7 Days Rongai Route

7 Days Rongai Route

Tanzania
7
Days

7 Days Rongai Route

The Rongai Route approaches Kilimanjaro from the northeast, tracing the Tanzania-Kenya border and offering a remote, untouched wilderness experience with rare northern views of the mountain. However, its terrain makes it harder to follow the “climb high, sleep low” acclimatization strategy, increasing the risk of altitude sickness compared to other routes. To improve acclimatization, an extra day at Mawenzi Tarn is highly recommended. The ascent follows a scree path from Kibo Hut to Gilman’s Point, while the descent takes the Marangu route. The main difference between the 6-day and 7-day options is the additional acclimatization day.

Best time to visit: July - August

Duration

7
Days

Places to Visit

Mount KilimanjaroMt. Kilimanjaro

Day by Day Itinerary

You will be picked up by the staff of Finest East Africa Safari from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and driven to your accommodation in Arusha. Participants will be given a short briefing for the climb the next day. Kits and the necessary equipment will be checked as well.

Accommodation: Sg Resort
Meals: Dinner

Hiking time: 4 hours
Distance: Approximately 6.7km
Habitat: Forest (Montane)

We depart from Moshi town and drive 45 minutes 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 the pine forest, and then we climb gently through a forest. The trail is not steep but is rather a gentle hike through 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.

Accommodation: Simba Hut
Meals: Breakfast Lunch and dinner

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.

Accommodation: Horombo Hut
Meals: Breakfast Lunch and dinner

Hiking time: 3 hours •Distance: Approximately 3.7km •Habitat: Moorlands

A short but steep climb up grassy slopes offers 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.

Accommodation: Mawenzi Tarn Camp
Meals: Breakfast Lunch and dinner

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.

Accommodation: Kibo Hut
Meals: Breakfast Lunch andDinner

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.

Accommodation: Moshi Salsalinero Hotel
Meals: Breakfast Lunch and Dinner

Small Form

Why Finest East Africa Safari?

Highest service
Quickest response time
Skilled travel consultants
World-class safari guides
Competitive rates

Included

Park fees
Drinking water in our safari jeeps
All accommodations as stated in the itinerary
All Meals
Camping Equipment Porterage
Pickup and transfer airport
Reservation costs

Excluded

International flights and visas
Travel insurance
Alcoholic drinks
Rescue Fee
Climbing Gear
Sleeping Bag

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