Day 1
2,986 ft
Arrive · Kilimanjaro Intl.
JRO · · · ·
Airport pickup and transfer to Moshi. Evening briefing and gear-check.
Route Guide · Southeastern · Coca-Cola Route
MARANGU.
THE HUT ROUTE.
Six days in huts instead of tents. Bunks, hot meals, and the same trail up and down.
02 · The honest overview
MARANGU.
HUT ROUTE.
The only hut route. Bunks instead of tents, a mess hall instead of a dining tent, and the same trail up and down.
WHY BOOK THIS ROUTE
- Sleep in hutsThe only route with dormitory huts, bunks and mattresses and a mess hall instead of tents.
- Comfortable and socialShelter from the weather and hot meals indoors, the easiest route logistically.
- Acclimatization dayAn extra night at Horombo with a day hike toward Mawenzi improves the odds.
- Gentle, direct trailThe most gradual grade on the mountain, up and back on one well-worn path.
HONEST DRAWBACKS
- Lowest summit rateEven at eight days, the faster profile gives Marangu the lowest success rate we run, 80%.
- Same trail both waysYou descend the route you climbed, less variety than a traverse.
- The busiest hutsShared dormitories fill up in high season, privacy is limited.
- Gilman's Point summitSummits via Gilman's Point, adding a rim walk to reach Uhuru.
03 · Day by day
THE ITINERARY
Day 2
6,000 → 8,860 ft
Marangu Gate → Mandara Hut
Rainforest · 8 km · 4 – 5 hrs
A well-graded forest trail to the A-frame huts at Mandara, with a short side-trip to Maundi Crater for the view.
Day 3
8,860 → 12,200 ft
Mandara → Horombo Hut
Moorland · 12 km · 6 – 7 hrs
Out of the forest into giant heather and open moorland, with the first big views of Kibo and Mawenzi.
Day 4
12,200 ft
Horombo · Acclimatization
Rest / day hike · · · ·
An extra night at Horombo with a day hike to Zebra Rocks or the Mawenzi base, the climb-high-sleep-low day that improves the odds.
Day 5
12,200 → 15,430 ft
Horombo → Kibo Hut
The Saddle · 10 km · 5 – 6 hrs
Cross the barren Saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo to the stone huts at summit base. Eat and sleep early.
Day 6
15,430 → 19,341 → 12,200 ft
Summit · Gilman's · Uhuru · Horombo
Summit day · 20 km · 11 – 14 hrs
Midnight start to Gilman's Point on the crater rim, along to Uhuru at sunrise, then all the way back down to Horombo Hut.
Day 7
12,200 → 6,000 ft
Horombo → Marangu Gate → Moshi
Descent · 20 km · 5 – 6 hrs
Retrace the trail out through moorland and forest. Certificate ceremony at the gate, then transfer to the hotel.
Day 8
2,986 ft
Departure or Safari add-on
JRO · · · ·
Late check-out and transfer to the airport, or onwards to the Serengeti.
04 · What you pay for
EVERYTHING
IN THE PRICE.
Included
- Park & gate fees (camping, rescue, summit, conservation)
- Two pre-climb hotel nights, one post-climb
- JRO airport transfers (both directions)
- WFR-certified lead guide on every climb
- 1:2 guide-to-climber ratio · max 12 per group
- Daily pulse-ox + Lake Louise altitude monitoring
- Emergency oxygen on every trek (Gamow bag on Northern Circuit)
- Helicopter evacuation insurance to 5,000 m
- Ferrino four-season tents + sleeping cot
- Three meals daily on the mountain
- Filtered, treated drinking water, unlimited
- KPAP-compliant porter wages, audited
Not included
- International flights to JRO
- Tanzania entry visa (~$100)
- Travel & medical insurance (required)
- Personal climbing gear (rental list provided)
- Lunch & dinner in Moshi
- Tips for guides & porters (~$340 / climber)
On the trail
GALLERY
Photography placeholders — final route images will replace these before launch.
Summit morning on the roof of Africa
High alpine terrain
Summit-night ascent
The final push to the top
High camp before summit night
Big country below the mountain
In their words
CLIMBERS WHO
TRUSTED US.
★★★★★5.0 · 461 reviews on Tripadvisor4.9★ on Google · Read all reviews →
Troyvia Tripadvisor★★★★★
Top notch professional organization
Your team was great. Had a wonderful experience. Couldn't have had more professional service. Everything was absolutely excellent. You have great people and I loved each and every one of them. Staff treated us like family — great people.
Read on Tripadvisor →
● Machame · 9 Days
Ryan Jvia Tripadvisor★★★★★
Peak Planet Freaking Rocks!
Everything was amazing. Guides were on top of everything, vitals were monitored and guides had a lot of altitude knowledge and could help in any situation that arose. Meals were delicious and filling, tents were very comfortable and I stayed warm even as a solo. Peak Planet wants to get you to the top and as long as it is safe to do so and your body can handle it, they will get you to the summit. Put your trust in them and you won't be disappointed.
Read on Tripadvisor →
● Kilimanjaro · Solo
Cherie Dvia Tripadvisor★★★★★
An amazing experience and fantastic guide service A–Z
This was the trip of a lifetime! Peak Planet got everything, and I mean everything, right! I went solo on the 7 day Machame trip and my guide Mussouri and his group made me feel safe, encouraged and valued. The food was outstanding — three course meals so tasty, and I'm a picky eater with absolutely zero issues. I also did the 2 day Safari and loved every moment of it, from the Ngorongoro Crater to Lake Manyara. Peak Planet is the only guide service that I would ever use! These guys are just fantastic!
Read on Tripadvisor →
● Machame · 7 Days + Safari
05 · Upcoming departures
PICK A DATE
Private departures on request — connect with our team for the latest manifest for this itinerary.
06 · Our verdict
WOULD WE BOOK THIS ROUTE?
Marangu earns its place for comfort, huts, hot meals, and a gentle grade. Even with an added acclimatization day it carries the lowest summit rate we run, so choose it for the experience, not the odds.
“If sleeping in a bunk instead of a tent is the difference between going and not, Marangu is a fine choice, walk it slowly.”
Ben J., Experience Designer
07 · Ready to book?
GET A QUOTE
FOR THIS ROUTE.
Send a quote request and our team will reply within four hours with a full breakdown — no hidden fees, no upsells at the briefing.
From $2,309 per climber