Kilimanjaro Climb via Rongai Route  - 8 Days

On arrival at the international airport in Kilimanjaro, you will be met by a Himalayan Glacier representative who will escort you to your designated hotel in Moshi. Later, in the evening, there will be a pre-trip discussion with our manager. You will be provided all the details of the forthcoming climb by your travel manager. You may ask as many questions to your trip guide and get a clear vision about your upcoming trip. The final part of your preparation is a final check of your readiness to tackle Kilimanjaro. After the discussion, there will be a welcome dinner hosted by Himalayan Glacier. For dinner, we will try excellent Tanzanian cuisine which will introduce us to the country’s food culture.

In the morning, your guide will arrive at the hotel along with a support crew who will meet you and have another short briefing. After breakfast at your hotel, you will drive off to Kilimanjaro National Park’s northern entrance, Nalemuru Gate (2020m). After acquiring climbing permits and registering with the search and rescue service, you will start trekking to Rongai First Cave Camp (2625m). You will begin with a moderate hike through the coniferous forest up the northern slope of Kilimanjaro. It is not good to walk in haste, instead, walking at a slow and comfortable pace is always advantageous. By the time you reach First Cave Camp, your professional crew will have pitched the tents and made everything ready for your night’s halt including your dinner.

Since it is your first day at this altitude, we strongly advise you to pay attention to the following instruction:

• Stay away from drinking caffeinated and alcoholic beverages.
• Drink as much boiled water as possible, at frequent intervals. It is best for your body if you drink at least 4 liters each day on your trek.
• To lessen symptoms of altitude sickness, take a Diamox pill. If you are allergic to certain medicines, it is recommended that you consult your doctor prior to your trip.
• If you experience any discomfort associated with your breathing and start feeling sick or get a headache, tell your guide about your condition immediately.

After a hot breakfast, you will depart from Rongai First Cave and climb up towards the Kikilewa Camp (3630m). You will walk through the rainforest before transitioning into the low alpine moorland zone filled with shrubs and grasses. The trail passes the Second Cave Camp after walking about 6km which is a good stop-over for lunch break. After lunch, you will turn eastwards to continue the hike to reach the Kikilewa Camp where you will be able to see the Kibo Volcano at its best. The feeling of being on an enormous mountain with a sublime view will blow your mind away. As this trek is more physically demanding than other routes, full rest is recommended once you reach the campsite. Also, be prepared for a cold night as temperatures drop below freezing at this exposed camp.

Today’s hike is a short, but steep climb to the Mawenzi Tarn Camp which sits in the shadow of the magnificent Mawenzi Peak, Kilimanjaro’s second summit. You will spot exotic plants in the moorland before the vegetation zone ends and you reach the campsite. You will have lunch at the camp and rest for 2 hours before setting out on an acclimatization hike towards the Mawenzi Volcano with a 200-meter gain in altitude. Later, you will hike back to the campsite, have dinner in the evening.
Note: It is advised to take the acclimatization hikes seriously as they help you avoid getting altitude sickness and ultimately increase the chances of successfully summiting Kilimanjaro. It is an easy trek with a slight gain in altitude that we recommend trekkers to do so as to speed up the acclimatization process.

Today, you will continue climbing higher on the eastern side of Kibo, crossing the saddle, the alpine desert that lies between Mawenzi and Kibo. Although the actual trekking is not very difficult, the route is dry, barren and rather inhospitable, so it is best recommended to walk at a moderate pace. Once you reach the School Hut Campsite (4750m) at the foot of the Kibo crater, you will be served with hot lunch. You will spend the remaining day resting in preparation for the final ascent without indulging in any strenuous activities. You may have a short hike at a higher elevation in the afternoon which will help your body acclimatize. After an early dinner, you will go to bed and sleep before beginning the final summit attempt of the Uhuru Peak at around midnight.

Day six will begin around midnight when your guide will wake you up. You will have tea and biscuits and then shuffle off into the night to begin your push to the summit. Ascending in the dark crossing a rocky path to the first checkpoint, Hans Meyer Cave (5150m) is a mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. After resting for a while, you will continue on a zigzag path that increases in steepness up to Gillman’s point (5681m), which is located at the crater rim. Here, you will be rewarded with a tantalizing sunrise coming over Mawenzi Peak. From this point on, you will usually experience a snow-covered trail until the top. The trail becomes less steep and continues along the crater rim to Stella point (5685m) to Uhuru Peak – the highest point of Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa, also known as the ‘Roof of Africa’. Reaching the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro is a lifetime accomplishment and you will be able to spend a short time on the top. After spending some taking photographs on the summit, you may descend to the nearest glacier if you wish. Then you will begin descending back to Kibo Hut, have hot lunch, rest for a couple of hours and then continue down to Horombo Hut (3720m) to spend the night.

After a warm breakfast in the morning, you will head towards the Kilimanjaro National Park’s exit at the Marangu Gate. Here, hikers will be congratulated and given a chance to share their opinions on the climb in the guestbook. In the end, you will be presented with commemorative certificates in our office and transferred back to your hotel room. There will be a farewell dinner in the evening to celebrate the successful completion of our journey.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your international departure back home. The hotel check-out time is 11.00 am but if you have an evening flight and wish to check out from the hotel at a later time, there is an option to extend your hotel stay for an extra charge. If you wish to extend your stay in Tanzania for a few more days, then you have the option to go on a Tanzania safari or relax on the beaches of Zanzibar.