Climbing Kilimanjaro - Marangu Route
Overview
Available languages
120 hours
Mobile ticket
Zara Tours guides treks up the Marangu Route, which is the easiest and shortest route to Kilimanjaro's summit and is known as the "Coca Cola" or "tourist" route. This is the only route on Kilimanjaro with the comforts of solar-powered sleeping huts and comfortable beds at every camp. The huts are communal, and each bunk has a sponge mattress and pillow. Bathrooms and running water are available at the two lower huts. Basic men's and ladies' latrines are available at the last camp. All climbing groups, often from several countries around the world, share meals in dining huts providing a jovial and energetic atmosphere. Soft drinks, bottled water, and beer may be for sale at the huts. Bring small Tanzanian bills to purchase these items (prices increase with elevation). This route is usually done in 5 days, but you can do it in 6 days for better acclimatization. You can spend your extra day resting at Horombo or climbing to a basecamp below Kibo's sub peak Mawenzi.
Additional Info
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Starting the Climb
Accommodations
Mandara Huts
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Mount Kilimanjaro
After breakfast and a briefing from your guide, leave Moshi at 9 AM, drive for 45 minutes to the Marangu Gate on the eastern side of Kilimanjaro, register with the national park, and begin hiking at 10:30 AM. In the rainforest, look for towering Eucalyptus trees, bird life, and Colobus monkeys. At these lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy, so gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts should be sufficient, but keep your rain gear and warmer clothing handy. Stop halfway for lunch, and reach the Mandara Huts at 2 or 3 PM. Unpack, rest, and have some tea or coffee. A 15-minute side trip to Maundi Crater is a good way to see the surroundings including Northern Tanzania and Kenya. Dinner is served during the early evening at 7 PM. Bathrooms with running water are available.
Hiking through Rainforest Glades
Accommodations
Horombo Huts
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Mount Kilimanjaro
Wake to a 7:30 AM breakfast, and pack for your next trek. Break camp by 8:30 AM, hike for an hour through rainforest glades, then follow an ascending path through heathland where you can look for giant lobelias and groundsels. Continue up into open moorlands where small shrubs are the main vegetation. Stop halfway for lunch, where you can enjoy amazing views of Mawenzi. Arrive at the Horombo Huts by 3 PM, where you can see Kibo’s summit. 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 your acclimatization, you can choose to spend an extra day resting at Horombo or climbing to a basecamp below Kibo’s sub peak Mawenzi.
Hiking
Accommodations
Kibo Huts
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Mount Kilimanjaro
Wake to breakfast as usual, but if you wake early you can get some great photos of the sunrise. The first part of the day’s hike climbs through the dwindling heathland that blends into a moonscape as you enter the sweeping saddle connecting Mawenzi and Kibo. When you stop for lunch, and later when you cross this surprisingly large saddle, you can examine the summit climb up Kibo that you will be starting in just a few hours. Be careful to notice any signs of altitude sickness. There is no running water at the Kibo Huts.
Summit Ascent
Accommodations
Kibo Huts
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Mount Kilimanjaro
Wake at midnight to a light breakfast, then prepare for your summit ascent. The goal is to climb before dawn so that you can reach Uhuru Peak shortly after sunrise. Leave 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, views of the fabled crater and its icecaps greet you. Another 2 hours of hiking along the crater rim near the celebrated snows take you to Kilimanjaro’s true summit, Uhuru Peak, by 9 AM. This is Africa’s highest point, and you would have to travel more than 3,000 miles toward the Himalayas to find a higher peak! Be sure to have your picture taken at the summit to show your friends. After your summit stays, descend back to the Kibo Huts, have lunch, rest, collect your things, and recross the saddle to the Horombo Huts. Eat dinner and get some well-deserved sleep!
Descend
Accommodations
Springlands Hotel Moshi
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Mount Kilimanjaro
Wake, as usual, pack, and descend through the moorland to the Mandara Huts. Have lunch there then continue your triumphant recessional down through lush forest to the park gate, which you should reach around 2 or 3 PM. Remember to tip your guides, cooks, and porters, since you will be leaving them here. A vehicle will take you back to the Springlands Hotel in Moshi, where it is definitely time for celebration! Depart for the airport or other destinations in Tanzania or Kenya. A trip to the beaches at Zanzibar is a good way to recuperate. We can arrange many reasonably priced trips and safaris around Moshi and the Kilimanjaro region.
