Kilimanjaro climbs
Kilimanjaro: 7-day Machame Route
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Kilimanjaro climbs
Kilimanjaro: 7-day Rongai Route
The quiet northern route from the Kenyan border, with an acclimatisation night under the jagged spires of Mawenzi.
- Duration7 days
- DifficultyChallenging
- RouteRongai
- Max altitude5,895 m
- Best timeAll year; the driest northern route
- GroupPrivate, 1 to 12 climbers
- Starts / endsMoshi or Arusha
Rongai approaches Kilimanjaro from the north, near the Kenyan border. It is the driest side of the mountain, which makes it the best choice for the rainy seasons, and it sees a fraction of the traffic of Machame. The scenery is gentler, but the night at Mawenzi Tarn, beneath the shattered towers of Kilimanjaro’s second peak, is one of the best camps on the mountain.
You descend by the Marangu route, so you see two very different sides of Kilimanjaro in one climb.
Highlights
- The quietest and driest of the main routes
- Camp beside Mawenzi Tarn under the jagged second peak
- Acclimatisation day with a hike onto Mawenzi's flanks
- Descend the Marangu route for a full traverse
- Good chance of wildlife in the lower forest
Day by day
Drive around the mountain to Rongai Gate near the Kenyan border. A gentle climb through farmland and pine forest to the first camp.
Steady climb through moorland past Second Cave, with views of Kibo's eastern icefields, to Kikelewa Camp in a sheltered valley.
A short, steep climb to the tarn beneath Mawenzi's towering cliffs. Afternoon acclimatisation walk.
Explore the ridges above camp and get your body used to the altitude. Extra day that pays off on summit night.
Cross the Saddle, the high desert between the two peaks, to Kibo Hut. Rest and early night.
Midnight start to Gilman's Point for sunrise, then along the rim to Uhuru Peak. Long descent to Horombo on the Marangu route.
Descend through moorland and rainforest to Marangu Gate for certificates and the transfer to Moshi.
What's included
Included
- 2 nights hotel in Moshi (before and after the climb), bed and breakfast
- Transfers to Rongai Gate and from Marangu Gate
- All park fees, camping fees and rescue fees
- Professional licensed mountain guide, assistant guides, cook and porters
- Quality mountain tents, sleeping mats, mess tent, tables and chairs
- Three hot meals a day on the mountain and boiled drinking water
- Pulse oximeter checks twice daily and a first-aid kit
- Portable toilet tent
Not included
- International flights and Tanzanian visa
- Travel insurance (must cover trekking to 6,000 m)
- Personal climbing gear (available to rent in Moshi)
- Tips for the mountain crew
- Lunch and dinner at the hotel, drinks and personal items
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