Kilimanjaro Climb – Rongai Route

Arrival in Arusha & Moshi

Welcome to Tanzania. Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International airport, a local representative will be waiting to transfer you for 1-hour to your comfortable hotel in Moshi Town, the gateway to Mount Kilimanjaro. The rest of the day is free to relax and organise your kit in preparation for the start of the trek tomorrow. Overnight at Springlands Hotel.

Moshi & Kilimanjaro First Cave Camp

After breakfast, drive for 2.5-hours to the Rongai trailhead at Nale Moru village, where you’ll meet your team of guides and porters. The trek starts from the village, where a small winding path crosses maize fields before climbing gently into a pine forest. The countryside is beautiful and there are no steep sections on the trail, making it ideal for acclimatisation to both the altitude and local terrain. After around 5-hours you’ll arrive at the First Cave Camp at an elevation of 2,600 metres. Your base for the night has a toilet and wooden tables with benches and your team of porters and cooks will set up a comfortable camp for you here. Overnight at First Cave Camp.

Things to do:

✓  Included

Conquer Mount Kilimanjaro on the Rongai Route

Optional

Mount Kilimanjaro: lava towers and hanging glaciers on the Machame Route

Kilimanjaro Kikelelwa Cave Camp

Today you’ll continue your steady ascent up the mountain, walking for 6-7 hours towards Kibo. The landscape becomes more rugged as you spend much of the day walking across dramatic moorland. You’ll pass the Second Cave before reaching Kikelelwa Cave where you’ll spend the night at 3,600 meters. The views from here are increasingly dramatic and you’ll start to really appreciate the scale of the mountain. The rest of the afternoon is spent resting in preparation for the challenge ahead. Overnight at Kikelelwa Cave Camp.

Kilimanjaro Mawenzi Tarn Camp

You’ll be rewarded with superb wilderness views today as the trail steepens and you climb above the vegetation zone into a rocky landscape. Your camp for the night sits spectacularly beneath the towering spires of Mawenzi at 4,330 metres. After walking 3-4 hours to camp, you’ll spend the afternoon gently exploring the area to further help with acclimatisation. Overnight at Mawenzi Tarn Camp.

Kilimanjaro Kibo Camp

After breakfast, continue ascending through alpine desert on the east side of Kibo, the largest volcanic cone on the mountain. You’ll walk for 4-5 hours, crossing the saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo before reaching the Kibo Hut at 4,700 metres. The remainder of the day is spent resting in camp, in preparation for the final ascent which begins at midnight. Overnight at Kibo Camp.

Kilimanjaro Horombo Hut

The big day is here! Rising just before midnight for some tea and biscuits, you’ll shuffle into the night along a steep trail strewn with rocky scree. It is undeniably tough going but making steady progress you’ll arrive at Hans Meyer Cave for a rest at 5,150 metres. The path then zigzags very steeply up to Gillman's Point, located on the crater rim at 5,681 metres. The path is loose underfoot, requiring both physical and mental fortitude to conquer, but enjoying the sunrise from this spectacular place makes the effort well and truly worthwhile. From here the challenge continues, across often snow-covered terrain, all the way up to Uhuru Peak – the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Standing at 5,895 metres you’ve made it to the highest point in Africa – a truly exhilarating feeling! After taking photos you’ll descend back to the Kibo Hut for a brief rest and to gather your remaining gear, before continuing down from the mountain. This is an extremely challenging day with around 14 hours of walking, but you’ll be surprised how much quicker your progress is on the way back down. Tonight, you’ll enjoy a final dinner on the mountain, and a well-earned sleep at the Horombo Hut at 3,720 metres. Overnight at Horombo Hut.

Things to do:

✓  Included

Watch the sunrise at Gilman’s Peak on Mount Kilimanjaro

Moshi

After breakfast, continue descending for around 6-hours to reach the Marangu Gate. Here you’ll receive a summit certificate if you managed to reach either Gillman's Point or Uhuru Peak. Finally leaving the mountain, drive back to Moshi for a welcome hot shower, dinner and (if you still have the energy!) a final celebration. Overnight at Springlands Hotel.

Moshi & Departure

This morning drive for 1-hour to Kilimanjaro International airport, for your return flight to the UK or onward travel.