7 Days Rongai Route Kilimanjaro Climbing

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be welcomed by our Safari Nuggets representative and assisted with your luggage. Enjoy a comfortable private transfer to your hotel in Moshi town, located at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. After check-in, take some time to relax and unwind from your flight. Tonight, you can simply rest in preparation for the adventures ahead.

You’ll be picked up from your hotel in Moshi for the drive to the charming wooden village of Nale Moru. On your way to the trail, you’ll stop at the Marangu Gate to complete the registration forms, then your hike begins. This path is drier than some of the other routes, so you’ll be quite comfortable as you hike through fields and a pine forest. You’ll break through the trees when you arrive at Simba Camp.

After an early breakfast, you will depart from Simba Camp to start trekking towards your second high altitude camp: Second Cave Camp (3,480 m). This route is rather easy and will only take around 3 hours, so when you reach the camp you will still have ample time to rest and explore the surrounding area. After lunch you will have a couple hours to rest, followed by an acclimatization hike in the direction of Kikilewa Camp (3,630 m) on a stretch of the Rongai Route at a short distance with a 100-meter gain in altitude, after which you will hike back down to Second Cave Camp.

After breakfast you will begin trekking to Kikilewa Camp (3,630 m), where you can see Kibo Volcano at its finest (barring cloudy weather). This will be a relief day, so after lunch you will have time to sleep before the next trekking towards Mawenzi Tarn Camp. In the evening after dinner the guide will check health conditions of the each person of the group and give the necessary instructions for tomorrow’s trekking.

After an early breakfast you will the start of trekking to Mawenzi Tarn Camp, which is situated at the foot of Mawenzi Volcano, Kilimanjaro’s second summit. When you reach the camp, you will have lunch and a two-hour rest, after which there will be an acclimatization hike towards Mawenzi Volcano with a 200-meter gain in altitude, followed by a hike back down to Mawenzi Tarn Camp, where you will have dinner in the evening.

This day will be spent trekking towards Kibo Summit Camp (4,700 m). The landscape will change significantly to give
way to a rocky semi-desert. The actual trekking is not very difficult; just remember to stick with an appropriate pace to
keep up your strength for the trekking to Kilimanjaro’s summit. When you reach the camp, we recommend you sleep
well, avoid strenuous activity, and drink as much as you can, because that very night you will be ascending Uhuru Peak
(5,895 m).

You will depart School Hut Camp with its elevation of 4,715 m at night. The trek up to Uhuru Peak’s 5,895 m puts more of a strain on your cardiovascular system than your muscles as the high altitude takes its toll on your body despite the moderate gradient of the climb. One guide will be assigned to every two climbers, constantly evaluating their fitness over the duration of this part of the climb. A walk on the nearest glacier can be undertaken upon reaching the summit. The descent to 3,720 m at Horombo Camp will include a 2-hour rest stop at Kibo Camp. It is highly advisable to keep in mind that 9 out of 10 climbing accident happen on the way down, so watch your step!

Today you’ll be descending from the arid alpine desert through the familiar moorland and into the forest. The trail will be dramatically different from the one you experienced on your first day, as now you’re in the rain-forest. It can be wet and very muddy on the last section of the trail, so be prepared. You may catch a glimpse of some monkeys if you keep your eyes on the trees. After you’ve collected your summit certificate at Marangu Gate your driver will be waiting to drive you back to your hotel for celebration.

After a successful Kilimanjaro trekking expedition, enjoy a relaxed morning at your hotel before checking out. You will then be picked up for a private transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport. Our team will ensure you arrive in good time for your outbound flight. Thank you for trekking with us, and we hope to welcome you back to Tanzania for more adventures in the future.