6-Day Trek To Kilimanjaro From Marangu Route
Highlights
Experience the unique landscapes of Mount Kilimanjaro
Enjoy stunning views of the surrounding peaks and valleys
Ascent to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa
Moshi
nature, trekking, camping
Group Tour
6 Days
Easy
English, Spanish
Description
Enjoy a 6-Day Trek to Kilimanjaro through the Marangu Route, a popular and scenic trail that takes you through the lush rainforest, moorlands, and rocky mountain terrain. This tour offers a chance to challenge yourself physically and mentally while experiencing the beauty and diversity of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Itinerary
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Day 1: Moshi (815m/670ft)
- Check into your hotel in Moshi or Arusha for overnight and a briefing from your guide.
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Day 2: To Mandara Hut
- After breakfast and briefing, drive to the Kilimanjaro National Park Gate (45 minutes), register and commence the climb.
- Walk through the rainforest to the Mandara encampment at 9000 ft / 2740 m. A side trip to Maundi Crater is a good way to see the surroundings, including Northern Tanzania and Kenya. In the rainforest, look for towering Eucalyptus trees, bird life, and Colubus monkeys.
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Day 3: To Horombo Camp
- After about an hour, you will leave the rainforest glades and follow an ascending path on the open moorlands to the Horombo encampment. Views Of Mawenzi and the summit of Kibo are amazing. Look for giant lobelias and groundsels. You will start to feel the effects of the altitude. If you wish to extend your trek, here you can spend an extra day resting at Horombo or climbing the small peak of Mawenzi.
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Day 4: To Kibo Camp
- Ascending, we now pass the last watering point, walking onto the saddle of Kilimanjaro between the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi. Vegetation begins with upper heathland but then disappears into a "moonscape."
Dinner, rest and prepare for the summit climb.
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Day 4: To Summit and Horombo
- Very early in the morning (midnight to 2 am), commence the climb to the summit on steep and heavy scree or snow up to Gilman's point located on the crater rim at 18640 ft/ 5861 m (4-7 hours).
- Continuing, we ascend to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa: 19340 ft/ 5895 m (1-2 hours)—unbelievable views at every turn.
- Get your picture taken at the summit to show your friends. From here, we descend, stopping for lunch and a rest at Kibo before continuing on to the Horombo encampment for dinner and a tired but happy overnight (1-2 hours). The beginning of this climb is done in the dark and requires headlamps or flashlights. It will be very cold until you descend, so you need all your warm layers. This is, by far, the most difficult part of the trek, with many switchbacks. "Pole pole" and an optimistic attitude will get you there.
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Day 5: To Moshi
- After breakfast, a steady descent takes us down through the moorland to Mandara Hut (2700m / 8858 ft), the first stopping place at the Marangu route.
- Continue descending through the lovely lush forest on a good path to the National Park gate at Marangu (1830 m / 6004 ft). At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy). A vehicle will meet you at Marangu village to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi or Arusha.
What's Included
National parks gate fee
Transport from Moshi to starting point on the mountain and return to Moshi
Hut or camping fees
All 3 meals a day while on the mountain
Two nights accommodations in Moshi bed and breakfast, double or triple occupancy
Certified, experienced, English-speaking guides for all routes
Rescue fees (required by the park)
First aid kit
Cooking equipment and eating utensils
What's Excluded
Extras at the lodges, i.e. drinks, telephone, laundry etc
International and internal flight
Tips (guides and porters) – recommended
Extra activities
Know Before You Go
HIKING AT ALTITUDE
Always remember to maintain a slow, steady pace from beginning to end. Going slowly allows the body to acclimatise while hiking. Those who start too quickly will have troubles higher up the mountain as the body will be over-exerted. This still holds if you spend an extra day on the mountain. Breathe only through your nose for the first two days of the trek.
After 15,000 feet, breathe through your mouth.
Use a controlled, deep, regular breathing pattern.
Hard candy and menthol lozenges can help keep the throat moist and clear sinuses.
Keep in touch with what your body is doing, and watch out for your friends overexerting themselves. Focus on your daily goal of reaching the next camp by nightfall -- not your ultimate goal of summiting.
Read about Acute Mountain Sickness.
