and climb through humid montane forest to Mandara Hut. The trail is well formed but can be wet after rain.
Leave the forest for heath and open moorland, with views toward Mawenzi and Kibo in clear weather.
Cross the exposed alpine saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo. Arrive early, eat and rest before the midnight summit departure.
Climb slowly through the night to Gilman’s Point, continue around the crater rim to Uhuru Peak, then descend past Kibo to Horombo.
Descend through moorland and rainforest to Marangu Gate for certificates and the road transfer back to Arusha.
What’s included
Private 4×4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof
Professional English-speaking guide
All park and conservation fees
Accommodation as listed, full board on safari
Airport transfers and bottled water
Flying Doctors emergency evacuation cover
Not included
International flights and visa
Travel insurance
Tips for guides and crew
Personal items, drinks and laundry
Optional balloon safari or night drives
Good to know
FITNESS
Able to walk 5–7 hours a day on consecutive days. No technical climbing.
GROUP SIZE
Private departure, 1–7 guests per vehicle
VEHICLE
4×4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof, charging sockets and cooler box
GUIDE
Wilderness-first-aid certified mountain guide, plus cook and porters
BEST MONTHS
January–March and June–October
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
From $180 per trip, waived on request where the lodge allows
Booking & payment
30% deposit
A 30% deposit confirms your dates, lodges and park permits. Everything up to that point is free, including unlimited itinerary revisions.
Balance 30 days before
The balance is due 30 days before arrival by bank transfer or card. Some itineraries can be settled in cash on arrival in Arusha.
Free changes
Dates and lodges can be changed at no cost until 45 days before departure, subject to availability at the new dates.
Cancellation
Cancel more than 60 days out and you lose only unrecoverable permit costs. Inside 30 days the deposit is retained. We recommend travel insurance in all cases.
Gallery
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