Beginning the Ascent

Mount Kilimanjaro - After enjoying breakfast and receiving a briefing from the guide, depart Moshi at 9 AM. A 45-minute drive will take you to the Marangu Gate on Kilimanjaro’s eastern side. Register with the national park and start hiking at 10:30 AM. In the rainforest, observe the towering Eucalyptus trees, bird life, and Colobus monkeys. The lower elevations can be wet and muddy, so gaiters and trekking poles are recommended. Shorts and t-shirts are usually adequate, but keep rain gear and warmer clothing accessible. Pause halfway for lunch, and arrive at the Mandara Huts by 2 or 3 PM. Unpack, relax, and enjoy some tea or coffee. A 15-minute side trip to Maundi Crater offers a great view of the surroundings, including Northern Tanzania and Kenya. Dinner is served in the early evening at 7 PM. Bathrooms with running water are available.

Trekking through Rainforest Glades

Mount Kilimanjaro - Begin the day with a 7:30 AM breakfast, then pack for the next trek. Break camp by 8:30 AM, and hike for an hour through rainforest glades. Follow an ascending path through heathland, where you can spot giant lobelias and groundsels. Continue into open moorlands, where small shrubs dominate the landscape. Stop halfway for lunch and enjoy stunning views of Mawenzi. Arrive at the Horombo Huts by 3 PM, where Kibo’s summit is visible. Rest, unpack, and prepare for dinner. Bathrooms with running water are available. You may start to feel the effects of altitude here, and to aid acclimatization, consider spending an extra day resting at Horombo or climbing to a basecamp below Kibo’s sub peak Mawenzi.

Hiking

Mount Kilimanjaro - Begin the day with breakfast, and if you wake early, capture some beautiful sunrise photos. The day’s hike starts through the diminishing heathland, transitioning into a moonscape as you enter the expansive saddle connecting Mawenzi and Kibo. During lunch and later when crossing this surprisingly large saddle, examine the summit climb up Kibo that will commence in a few hours. Be mindful of any signs of altitude sickness. There is no running water at the Kibo Huts.

Summit Climb

Mount Kilimanjaro - Wake at midnight for a light breakfast, then prepare for the summit climb. The aim is to reach Uhuru Peak shortly after sunrise. Depart at 1 AM, switchback up steep scree or possibly snow, and reach Gilman’s Point on the crater rim at 5,861 m/18,640 ft between 5 and 7 AM. Here, enjoy views of the legendary crater and its icecaps. Another 2 hours of hiking along the crater rim near the renowned snows lead to Kilimanjaro’s true summit, Uhuru Peak, by 9 AM. This is Africa’s highest point, and a higher peak would require traveling over 3,000 miles toward the Himalayas! Capture a photo at the summit to share with friends. After your summit experience, descend back to the Kibo Huts, have lunch, rest, gather your belongings, and recross the saddle to the Horombo Huts. Enjoy dinner and a well-deserved rest!

Descent

Mount Kilimanjaro - Wake, pack, and descend through the moorland to the Mandara Huts. Have lunch there, then continue your triumphant descent through lush forest to the park gate, arriving around 2 or 3 PM. Remember to tip your guides, cooks, and porters, as you will part ways here. A vehicle will transport you back to the Springlands Hotel in Moshi, where it’s time to celebrate! Depart for the airport or other destinations in Tanzania or Kenya. A trip to Zanzibar’s beaches is a wonderful way to recuperate. Many reasonably priced trips and safaris around Moshi and the Kilimanjaro region can be arranged.

• Qualified guides with mountain crew
• Guides, porters, cook, waiter salaries and mountain crew accommodations
• 3 daily meals on the mountain (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and boiled water
• Sleeping equipment (tents, foam sleeping pads) and dining utensils
• Two nights stay at Springlands Hotel in Moshi, pre- and post-climb
• First aid essentials (Pulse oximeters and First aid kit)
• All national park fees, hut/camping fees, and rescue fees
• Airport transfers to/from Kilimanjaro International Airports

• Single rooms supplement at Springlands Hotel (except on the 1 person rate)
• Guides, Porters, Cook & Waiters tips
• Meals and drinks not specified
• Mountain equipment (eg sleeping bags)
• Gear for your climb, Some equipment is available for rent. See our rental price list.
• Items of personal nature (expenses)
• Emergency Oxygen
• Additional nights beyond the two standard hotel nights included
• Extra activities (waterfall tour, cultural village visit)
• Visa fees & travel insurance.
• Flight tickets.

Zara Tours assists in leading expeditions up the ‘Coca Cola’ or ‘tourist’ route, also known as the Marangu Route, the simplest and quickest path to Kilimanjaro’s peak. This is the only pathway on Kilimanjaro offering the luxury of solar-powered sleeping lodges and cozy beds at every station. The lodges are shared, each bunk equipped with a sponge mattress and cushion. Bathrooms with running water are present at the lower two stations. The final station provides rudimentary men’s and women’s restroom facilities. Climbing groups from all over the globe gather and share meals in the dining lodges, creating a cheerful, high-spirited environment. Soft drinks, bottled water, and beer might be available for purchase at the lodges. Please carry small denominations of Tanzanian currency to buy these commodities (prices rise with altitude). This route can be completed in 5 days, but a 6-day trip would allow better acclimatization. The additional day can be spent at Horombo for rest or climbing to a basecamp beneath Kibo’s subsidiary summit, Mawenzi.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.