Kilimanjaro - Rongai Route

This morning you’ll transfer to the northern side of the mountain and the village of Nale Moru (1950m). Having registered at the Rongai Gate you’ll meet your team of guides and porters who will accompany you during your trek. As you walk up from the gate you’ll wind through cultivated farmland and pine forest plantations before entering lush forests. As you go along keep your eyes open; the trees hide many species of birds and you might be lucky enough to see monkeys and signs of larger game. Your first mountain camp will be on the edge of the moorland zone with great views back down to the plains and into Kenya. Walking time 3-4 hours. Camp - 1 night (BLD)

This morning you will have a steady but steep ascent under the jagged peaks of Mawenzi. Leaving grassy slopes behind you’ll leave the vegetation zone and enter the high altitude desert. You’ll head for tonight’s camp near to the Mawenzi Tarn – the only permanent lake on Kilimanjaro - with the cirque of this 5149m peak towering above you. The afternoon is free to help your acclimatisation. Total walking time 4 hours. Camp - 1 night (BLD)

This is a long and demanding day! The guides wake you soon after midnight and you start out in darkness, zigzagging up a long scree slope by the light of your head-torch in the extreme cold. At this time of day the scree is still frozen - which makes it easier to walk on! After roughly two hours you should reach Hans Meyer's Cave - named after the German geologist who made the first successful ascent in 1889 - where he found the remains of a frozen leopard. The gradient gets steeper and three hours on (this is the hardest stretch of the ascent!) you should reach the crater rim at Johanne’s Notch. From here it's a short scramble to Gillman's Point (5680m) in time for dawn. Your reward is the dramatic spectacle of the sun rising over the ice fields and craggy peaks of Mawenzi - the profusion of colours and shapes make all the suffering seem worthwhile! The views are incredible as you look down with the plains of Africa stretching away. For those who still have the energy and drive, it takes another couple of hours along the crater rim to reach Uhuru (Freedom) Peak (5895m). Your descent retraces the route back down to Kibo Hut. Here you’ll be able to get some food and recharge a little before continuing down to Horombo Hut camp for a well-deserved rest. Total walking time approx. 13 hours. Camp - 1 night (BLD)