7 Days Rongai Route
Explore Tours
The Rongai route ascends Kilimanjaro from the northeastern side of the mountain, tracing the border between Tanzania and Kenya. This route offers a pristine wilderness experience and provides a unique perspective of Kilimanjaro from the north.
Due to the topography of the route, the climb high and sleep low principle cannot be fully applied, leading to a higher incidence of altitude sickness among hikers compared to other routes (thus, an additional acclimatization day is strongly recommended). The Rongai route follows the scree summiting path from Kibo hut to Gilman’s point and descends via the Marangu route. The primary difference between the Rongai 6-day and 7-day itineraries lies in the inclusion of an additional acclimatization day at Mwenzi Tarn.
Included/Exclude
- Â Park fees
- Â All activities (unless labeled as optional)
- Â All accommodations as stated in the itinerary
- Â A professional driver/guide
- Â All transportation (unless labeled as optional)
- Â All Taxes/VAT
- Â Roundtrip airport transfer
- Â All Meals (as specified in the day-by-day section)
- Â Camping Equipment
- Â Porterage
- Â International flights (from/to home)
- Â Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- Â Tips (tipping guideline US$20.00 pp per day)
- Â Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- Â Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
- Â Alcohol drinks
- Â Rescue Fee
- Â Climbing Gear
- Â Sleeping Bag
Tour Amenities
Tour Plan
Hiking time: 4 hours •Distance: Approximately 6.7km •Habitat: Forest (Montane)
We depart from Moshi town and drive 45mins. to Marangu park gate for registration. From there, we travel to Naro Moru, a further 68km and approximately 2 ½ hours on bad roads to the Rongai starting point (1996m). We begin our hike from the Nale Moru village. The small winding path crosses maize fields before entering pine forest, and then we climb gently through a forest. The trail is not steep, but is rather a gentle hike through a beautiful countryside. The first night’s camp is at Simba Camp (2626m). The camp facilities include a public toilet and a wooden table with benches, but no hut.
Hiking time: 6 – 7 hours •Distance: Approximately 11.8 km •Habitat: Moorlands
We hike from Simba camp to Kibo (3482m). We arrive for lunch at First Caves. The distance is 5.8km. After lunch, we continue trekking until we reach Kikelewa Camp at about 3679m. Here you will have an amazing view including a stream of water below the cave.
Hiking time: 3 hours •Distance: Approximately 3.7km •Habitat: Moorlands
A short but steep climb up grassy slopes offer superb views of this wilderness area. The vegetation zone ends shortly before you reach your next camp at Mawenzi Tarn situated beneath the towering spires of Mawenzi. Here we spend the afternoon acclimatizing and exploring the area.
Hiking time: 5 hours •Distance: Approximately 9 km •Habitat: Alpine desert
After breakfast, we head west and continue ascending on the east side of Kibo. We then cross the saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo taking 4 to 5 hours to reach Kibo Hut. The remainder of the day is spent resting in preparation for the final ascent, which begins around midnight. Overnight at Kibo hut.
Kibo hut (4730m) – Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Horombo hut (3705m)
Hiking time: 7 to 8 hours to reach Uhuru Peak | 6 to 8 hours to descend to Horombo
•Distance: Approximately 5.4km ascent and 15 km descent •Habitat: Stone scree / ice-cap summit
The total time spent walking on this day is around 14 hours, so be prepared for a very tough day. You will rise around 23h20, and after some tea and biscuit, we begin our ascent. The first section of the trail consists of a rocky path to the Hans Meyer Cave (5150m), also a good resting spot. The path then zigzags up to Gillman’s point (5681m), which is located on the crater rim. This section is very steep with a lot of stone scree, requiring a great physical and mental effort. This is probably the most demanding section of the entire route. From Gillmans Point, you will normally encounter snow all the way up to Uhuru peak (5895m), the highest point in Africa!
Weather conditions on the summit will determine how long you will be able to spend taking photographs and enjoying the amazing scenery. Afterwards, we begin our 3-hour descent back to Kibo hut. After a short rest at Kibo hut, we gather all our remaining gears and head down to Horombo hut (3 hours) for your overnight. The return to Horombo hut will seem surprisingly fast compared to the ascent. Later in the evening, you will have your last dinner on the mountain and have a well-earned sleep.
Hiking time: 6 hours •Distance: Approximately 19.7 km •Habitat: Moorland & Montane Forest
After breakfast, we continue our descent for around 6 hours passing the Mandara hut down to the Marangu gate. At Marangu gate, successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Those climbers who reached Gillman’s Point (5685m) are issued with green certificates, and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates. Afterwards, we drive back to Moshi for a long overdue hot shower and celebration.
