7 DaysFrom $2,600Quiet Northern Approach
Rongai Route
The only route from the north: a quieter approach with varied scenery and a gentler gradient.
The Quiet Way Up
Rongai is the only route that approaches Kilimanjaro from the north, and it's the one I recommend to climbers who want a genuine sense of unspoiled wilderness away from the busier western trailheads. It isn't as visually dramatic as Lemosho or Machame, but it sees far less traffic than the other seven-day routes, and it's generally considered the easiest of the quality routes on the mountain.
The gentler gradient makes Rongai a good fit if you want a quality experience but aren't entirely confident in your fitness. You'll walk through rainforest, open moorland and the lunar landscape of the Saddle beneath Mawenzi's spires before descending through Horombo on the Marangu side, a different perspective on the mountain from start to finish.
Day by Day
Arrive in Tanzania
You'll be picked up at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your hotel in Arusha. I'll meet you there to brief you on the days ahead and check your gear, anything missing can be rented on the spot.
Arusha to Rongai Gate to Simba Camp
- Elevation
- 2,000m → 2,650m
- Distance
- 6km / 3.7mi
- Hiking Time
- 3-4 hours
- Habitat
- Rainforest
We drive to the wooden village of Nale Moru, sign in at the gate and let the porters organise themselves before setting off. The path winds through fields of maize and potatoes, then into pine forest, climbing gently and consistently through woodland that shelters a variety of wildlife. By the time the trees thin out, we're at the edge of the moorland zone, camp for the night, with wide views out over the Kenyan plains.
Simba Camp to Second Cave
- Elevation
- 2,650m → 3,450m
- Distance
- 6km / 3.7mi
- Hiking Time
- 4-5 hours
- Habitat
- Moorland
The forest ends soon after we leave camp, and the morning is a steady climb up to Second Cave, with superb views of Kibo and the eastern ice fields on the crater rim.
Second Cave to Kikelewa Camp
- Elevation
- 3,450m → 3,600m
- Distance
- 9km / 5.6mi
- Hiking Time
- 2-3 hours
- Habitat
- Semi-desert
We head out across the moorland on a smaller path toward the jagged peaks of Mawenzi. Camp sits in a sheltered valley among giant senecios, a short day that leaves plenty of time to rest.
Kikelewa Camp to Mawenzi Tarn
- Elevation
- 3,600m → 4,330m
- Distance
- 6km / 3.7mi
- Hiking Time
- 3-4 hours
- Habitat
- Semi-desert
A short but steep climb up grassy slopes rewards you with superb views, and the vegetation falls away shortly before we reach Mawenzi Tarn, spectacularly set in a cirque directly beneath Mawenzi's towering spires. The afternoon is free to rest or explore nearby, useful acclimatization either way.
Mawenzi Tarn to Kibo Hut
- Elevation
- 4,330m → 4,750m
- Distance
- 9km / 5.6mi
- Hiking Time
- 4-5 hours
- Habitat
- Alpine desert
We cross the lunar desert of the Saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo to reach camp at the foot of the Kibo crater wall. The rest of the day is spent resting ahead of a very early start for the summit push, I'll brief you on exactly what that night involves.
Summit Day: Kibo Hut to Uhuru Peak to Horombo Hut
- Elevation
- 4,750m → 5,895m → 3,700m
- Distance
- 6km up / 15km down
- Hiking Time
- 6-8 hrs up, 6-8 hrs down
- Habitat
- Alpine desert & arctic
We set off between midnight and 2am on steep scree or snow toward Gilman's Point on the crater rim at 5,700m, the most physically and mentally demanding stretch of the climb, done in the dark and cold with headlamps and every warm layer you own. From Gilman's Point we continue on to Uhuru Peak itself, the highest point in Africa, with views at every turn. After time to take it in, we descend, stopping for lunch and a rest at Kibo before continuing down to Horombo for the night. Going slowly, "pole pole", and staying positive gets you there.
Horombo Hut to Marangu Gate to Arusha
- Elevation
- 3,700m → 1,700m
- Distance
- 20km / 12.5mi
- Hiking Time
- 4-5 hours
- Habitat
- Rainforest
After breakfast, a steady descent takes us down through moorland to Mandara Hut, then on through lush forest to the park gate at Marangu. It can be wet and muddy lower down, gaiters and trekking poles help, but shorts and a t-shirt are usually enough (keep rain gear and warmer layers handy just in case). We drive you back to Arusha for a shower and a proper rest.
Departure
If your trip ends here, we'll drive you to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight home. If you've booked a safari or a few days in Zanzibar afterward, I'll help you transition straight into the next leg.
What You Get
Ready for Your Adventure?
- Hotel stay: 1 night before and after the climb
- Airport transfers
- All park permits and fees
- Rescue fees for any potential rescue operation
- Fresh meals and drinking water throughout the climb
- Professional mountain guide
- Porters to carry your gear and supplies
- Comfortable two-room mountain tents
- Foam sleeping mattress for each climber
- Transportation to and from the mountain
- Sleeping bag and personal climbing gear (clothing, boots, poles, headlamp, gloves)
- Tips for guides, driver and crew
- Personal expenses: beverages, laundry, and similar costs
- Phone, fax, or other communication services
- Travel insurance (required, covering treks above 4,500m)
- Flights to and from Tanzania
- Visas or other travel documentation
- Snacks on the mountain
- Personal medicine
See the Route
