Kilimanjaro: Marangu Route

8 days
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4.5/5 Excellent
100+ reviews  
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Small Group Tour
Take on Kilimanjaro on an eight-day trekking adventure. This is the most popular and direct of the mountain routes and the only one serviced by mountain huts to provide protection from the elements. With one guide for every two passengers and a team of porters, all you have to do is focus on the incredible views and keep your footing, while the crew keeps you...
29%
$4,312
From$3,080
See departure dates

Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Basic - 2 star
Physical level
Extreme
Trip pace
Full schedule

Highlights

    • Sleep in mountain huts during your trek and enjoy an included acclimatisation day at Horombo Hut to give you the best chance of reaching the summit.
    • Travelling with experienced guides – the best on the mountain – plus trained porters, you'll be in good hands, with one guide for every two trekkers.
    • Passing through vast grasslands, giant cacti fields and alpine meadows, all against dramatic mountain backdrops, the Marangu Route is popular for good reason.
    • Hike Kilimanjaro's climactic last stretch by lamplight and give yourself as much chance as possible to watch a sunrise over icefields from behind Africa’s highest peak.
    • We’re an official partner with the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project. Hike easier knowing that while our porters are taking care of you, there’s someone looking out for them.

What's this trip about?

    Take on Kilimanjaro on an eight-day trekking adventure. This is the most popular and direct of the mountain routes and the only one serviced by mountain huts to provide protection from the elements. With one guide for every two passengers and a team of porters, all you have to do is focus on the incredible views and keep your footing, while the crew keeps you safe and sound. Hike through forests and alpine meadows, over rocky ravines and past lunar landscapes to the spectacular summit of Africa's highest peak – the panoramic views from the top of Mt Kilimanjaro must be seen to be believed.

Details

Itinerary focusActive and Outdoor Sports
Group sizeIntimate group - max of 12 people
Age range15 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityMoshi
End CityMoshi

Travel Themes

  • Hiking & Walking
  • Trekking & Expeditions

Destinations

Attractions

  • Arusha
  • Nairobi

Activities

  • Hiking
  • Trekking

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 12

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Marangu

Jambo! Welcome to Tanzania. Your hike begins in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro in Marangu. The hotel is a short walk from the village’s bustling market and some excellent coffee shops. It is also very close to some beautiful waterfalls and ancient Chagga caves. Pl...

Day 2 Mandara Hut

After a hearty breakfast, make your way to Marangu Gate, the entrance of the Mt Kilimanjaro National Park (1860 m) and meet your guides and porters. With introductions and assignment of porter loads taken care of, it’s time to embark on your trek. Commonly known as th...

Day 3 Horombo Hut

Your second day on the mountain involves another long hike over a slightly steeper stretch. The total distance from Mandara to the Horombo huts is 12 kilometres (approximately 5to 7 hours). Today you will see the rainforest give way to open and rolling alpine meadows ...

Day 4 Horombo Hut

After breakfast, walk towards Mawenzi Hut, passing the unusual Zebra Rocks on the way. It’s a steep climb up a grassy slope, but well worth it: the views over the area towards Kibo are second-to-none. Afterwards, return to Horombo for lunch. Spend the afternoon relaxi...

Day 5 Kibo Hut / Mawenzi Peak

Today you’ll walk the 10 kilometres or so from Horombo to Kibo Hut (approximately 5–7 hours). As the journey progresses you will notice the landscape gradually becoming more rugged and rocky, and the air noticeably thinner. We will have to soften our pace a little to ...

Day 6 Uhuru Peak / Horombo Hut

Your guides will wake you up at 11 pm and hot tea will be served. Prepare for the last leg of the trek – to the summit. The distance from Kibo Hut to Uhuru Peak is six kilometres (approximately 6–8 hours), and the descent to Horombo will be approximately the same amou...

Day 7 Marangu

Continue your descent through alpine meadows and rainforest to the park gate. The distance from Horombo to Marangu Gate is 20 kilometres (approximately 5–6 hours). Here your transport awaits and you will return to the hotel for a relaxing shower – a real treat after t...

