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Day 1:
Pick up at Kilimanjaro Airport, the final location of a
previous building block or other location. Dinner and
overnight at a hotel in Arusha or Moshi.
Day 2:
Marangu Gate (1980m) - Mandara hut (2700m)
Hiking time: 5 hours
Distance: About 12 km's
Habitat: Montane forest Moorland
On arrival allow 1-2 hours at the Park Headquarters at
Marangu Gate for registration and payment of fees. It is
recommended that you start this route in the morning,
because this allows a leisurely walk to Mandara, avoiding
the rain showers that sometimes fall in the afternoon. From
the gate, you ascend a cleared ridge trail, formerly a
vehicle track to Mandara Hut. The cleared trail is the
fastest way to Mandara, but opportunities to see wildlife or
enjoy the forest are limited due to the heavy foot traffic.
An alternative is to ascend along the parallel forest trail
and descend on the main trail. The forest trail branches off
to the left, a few minutes after the gate, and follows the
edge of a stream through the undergrowth. About halfway (1
1/2 hrs from the gate) you can choose to cross the stream
and rejoin the main trail, or continue on the forest trail.
Both trails continue on opposite sides of the stream,
merging about one hour before Mandara Hut.
Day 3:
Mandara hut (2700m) - Horombo hut (3720m)
Hiking time: 6 hours
Distance: About 15 km's
Habitat: Moorland
From Mandara Hut the trail passes through a short stretch of
forest and skirts the base of Maundi Crater, crosses a
meadow and a wooded stream, then emerges into grassland. It
is well worth the short detour to scramble up to the rim of
Maundi Crater for a superb view of the mountain and its
surroundings. The trail crosses numerous moorland ravines
before ending at Horombo Hut, which is set in a rocky valley
with a fine stand of giant senecios or groundsels.
Day 4:
Horombo hut (3720m) - Kibo hut (4700m)
Hiking time: 6 hours
Distance: About 15 km's
Habitat: Alpine desert
From Horombo Hut there are two trails to the Saddle. The
right fork is very stony and eroded and is the most direct
route to the Saddle and Mawenzi. From the Saddle (about 2
hrs from Horombo), there are trails to Mawenzi Hut (1/2hr)
or Mawenzi Tarn Hut (2 1/2 hrs) and across the length of the
Saddle to Kibo Hut (3 hrs). The left fork from Horombo Hut
is an easier trail and emerges on the Saddle much closer to
Kibo and about one kilometer from Kibo Hut.
Day 5: SUMMIT ATTEMPT!!
Kibo hut (4700m) - Uhuru Peak (5895m) - Horombo hut (3720m)
Hiking time: 8 hours to Uhuru
6 hours to descend to Horombo Distance:
6 km's ascent - 21 km's descent
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
The trail to the summit lies directly behind Kibo Hut, to
the west. It is normal to start this day's climb at 2 am or
earlier. (You can see the sun rise over Mawenzi from the top
of Kibo, the loose stone scree is frozen —making it easier
to climb, and you can get back in good time). The first part
is an uneven trail which leads to the Hans Meyer Cave , a
good rest point. After that, the trail makes more regular
switchbacks most of the way to the top, with a last scramble
over rocks to Johannes Notch and Giliman's Point. From
there, the trail continues along the rim past Stella Point
to Uhuru Peak. As you descend the scree from the rim back to
Kibo Hut, it is tempting to run fast, but this can result in
clouds of irritating dust and even unpleasant falls. The
return to Horombo Hut will seem surprisingly fast compared
to the ascent.
Day 6:
Horombo hut (3720m) - Marangu Gate (1980m)
Hiking time: 6 hours
Distance: About 27 km's
Descend from Horombo Hut. You can easily make Mandara Hut by
lunchtime, and continue to the Park gate and Marangu in the
afternoon.
Day 7: After breakfast, depart for your next
destination, which is optional. |