What‘s Included
Guides, porters, cook, waiter salaries
Tents foam sleeping pads, cooking equipment, and (Cutlery / Crockery) eating utensils
Hut/camping fees and tents
Pulse oximeters and First aid kit
Two nights accommodation at the Springlands Hotel in Moshi (before and after the climb)
Qualified guides with mountain crew
Guides, porters, waiter, cook accommodation and entry fees on the mountain
Rescue fees (required by the National Park)
Airport transfers (JRO - Kilimanjaro International Airports)
National park fees
All meals on the mountain (breakfast, lunch & dinner)
Boiled water on the mountain
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.
Pickup points
Kilimanjaro Airport
Tanzania
Options
Climbing Kilimanjaro - Marangu Route
Pickup included
Reviews
118 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
The hardest trip to a mountain top in a good way
Kell Ø,,Feb 16, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was an fantastic crew help us up to the maintain top of Kilimanjaro. So supporting during the entire trip and fantastic securing that I all the way
Konyagi Olympic Kilimanjaro team Rokosport
341vladimirav,,Feb 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Hi, Zara Tours and our guides - Festo and fellow guides Joseph, Michael, Jackson & Monday and whole crew were amazing! They supported us physically and psychologically on both Mt. Meru & Kilimanjaro climb. Thank you team for being you and being authentic and great professionals whole time. I enjoyed you and whole Tanzania very much. Piece of my heart stays with you 🙃 I wish you all the best, lot of happy clients and successfull summits. See you this or next life again.
It was my dream climbing to Mt. Kilimangaro
shopl2026,,Feb 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Excellent care from the whole team. The only disadvantage was the early start to the summit
Kilimandscharo Marantu Route
743mariusb,,Feb 10, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had great trip up to the top of Kilimandscharo, thanks to our guides Nteze and Juma!
Great of it ring!
gijsv901,,Feb 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Everything was super well arranged from start to finish, have made it with the guides, Bruce and Adam respect. Diamox has helped a lot
Great!
sjorst2026,,Feb 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent experience very nice people and well guided!
Marangu route with King Charles - Jan 2026
ronz400,,Jan 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This route is not for the faint of heart as the push to the summit is pretty intense with a 12:00 midnight start and a stairway to heaven to get to the top. Our guide Charles and his team did more than their part from the acclaimization pace yearly on, food choices that accomodated our vegetarian needs to setting up our stuff in the huts each night. Charles and team have been together for more than 4 years and it shows, they operate as a well oiled machine. Ascending from the rainforest through the high plains desert to the alpine regions they were there for us. Our recommendation would be to ask for Charles and team on any of the routes as they have done them all multiple times. At the end of the day not showering for 6 days is no big deal and should disuade as the pace is pole pole ( sow and steady) and air is dry. We also appreciated the efficiency of the staff at Spring Hill Hotel where they have their procedures down pat, albeit the constant upsell and push to give to the charity was a bit much at times. The rooms were more than adequate and the pool is a great melting pot for visitors from around the globe. The compund wifi could use some updating but The food options have something for everyone, although to note in Tanzania one tends to dine about an hour later that what you are used to. Zara is an experienced operater and well respected in region. YouTube videos warn against inexperienced operaters, no worries here as they are not only professional but also very experienced and take care of their people. They even helped to locate delayed bag with all of my gear. Highly recommend Zara for this adventure When you go ( besides what they recommend) it's helpful to have: - Baby wipes - Good Winter gloves - Neck pillow - Charging blocks for your phone - Small binoculars - Bring and any old hiking gear that you don't need to donate to the team at the end
Marangu route for people who don't like camping
Mobile01557177981,,Jan 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00The guides were very friendly and very helpful. The plumbing, on the other hand, was really bad, especially the smell. Homboro and Mandara were great, Kibo was very dirty. The paths were great, the distances to the break locations very good and the picnic areas very clean.
Something special
christophpaulh,,Jan 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very exciting tour, but also exhausting. The landscape changes, sometimes you walk through the forest, sometimes through a rocky landscape. Definitely something special!
Hiking 6 day Killimanjono Mangadu route
SiewKuen M,,Jan 20, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We have an amazing experience with Charles and Paul and chefs and our porters , we have a amazing teams, very kinds, understanding, and caring , without our teams we would able to hike up to kibu hut , we are grateful for them! Definitely recommend to everyone Zara company have a good teams !!!!
From US$2,402.60
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