Drink often. Energy bars or Gu may help alleviate fatigue but require more water intake. Focus on your breathing. Use the "mountaineer's step." This technique involves stepping, leaning on that leg, and moving the back leg up. Use the mechanical aspects of your body to support your weight instead of using your muscles.
Instead of sitting at a rest stop, lean against your walking stick. This will keep your muscles active.
TREKKERS CARE:
Altitude Sickness
Different people under similar conditions will respond quite differently to altitude. There are no specific factors such as age, sex, or physical condition that correlate with susceptibility to altitude sickness. The response to altitude will depend on the ascent rate, the ascent's magnitude and individual susceptibility (genetics). The effects can be mild or severe and are caused by the lack of oxygen to the muscles and the brain. As altitude increases, oxygen concentration stays the same, but the number of oxygen molecules per breath is reduced as the barometric pressure drops. At 18,000 ft (5500 m), half the oxygen is available at sea level.
In some cases, altitude sickness can turn highly severe, even fatal. For reasons not entirely understood, high altitude and lower air pressures can cause fluid to leak from the capillaries and build up in the brain and lungs. Continuing an ascent without proper acclimation can lead to a life-threatening illness.
Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)
Mild symptoms of acute mountain sickness will occur in 75% of people who travel over 10,000 feet and can affect some people at lower altitudes. These symptoms include:
Fatigue
Dizziness
Headaches
Nausea
Disturbed sleep
Indigestion
Loss of Appetite
Vomiting
These symptoms typically begin immediately after arrival and tend to worsen at night. Mild AMS does not interfere with regular activity, and symptoms generally subside within 2-4 days as the body acclimatises. As long as symptoms are mild and only a nuisance, ascent can continue moderately.
Prevention of AMS
Altitude sickness is preventable! Pay close attention to your body and the health of individuals in your group. Immediately communicate any symptoms of illness to others on your trip. Oxygen deprivation of the brain may cause individuals to deny or not recognise their symptoms.
STAY HYDRATED — urine output should be copious and clear. Try to drink at least 4-6 litres per day.
AVOID tobacco, alcohol, and other depressant drugs, including barbiturates, tranquillisers, and sleeping pills. They further decrease the respiratory drive during sleep, worsening symptoms. In addition, avoid diuretics such as coffee and tea.
DON'T GO UP UNTIL SYMPTOMS GO DOWN" - people acclimatise at different rates, so make sure your entire party is properly acclimatised before going higher. Rest at the same altitude is efficient for mild symptoms, but you must descend immediately if they do not go away within a day or two.
DIAMOX (acetazolamide) is a drug that effectively minimises the symptoms caused by poor oxygenation by helping you breathe deeper and faster. This drug is not used in treatment; it should only be used as a preventative method. The recommended dose is 125 mg twice a day, and it is advisable to start taking it 24 hours before you go to altitude and continue for at least five days at a higher altitude. Side effects include tingling of the lips and fingertips, blurring vision, and taste alteration. If you are allergic to sulfa drugs, you should not take Diamox. The use of this drug is controversial, so it is advisable to research its effects before seeking a prescription.
EAT high-carbohydrate foods while avoiding fatty foods.
BEFORE your trip, maintain a good work/rest cycle, and avoid excessive work hours and last-minute packing. Listen to your body. Do not overdo things the first day or two. Avoid heavy exercise.
High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) -HAPE results from fluid buildup in the lungs, which prevents effective oxygen exchange from the lungs to the bloodstream.
This serious condition can lead to death if not treated immediately. Symptoms of HAPE include:
Irritating Cough (can produce frothy, often blood-tinged sputum)
Mental confusion, staggering drunken walking, quick, shallow breathing, difficulty breathing
Exhaustion
Chest Pain
Gurgling Noise in the chest
Debilitating headaches and severe fatigue
Disruption of Vision, Bladder, and Bowel Functions
Loss of Coordination of Trunk muscles (test by walking a straight line)
Although rare, HAPE frequently strikes young and fit climbers and trekkers. If you notice these signs in yourself or your group, you must descend immediately, even at night. HAPE can be fatal within a few hours if left untreated. However, if diagnosed early, recovery is rapid, with a descent of only 500-1000 meters. Besides descent, the treatment also includes rest, oxygen administration, and portable hyperbaric chambers.
