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RONGAI ROUTE (6day/5nights)        

The Rongai Route approaches Kilimanjaro from the north with its starting point just south of the Kenya-Tanzania border. This route can be done in either 6 or 7 days, but we highly recommend the 7 day climb to allow more time to acclimatize. This route is best during the rainy seasons of April and May when the other trail are experiencing the heavy rains. It passes through farmland and forest, past Alpine moorland to the beautiful summit cone. There are magnificent views throughout, as the trails climb beneath the towering spires of Mawenzi. The final ascent is arduous and made in darkness, but the reward is a spectacular dawn view of the glaciers and ice cliffs of the summit, and across the East African plains far below.

Day 1: ARRIVE AT KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (JRO)
        We will meet you on your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and transfer you to your overnight hotel which is located near Arusha. 

            Overnight: Ilboru Safari Lodge or similar (Bed & Breakfast)

 

Day 2: PRE-CLIMB ORIENTATION

            This day is designed to give you plenty of time to relax, pack and recoup from the long journey. Your Kilimanjaro climbing team leader and guides will meet you in the late morning for a short pre-climb orientation. During the orientation, you will meet the Trip Leader and the Guides and you will go through the climbing program, discuss about the mountaineering and group expedition ethics, hazards on the mountain, sickness prevention, treatment and evacuation procedures. Our guides will go through our group camping gear and demonstrate the use and operation of all the equipment. They will also show you and demonstrate the use and operation of our safety equipments especially Emergency Supplemental Oxygen Tanks, Pulse Oximeter, Gamow Hyperbaric Chamber and our climbing expedition First Aid Kits. Safety is our first priority on the mountain. The guides will answer any questions you have about the climb. We will do equipment check with each person to be sure that you are fully prepared. 

            Overnight: Ilboru Safari Lodge or similar (Bed & Breakfast)

 

Day 3: MOORLAND CAMP (8,500’) (day 1 on the mountain)

            After breakfast we will drive for about 2 hours on the main road to Marangu Gate for registration formalities and then go around the mountain to Rongai, which is a 2 to 3 hour drive on rough track through the villages. The climb begins from the attractive wooden village of Nale Moru on a small path that wind through fields of maize and potatoes before entering pine forest. The track then starts to climb consistently, but gently through attractive forest that shelters a variety of wildlife, including the beautiful black and white Colobus monkey. These monkeys are black with a long ‘cape’ of white hair and a flowing white tail. The forest begins to thin out and the first camp is at the edge of the moorland zone with extensive views over the Kenyan plains.
 

Day 4: KIKELEWA CAVES CAMP (11,300’) (day 2 on the mountain)

            The morning walk is a steady ascent up from Moorland Camp to the ‘Second Cave’. Early morning is normally clear at camp and as we make our way up across the moorland we should get increasingly good views of Kibo, the eastern ice fields, and the jagged peak of Mawenzi. After lunch, we leave the main trail and strike out across the moorland on a smaller path towards the jagged peaks of Mawenzi. This is the start of our extra acclimatization. Our campsite is in a sheltered valley with giant senecios near Kikelewa Caves.

 

Day 5: MAWENZI TURN HUT (14,200’) (day 3 on the mountain)

            A short but steep climb from Kikelewa Caves Camp up grassy slopes is rewarded by superb all round views and a feeling of real remoteness. We leave the vegetation behind shortly before reaching the next camp at Mawenzi Tarn. The camp is spectacularly situated in a cirque directly beneath the towering spires of Mawenzi. This is good terrain for the famous giant senecios to grow into impressive specimens and the afternoon will be free to rest or explore the surrounding area, this is another important an aid to acclimatization.

 

Day 6: SCHOOL CAMP (15,500’) (day 4 on the mountain)

            We cross the lunar desert of the ‘Saddle’ between Mawenzi and Kibo to reach School campsite at the bottom of the Kibo crater wall. The remainder of the day is spent resting in preparation for the final ascent before a very early night!

 

Day 7: SUMMIT ASCENT (19,340’)& DESCENT TO HOROMBO HUT (12,200’) (day 5 on the mountain)

            We will start the final, and by far the steepest and most demanding, part of the climb by torchlight around midnight. We plod very slowly in the darkness on a switchback trail through loose volcanic scree to reach the crater rim at Gillman’s Point. We will rest there for a short time to enjoy the spectacular sunrise over Mawenzi. After the break we will proceed with our hike to Uhuru Peak (19,340), passing close to the spectacular glaciers and ice cliffs that still occupy most of the summit area. The descent to Kibo Hut is surprisingly fast and, after some refreshment, we continue the descent to reach our final campsite at Horombo.

 

Day 8: FINAL DESCENT TO MARANGU GATE (6,200’) (day 6 on the mountain)

            A steady descent takes us down through moorland to Mandara Hut, the first stopping place at the Marangu route. We then continue descending through lovely lush forest on a good path to the National Park gate at Marangu. We will check out and receive Kilimanjaro climbing certificate at the park gate office, then eat our lunch and say goodbye to our mountain staff. After lunch we will drive through very beautiful coffee plantations and small villages of the Chagga people back to Arusha, for a nice hot shower or swimming at the lodge and relax, looking forward to go on safari next day.                                              

            Overnight: Ilboru Safari Lodge or similar (Bed & Breakfast)