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- Tour Length: 8 Days /7 Nights
- Best Time to Travel: January to December
- The Rongai Route is the only trail that starts from the Northeastern side of Mount Kilimanjaro Close to the Kenya border.
It is a fascinating camping route that offers a different perspective where tourists may encounter herds of buffalo, elephants baboons, etc. Rongai has a more gradual slope than the mountain’s other routes. It is the preferred route for those looking for a substitute for the popular Marangu route, for those who would like a more remote hike, and for those who are climbing during the rainy season (the north side receives less precipitation). Rongai is a moderately difficult route, and it can be done within 5 days, but we highly recommend at least 6 Days, especially for those with less backpacking experience.
Day 1: arrival Kilimanjaro international airport (JRO)
On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, or Shuttle from Nairobi, you will be met and greet by our representative, assisted with your baggage and transfer to your hotel in Arusha/Moshi Town. After shower and rest our Tour consultant together with our mountain guide will meet with you for a comprehensive briefing of the tour, pack your mountain gears and equipment ready for trekking next morning (it all depends with your arrival time otherwise it will be done the next day morning before departure).
Overnight on bed and breakfast basis.
Meals: bed and breakfast
Accommodation: hotel
DAY 2: RONGAI START POINT (1990M) – TO FIRST CAVES CAMP (2600M)
Approximately time: 4 hours
Distance approximately: 6 km
Habitat: Forest (Montane)
After breakfast at the hotel we provide a private transfer to Marangu gate for registrations then onward transfer to Rongai trailhead approximately 2hours from Moshi town and 3-4hours from Arusha town. Meet your guide and porters before you begin your hike from the Nale Moru village. The small winding path through corn and potato fields before entering pine forest, and then climbs gently through a forest which is home to a variety of wildlife including the black and white colobus monkey. Overnight stay at the camp on full board basis.
Meals: breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: camping/tent
DAY 3: FIRST CAVE TO KIKELEWA CAVE (3679m)
Approximately time: 6 – 7 hours
Distance approximately: 11.5 km
Habitat: Moorlands
Following a hot breakfast, hikers will continue their ascent to Kikelewa Cave (3600m). The trail passes Second Cave (3450m) and this is a good stop-over to take a break for lunch (energy recovering). The views start to open up and you begin to feel you’re on a really big mountain. Similar to the first night, your tents will be set up prior to arriving at the camp and the crew will prepare drinking and washing water for you. You will enjoy evening snacks then dinner prepared by our chef. Be prepared for a cold night as temperatures drop below freezing at this exposed camp.
Meals: breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: camping/tent
Day 4: Kikelewa Cave to Mawenzi Tarn camp (4330m)
Approximately time: 3-4 hours
Distance approximately 3 ½ km
Habitat: Moorlands
On this day, hikers will enjoy a short, yet steep trail to Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4330m). In the moorland, you will spot exotic plants, including giant lobelia and groundsel.. Spend the afternoon acclimatizing and exploring the area, overnight stay at the camp 0n full board basis.
Meals: breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: camping/tent
Day 5: to Mawenzi Tarn camp (4330m) to Kibo hut (4700M).
Approximately time: 4-5hours
Distance approximately 9½ km
Habitat: alpine desert
After your delicious breakfast you continue ascending on the east side of Kibo crossing the saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo taking 4 to 5 hours to reach Kibo Hut. Kibo is located in the “Saddle,” which refers to the area located between the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo in an alpine desert. Early dinner will be served so hikers can rest to recover their energy before attempting the summit the same night. Your guide will brief you in detail on how to prepare for summit night, which always begins around midnight. Overnight at Kibo
Meals: breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: camping/tent
Day 6: Kibo Hut (4700m) to Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Horombo Hut (3720m)
Approximately time: 14-16 hours to Uhuru Peak & descend to Horombo
Distance approximately: 20 km
Habitat: Stone scree / ice-cap summit
Wake up around 23:30hrs midnight, and after some tea and biscuits you shuffle off into the night, and this is where the toughest part of the route begin, simply because it starts at midnight thus denying any trekker the sufficient rest times required. The other reason is that unlike the rest of the route, most of the climb up to the summit involves winding through scree filled slopes that make sure for every one step up the mountain you take half a step downward.
The first section of the trail consists of a rocky path to the Hans Meyer Cave (5150m), also a good resting spot. The path then zigzags up to Gillman’s point (5 681m), which is located on the crater rim.
From Gillman’s Point you will normally encounter snow all the way up to Uhuru peak (5895m), the highest point in Africa well known as the “ROOF OF AFRICA”. Weather conditions on the summit determine how long you will spend on the Roof of Africa obvious it won’t be long, on the same day, you make a descent from the summit through Kibo huts and finally spending a night back at Horombo huts. The total time spent walking on this day is around 14 -16hours, so be prepared for a very tough day. It’s a most challenging day but will reward you a life time experience. Later in the evening you enjoy your last dinner on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Meals: breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: hut
Day 7: Horombo House – Marangu Gate 1860m
Hiking approximately time: 5-6hours
Distance approximately 19km
After breakfast you continue your descent, passing the Mandara hut, down to the Marangu gate. At Marangu gate you sign your name and details in a register. This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Those who reached Gillman’s Point are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak receive gold certificates. You now drive to the hotel in Arusha/Moshi for a hot shower before we transfer you to Kilimanjaro airport for departure flight.
Up to Marangu Gate at a height of (1980m) – Marangu Gate, ascending time is approximately 6 hours.
Note: Depend with your flight schedule you can go for a Day trip into Arusha national park, Tangier national, Lake Manyara national park and Ngorongoro crater. There is lot to do like extending your tour to Zanzibar for breath taking into its white sand beach.
This is the standard route, tailor made routes are available and may follow a different schedule some do the whole route in two days where others do it in 10 days.
- 4X4 Landcruiser with English speaking driver guide for Safari.
- Lunch box,
- Accommodations on BB in Arusha,
- Accommodation on full board basis during Safari,
- Crater fee
- All park entrance fees including government taxes.
- Tips
- Laundry,
- Drinks ,
- Visas to Tanzania and items of a personal nature and any other extras not detailed in the above itinerary.
Best Tour Safari
