- 7 Days
- 6 Nights
Rongai Route
Sketch
Mandara Hut, Horombo Hut, Kibo Hut, Uhuru Peak
Full Itinerary
Day 1: Rongai Gate (1,950 m) to Simba Camp (2,600 m)
Your journey begins with a drive from Moshi to the northern slopes, arriving at Rongai Gate for park registration. Stepping onto the soft, forested trail, you’ll immediately notice the route’s unique blend of bamboo groves and towering olive trees.
As you ascend through the Montane Rainforest Zone, be on the lookout for playful blue monkeys and the distant calls of the Hartlaub’s turaco. After 4–5 hours of steady trekking, you’ll arrive at Simba Camp, a sheltered clearing with panoramic views of Kilimanjaro’s southern glaciers—an exceptional introduction to your seven-day adventure.
Day 2: Simba Camp to Second Cave Camp (3,300 m)
Awoken by the soft light filtering through bamboo stalks, you’ll leave the forest behind and enter the Heather and Moorland Zone, where giant lobelias and groundsel punctuate the landscape. The trail undulates over grassy slopes, offering ever-widening vistas of Kibo’s ice-capped summit.
After approximately 5 hours of ascent, you’ll reach Second Cave Camp, perched on a rocky saddle. Here, narrow ridges and distant mountain vistas create a dramatic backdrop for your evening tea, while this higher camp aids your body’s vital acclimatization.
Day 3: Second Cave Camp to Kikelewa Caves (3,600 m)
Day three continues along the gentle moorland up to the Kikelewa Caves, a series of natural rock shelters once used by Maasai herders. Your path traverses rolling grasslands and sparse heath, with each step offering fresh perspectives of Mawenzi’s jagged eastern buttress.
At 3,600 m, Kikelewa Camp’s tent platforms sit beside ancient boulders, providing a perfect perch for sunset photography. This quieter, less-trodden segment of the Rongai route deepens your connection to Kilimanjaro’s rugged beauty.
Day 4: Kikelewa Caves to Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4,300 m)
Leaving the caves behind, you’ll gain significant altitude as the landscape shifts into the Alpine Desert Zone. Giant protea bushes and spiny aloe plants cling to the stony ground, while the air grows crisp and thin.
After 6–7 hours of climbing, you’ll arrive at Mawenzi Tarn Camp, nestled beside a glacial tarn reflecting the towering spires of Mawenzi Peak. This high camp is a photographer’s dream, with crystal-clear water mirroring the mountain’s rust-red cliffs—a spectacular feast for your summit-bound senses.
Day 5: Mawenzi Tarn Camp to Kibo Hut (4,700 m)
Today’s trek crosses the stark lunar landscape of the Saddle, the high desert plateau between Mawenzi and Kibo. The terrain is rocky and windswept, with ancient lava flows sculpted into surreal formations.
Keeping a slow, steady pace, you’ll cover this 6–8 km stretch in about 5–6 hours, arriving at Kibo Hut by early afternoon. Here, at 4,700 m, you’ll rest, refuel, and mentally prepare for your nocturnal summit push—every layering decision and sip of hot soup critical for the challenge ahead.
Day 6: Summit Ascent – Kibo Hut to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) to Horombo Hut (3,720 m)
Roused around midnight, you’ll begin the steep, scree-clad ascent toward Gilman’s Point on the crater rim. Under a blanket of stars, guide encouragement and headlamp beams propel you upward through the Arctic Summit Zone.
Dawn breaks as you reach Gilman’s Point (5,685 m), unveiling a sea of clouds below and the icy crater lip ahead. A final push leads to Uhuru Peak, Africa’s highest point, where triumphant summit photos await. After basking in the altitude triumph, you’ll descend past Kibo Hut and continue down to Horombo Hut, a longer day of 10–12 hours but one filled with jubilation and reflection.
Day 7: Horombo Hut to Marangu Gate (1,860 m) and Return to Moshi
Your final trekking day is a long yet gentle descent through Heather, Moorland, and Montane Forest Zones, retracing your steps toward civilisation. After 5–6 hours, you’ll emerge at Marangu Gate, where Tanzanian park rangers award your summit certificate—gold for Uhuru Peak, green for Gilman’s Point. A vehicle transfer returns you to Moshi for a celebratory hot shower and dinner, capping off a seven-day Rongai Route itinerary that blends adventure, acclimatization strategy, and breathtaking vistas into the ultimate Kilimanjaro trekking experience.
BOOK THIS TOUR NOW
Includes
- Full Board Accommodation for 5 nights on safari incl. breakfast, lunch & dinner.
- Unlimited Mileage with excellent 4x4 Safari Vehicle with professional English-Speaking driver guide
- Park Entry Fee for all National Park mentioned on the itinerary
- Mineral Water in the Safari Vehicle for 6 days
- Activities, Morning walk at Lake Burunge, Manyara Treetop walk away and Olduvai Gorge visit
Excludes
- All items of personal nature e.g. telephone call bills, fax/email bills etc.
- Visa and Drones
- Tips and gratuities to hotel, lodges, camp staff and driver- guide(s).
- International flight and departure taxes.
- Laundry services.
- Any other item of personal nature.
Related Trekking Route
Marangu Route Trekking
known as the “Coca-Cola Route,”is a popular route on Mount Kilimanjaro
Machame Route Trekking
also known as the “Whiskey Route”,is a popular, yet challenging, trekking route
