DAY
1: ARUSHA -MARANGU
Transfer to Marangu. Dinner and overnight at a Hotel.
DAY
2: MARANGU - MANDARA HUT (2,744 M)
Distance: 9 kms. Estimated duration: 4 hours.
Depart from your hotel, drive straight to Marangu National
Park gate, where the climb begins (1860m) on the edge of the
mountain forest. Walk through the semi tropical dense rain
forest, with camphor, cedar, juniper, wild olive and pillar
trees festooned with lianas, lichens and Spanish moss. Flowers
of various species delight the eyes, while monkeys shake trees
and terraccos and other colourful forest birds sing in the
forest profusion. The walking takes 4 hours covering 9 km
to Mandara Hut, at 2744 m near Maundi Crater. Dinner and overnight
at Mandara Hut.
DAY
3: MANDARA HUT - HOROMBO HUT (3,761 M)
Distance: 11kms. Estimated duration: 5 hours.
Starting early in the morning towards Horombo Hut you walk
5 hours, to cover the first 4 km or so, the dense rain forest
now gives way to the rolling moorland, clothed in knee-high
grass tussocks dotted here and there with giant heather trees,
some standing upto 9 m high. Here is perhaps the most pleasant
point, where the landscape is decorated with tropical flowers
and the sun is refreshingly warm. From here, both Kibo and
Mawenzi Peaks are magnificently viewed. Some animal species
are found here, i.e. bush duikers etc. The landscape becomes
more rugged and rocky, as you continue to Horombo Hut at 3761
m above sea level. Dinner and overnight at the Horombo Hut.
You should have warm clothes due to strong winds here.
DAY
4: HOROMBO HUT - KIBO HUT (4,700 M)
Distance: 10kms. Estimated duration: 5 hours.
After breakfast, continue to Kibo Hut through the euphorbia
trees and here high altitude causes difficulty in breathing
and tiredness is felt. The path leading you to Kibo Hut passes
the water streams and skirts MAWENZI before opening out into
the lunar landscape of the saddle. It forms a "U"
between MAWENZI and KIBO Peaks. You will experience the winter
nights as cold and icy winds encircle the huts accompanied
by frost and snow. Dinner and overnight at KIBO Hut.
DAY
5: UHURU PEAK - HOROMBO HUT (3,761 M)
Distance: 24kms. Estimated duration: 12-13 hours
Wake up soon after midnight for the final attempt to the summit.
Walk for about 5 hours, the steepest and most difficult part
of the route, to GILMAN'S POINT at 5681 m above sea level,
on the Crater rim. Try again if your stamina allows, for UHURU
Peak, reached in about 2 hours. This is the highest point
in Africa. After signing the visitors book, descend to Horombo
Hut, for dinner and overnight.
DAY
6: HOROMBO HUT - MARANGU HOTEL
Descend to Marangu Gate then transfer to Marangu or Kibo Hotel
for dinner and overnight.
DAY
7: MARANGU - ARUSHA
After breakfast, return to Arusha by company transport.
