Your journey at a glance
Sample journey
This itinerary is adapted from the reference collection as travel inspiration. Confirm accommodation, activities, inclusions and availability with Darba Tanzania Safaris before booking.
Overview
The Marangu hut route up Kilimanjaro with an extra acclimatization day at Horombo Hut, giving you a better chance of reaching Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) while sleeping in huts rather than tents.
Experience Overview
This is the Marangu route with the extra day most guides recommend. The route itself is the classic south-eastern approach: rainforest to Mandara Hut, moorland to Horombo Hut and the high desert of the Saddle to Kibo Hut, sleeping in dormitory-style huts with beds the whole way.
The difference is day three, spent at Horombo (3,720 m) with an acclimatization walk towards Mawenzi or Zebra Rocks before sleeping at the same altitude again. That one day gives your body time to adjust before the final climb, which is why six-day climbs have noticeably higher summit success than five-day ones.
Highlights
The standout moments built into this safari.
Hut accommodation with beds on every night of the climb
An extra acclimatization day at Horombo Hut
Walk to Zebra Rocks or towards Mawenzi peak
Sunrise at Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) via Gillman's Point
Higher summit success than the five-day version
Itinerary
These are sample itineraries designed to inspire your journey. Each trip can be fully customized to match your travel style, preferences, and schedule. Use them as a starting point to craft your perfect safari experience.
Day 1 · Arrival in Marangu and Mandara Hut (2,700m)
Drive from Moshi to Marangu Gate (1,860 m) to register and meet your crew, then walk three to four hours through rainforest to Mandara Hut. A short afternoon walk to Maundi Crater gives views towards Kenya and the plains.
Day 2 · Mandara Hut to Horombo Hut (3,720m)
Climb out of the forest into heather and moorland dotted with giant lobelias and groundsels, reaching Horombo Hut after five to six hours, with Kibo's snow-capped dome ahead.
Day 3 · Acclimatization Day at Horombo Hut
A day to adjust to the altitude. Walk up to Zebra Rocks or towards the Mawenzi Hut ridge (around 4,000 m) and back down to Horombo for lunch and a rest, following the 'climb high, sleep low' principle.
Day 4 · Horombo Hut to Kibo Hut (4,700m)
Cross the Saddle, a wide alpine desert between Mawenzi and Kibo, to Kibo Hut at the foot of the summit cone, five to six hours. Early dinner and a few hours' sleep before the midnight start.
Day 5 · Summit Day and Descent to Horombo Hut
Climb by headlamp up the scree to Gillman's Point (5,685 m) on the crater rim, then along the rim to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) for sunrise. Descend to Kibo Hut for a rest and on to Horombo Hut for the night.
Day 6 · Horombo Hut to Marangu Gate
A final descent through moorland and rainforest to Marangu Gate, where you receive your summit certificate and celebrate with your crew before transferring to your hotel.