High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE)
HACE occurs when fluid leakage in the brain causes swelling, affecting the central nervous system. This is considered the most severe altitude-related illness. If left untreated, it will lead to coma and death. HACE is thought to occur in 1% of reasons above 4000 m and 3% of those with AMS and usually occurs after a week or two at high altitudes. Symptoms of XCE can be similar to AMS and HACE and include:
Staggered Gait (unable to walk heel-to-toe in a straight line)
Severe weakness fatigue
Impaired mental processing, confusion
Drowsiness
Headache
Decreasing Levels of Consciousness(loss of memory, hallucinations, psychotic behaviour, and coma)
Changes in Behavior
Difficulty Speaking
Blindness
Vomiting
Paralysis of Limb
Seizures
Immediate descent is the best treatment for HACE. This is urgent, and I cannot wait until morning. The moment HACE is recognised is the moment to start organising an effort to get this person down the mountain, usually to the point where they last slept with no symptoms. It is essential to recognise that persons with this illness are often confused and may not recognise that they are ill.
ALTITUDE SICKNESS
Many people will experience the effects of high altitude. Take precautions to avoid altitude sickness if you are prone to it. Be sure to try a hot tea or an infusion of coca leaves on arrival at altitude. During your first day, slowly eat lightly, resting for the first few hours.
Travel to high altitudes is generally not recommended for those with a history of heart, lung, or sickle cell disease.
DRINKING WATER
We recommend that you always drink bottled or filtered water.
TREKKING
Trekking is a strenuous adventure and should not be undertaken if you have any health conditions which may put you at risk. You are strongly advised to consult your physician for a thorough medical check-up and clearance before attempting a trek in the mountain. If you are over SO years old, talk to your doctor about doing a "stress EKG".
What To Bring
CLOTHING
Lightweight, breathable, hand washable, and quick-drying clothes
Shorts, mid-thigh or longer
Long pants (zip-off pants are very useful)
Short-sleeved shirts
Long-sleeved shirts
Undergarments, socks
Spon bras for women (roads can be bumpy)
Sweater, jacket, windbreaker Rain racket and pants or rain poncho
Sun hat with a brim and chin strap
Bandana (for dust, washing, etc.)
Belt
Pyjamas
Swimsuit
FOOTWEAR
Sturdy, comfortable shoes, preferably waterproof
Tennis shoes or sandals
Comfortable, breathable socks
BAGGAGE
Suitcase or duffel (20 kg max for internal flights)
Day pack for daily activities and easy access (rain cover is nice)
Waterproof plastic bags for storing clothing and gear (zip-locks are great)
ELECTRONICS
Store electronics in sealed water-proof bags (double bagged if possible)
Headlamp or flashlight
Camera, lenses, filters, memory disks (you will not be able to download)
Video camera, tapes
Tripod
Batteries
GPS (for Geocaching)
Alarm clock
Calculator (for currency conversion)
Battery chargers, an electricity adapter
FIRST AID
You really only need one first aid kit in your travel group, so coordinate with your travel companions
Ibuprofin, Aceteminophen, or Aspirin
Bandaids/plasters
Disinfectant, antiseptic cream, antibiotic ointment
Gauze bandages and tape
Throat lozenges
Vitamins
Diarrhoea medicine
Antihistamines
Ace bandage
Melatonin or other sleep aid
Malaria pills (talk to a doctor)
Antibiotics (talk to a doctor)
Prescription drugs (talk to a doctor)
DOCUMENTS
Passport
Visas for all countries as necessary
Medical insurance card
Address book
Business cards
Yellow fever certificate and vaccination records
Airline tickets, e-tickets
Copy of African Holiday Safari itinerary
Make copies of passports, visas, airline tickets/schedules, and traveller's cheque numbers. Leave a copy with someone at home and put a copy in a separate place in your luggage
Meeting Point
Moshi, Tanzania
Cancellation Policy
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For cancellations upto 2 days before the tour -
Refund of 80% of the tour price.
Price
| The Group Size and Price | |
|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | /group |
| 5 to 10 | /group |
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