Day 8 Marangu

There are no activities or trekking planned for today. A transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport or a shuttle to Nairobi can be arranged locally – please speak to your group leader about this at the welcome meeting.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $3,080
Price per day$385
Last Updated: 6/4/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Base Price
Availability
21 Dec 2024
28 Dec 2024
$4,005
01 Feb 2025
08 Feb 2025
$3,925
15 Feb 2025
22 Feb 2025
$3,925
01 Mar 2025
08 Mar 2025
$3,925
31 May 2025
07 Jun 2025
$3,925
14 Jun 2025
21 Jun 2025
$4,080
21 Jun 2025
28 Jun 2025
$4,080
28 Jun 2025
05 Jul 2025
$4,080
12 Jul 2025
19 Jul 2025
$4,235
26 Jul 2025
02 Aug 2025
$4,235

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Intrepid Travel Reviews & Ratings

4.5/5  Excellent
Excellent
3,381
Great
677
Average
150
Disappointing
84
Terrible
226
J

Jeffery

Nov 2019

Written on

Kilimanjaro exceeded my every expectation!

What and incredible experience! Vendelin our lead guide and the entire guide, cooks and porter support team on our climb to the top of Kilimanjaro exceeded my every ...

B

Britt

Oct 2019

Written on

Challenging experience of climbing Kili

We feel like we got the best of the best mountain guide on Kilimanjaro! Thank you Vendelin for always remaining calm and acutely aware. You made the challenging expe...

C

Christopher

Oct 2019

Written on

An unforgetablely enjoyable experience!

Incredible experience! The guides Vendelin, Joshua and Angela were passionate, enthusiastic, informative and engaging with such positive energy and prioritising safe...

C

Christina

Sep 2019

Written on

This was a very challenging hike.

This was a very challenging hike. I would not have made it to Uhuru Peak if it wasn't for our amazing guides - Vendelin, Josh and Angela. When I was near exhaustion ...

A

Andrew

Sep 2019

Written on

Such an excellent trip to the top of Kilimanjaro.

Such an excellent trip to the top of Kilimanjaro. Our guides, porters and cooks were all excellent. Make sure you ask for Rocky if you are thinking of climbing Kilim...

Write a Review

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Despite growing into a global business with over 1,000 staff based all over the world and over 800 different trips across every continent, we’ve remained devoted to the same grassroots values and responsible travel philosophies that we had at the very beginning.

 

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On every trip we operate and in every interaction we have with a client, supplier or local, we live our core values everyday:

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Logistics

Accommodation

Hotel (2 nights),Mountain hut (5 nights)

Transportation & Flights

Minibus,

Transportation & flights

Minibus
Guides
KILIMANJARO CLIMB: This trip is led by experienced guides, with a minimum of 1 guide to every 2 climbers. Sufficient porters are employed to carry the group’s equipment.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number has been sighted by your group leader or local representative. If you have credit card insurance your group leader or local representative will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number, and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and your credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or USA the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside of their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form at the Group Meeting, recognizing personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise. For assistance with travel insurance or other services, please visit the link below: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/booking-resources/our-services
Visa requirements
PASSPORT You’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date. We need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while travelling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends. VISAS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed. You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our page here:  www.intrepidtravel.com/visa-entry-requirements INFORMATION FOR VISA APPLICATIONS: If you require an address for Visa Applications in Tanzania, please use: Kibo Palace Hotel PO Box 2523 Old Moshi Road Arusha - Tanzania Phone: +255 272544472 If you require a contact number for Visa Applications in Tanzania, please use: Intrepid Tanzania: +254 758 555 550 or +254 758 555 551 LETTER OF INVITATION TANZANIA: If you require a letter of invitation or list of hotel confirmations for your application, please contact your booking agent, and we will issue one tailored to your specific tour and departure.
Health & Safety
Many national governments provide a regularly updated advice service on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas your itinerary covers. Please refer to our website's safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trip. We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, air tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your valuable jewellery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. Your group leader or local representative will accompany you on all included activities, however during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests, relax and take it easy or explore at your leisure. While your group leader or local representative will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your Intrepid itinerary, and Intrepid makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your group leader or local representative has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns. For more details on the type of conditions and safety standards you can expect on your trip, please refer to Intrepid's operational safety policy on our website. We recommend that you take a moment to read through this information before travelling, and would appreciate any feedback on how well it's being implemented in the field: www.intrepidtravel.com/safety-guidelines FIRE PRECAUTIONS Please be aware that local laws governing tourism facilities in this region differ from those in your home country and not all the accommodation which we use has a fire exit, fire extinguishers or smoke alarms. BALCONIES Some hotel balconies don't meet western standards in terms of the width of the balcony fence being narrower than 10cm. TRAFFIC AND DRIVING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD Depending on where you come from please note that drivers in this part of the world may drive on the opposite side of the road from what you are used to. Look both ways before crossing any road. Traffic can be a little more chaotic than you might be used to at home. Be aware! SEAT BELTS Please be aware that local laws governing transportation safety may differ from those in your home country and not all the transport which we use is able to provide seat belts. PICK POCKETING & PERSONAL SAFETY While travelling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty theft, particularly in the more touristy cities. We recommend that you exercise caution when walking at night and encourage you to walk in groups and only on main, well-lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your bag over the back of your chair or on the floor and wearing a money belt will reduce any chance that your valuables should go missing. WATER SAFETY Please take care when taking part in any activities in the ocean, river or open water, where waves and currents can be unpredictable. It's expected that anyone taking part in water activities is able to swim and have experience in open water. All swimmers should seek local advice before entering the water. TRAVEL ADVICE & TRAVEL INSURANCE We recommend that you check your government's advice in relation to the areas you will be visiting for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas your itinerary covers. CLIMBING KILIMANJARO WITH INTREPID - SAFETY FAQs Climbing Kilimanjaro is a pretty tall order – in fact for most people it’s the hardest physical challenge they will ever undertake. It can also be a dangerous environment if the right precautions aren’t taken – and that’s why our number one priority is your safety. Of course – we still want you to have a great time, and we’d love you to reach the summit of Africa’s highest mountain! So – rest assured that not only are you travelling with an operator that puts safety first, but also that around 95% of clients that climb with Intrepid make it to Uhuru Peak! The following are some FAQs on safety on the mountain. Q: Who is your local operator in Tanzania? A: All Intrepid Kilimanjaro climbs are operated by Intrepid Guerba Tanzania Limited, which is a fully owned Intrepid company based in northern Tanzania. Q: How many mountain guides will I have for my climb? A: It depends on the number of passengers in your group. We operate with a strict minimum of one mountain guide for every two clients. Meaning that there will be plenty of mountain guides on your trip to ensure that you are looked after, encouraged, and informed about Kilimanjaro. Q: Do your mountain guides carry first aid kits? A: Yes. We carry multiple, comprehensive first aid kits and our mountain guides are fully trained on their use. All of our mountain guides are first-aid qualified. Q: Are your mountain guides trained to recognise symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness? A: Absolutely! Intrepid have invested in the highest standards of training of any operator on Kilimanjaro. This includes advanced altitude training delivered by a UK doctor and altitude research specialist. One of the key elements of this is training on the Lake Louise altitude assessment system, which allows our mountain guides to effectively monitor clients constantly whilst on Kilimanjaro and assess if they are suffering from AMS and, if so, how severe that AMS is. We also train them on how to respond in the case of a moderate or severe case of altitude sickness – which will always mean organising for the affected client to descend immediately. During your briefing on the first evening of your trip, your mountain guide will talk to you about symptoms of AMS and how to recognise them. Q: Do you carry medicines for altitude? A: Yes – there are two key, potentially life-saving drugs that our teams carry on the Mountain. These are Dexamethasone and Nifedipine and they used to treat cerebral and pulmonary oedema, which are the two potentially life-threatening complications of severe AMS. Our mountain guides are fully trained on the use of these drugs for altitude related illnesses. Q: What about Diamox? A: We don’t carry Diamox on Kilimanjaro. The reason for this is that, although medical research suggests that Diamox can be very effective in aiding acclimatisation to altitude, it has been proven to be far less effective at treating severe AMS. You may wish to talk to your doctor prior to travelling about being prescribed Diamox to assist acclimatisation while you climb Kilimanjaro. Q: Will oxygen be available? A: We carry medical oxygen – and when a group has four passengers or more, this will mean multiple cylinders will be distributed amongst the team of mountain guides to ensure that oxygen is always quickly available in the case of an emergency. The oxygen that we carry is strictly for emergency use only – and cannot be used by clients to assist in climbing or summiting. Q: Do you carry Gammow Bags or PACs? A: No. Gammow Bags and PACs are two types of portable hyperbaric chambers, which are sometimes used for sufferers of severe AMS. What makes Kilimanjaro relatively unique is that it is a “rapid ascent mountain” – meaning altitude gain happens extremely quickly. Logically, therefore, Kilimanjaro is also a “rapid descent mountain” and our policy is that in the case of severe AMS, our mountain guides will immediately evacuate the sufferer down the mountain, usually with the assistance of porters to carry the person affected. Often, a descent of just a few hundred metres will be enough to make a difference. Gammow bags and PACs are more effective in other parts of the world where rapid descent on foot is not possible. Also, a Gammow Bag takes a little while to inflate – which on Kilimanjaro is valuable time lost during which an evacuation down the mountain could already have commenced. Q: How do your mountain guides communicate on Kilimanjaro? A: Cell phone coverage on the mountain is improving – but is still patchy in many areas. For this reason, Intrepid mountain guides carry short wave radios to allow for communication in the case of an emergency. HOMOSEXUALITY IN TANZANIA Homosexuality is illegal in Tanzania (including Zanzibar) and is not tolerated in Tanzania’s conservative society. Public displays of homosexuality like holding hands or kissing in public places could lead to arrest and up to 30 years’ imprisonment. In June 2017, the Tanzanian Government announced a 'crackdown' on LGBQTI rights advocates operating in Tanzania, threatening arrest. We recommend that you refer to your government's official travel advisories for the most up to date advice before you travel.
Age Requirements
15 years and up
Additional Information

Finish point

  • Chanya Lodge
  • Plot 298, Kiboriloni (off Arusha-Himo Road)
  • Moshi
  • 8176
  • TANZANIA, UNITED REPUBLIC OF
  • Phone: +255 675 772 224

Alternate Finish point

  • For trips departing on the following dates, use this finish point.
  • 01 Feb 2025 (YKXM250201), 15 Feb 2025 (YKXM250215), 01 Mar 2025 (YKXM250301), 31 May 2025 (YKXM250531), 14 Jun 2025 (YKXM250614), 21 Jun 2025 (YKXM250621), 28 Jun 2025 (YKXM250628), 12 Jul 2025 (YKXM250712), 26 Jul 2025 (YKXM250726), 09 Aug 2025 (YKXM250809), 23 Aug 2025 (YKXM250823), 06 Sep 2025 (YKXM250906), 20 Sep 2025 (YKXM250920), 04 Oct 2025 (YKXM251004), 18 Oct 2025 (YKXM251018), 15 Nov 2025 (YKXM251115), 13 Dec 2025 (YKXM251213), 27 Dec 2025 (YKXM251227), 31 Jan 2026 (YKXM260131), 14 Feb 2026 (YKXM260214), 28 Feb 2026 (YKXM260228), 30 May 2026 (YKXM260530), 13 Jun 2026 (YKXM260613), 20 Jun 2026 (YKXM260620), 27 Jun 2026 (YKXM260627), 11 Jul 2026 (YKXM260711), 25 Jul 2026 (YKXM260725), 08 Aug 2026 (YKXM260808), 22 Aug 2026 (YKXM260822), 05 Sep 2026 (YKXM260905), 19 Sep 2026 (YKXM260919), 03 Oct 2026 (YKXM261003), 17 Oct 2026 (YKXM261017), 14 Nov 2026 (YKXM261114), 12 Dec 2026 (YKXM261212), 26 Dec 2026 (YKXM261226)
  • Kilimanjaro Mountain Resort
  • Kyalla
  • Marangu
  • TANZANIA, UNITED REPUBLIC OF
Trip ID
intrepid-YKXM

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