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6
DAYS KILIMANJARO TREKKING
MARANGU ROUTE
TMT 4
DAY
1:
NAIROBI - ARUSHA
10.00 hours:
 Depart
Nairobi for Namanga arriving in time for an early lunch at Namanga River
Lodge. Cross border point (Immigration and Customs) and proceed to Arusha
for dinner and overnight at hotel.
DAY
2:
MANDARA HUT
Depart from your hotel,
drive straight to Marangu National Park gate, where the climb begins (1860m)
on the edge of the mountain forest. Walk through the semi tropical dense
rain forest, with camphor, cedar, juniper, wild olive and pillar trees
festooned with lianas, lichens and Spanish moss. Flowers of various species
delight the eyes, while monkeys shake trees and terraccos and other colourful
forest birds sing in the forest profusion. The walking takes 4 hours covering
9 km to Mandara Hut, at 2744 m near Maundi Crater. Dinner and overnight
at Mandara Hut.
DAY
3:
HOROMBO HUT
Starting early in the
morning towards Horombo Hut you walk 5 hours, to cover the first 4 km
or so, the dense rain forest now gives way to the rolling moorland, clothed
in knee-high grass tussocks dotted here and there with giant heather trees,
some standing upto 9 m high. Here is perhaps the most pleasant point,
where the landscape is decorated with tropical flowers and the sun is
refreshingly warm. From here, both Kibo and Mawenzi Peaks are magnificently
viewed. Some animal species are found here, i.e. bush duikers etc. The
landscape becomes more rugged and rocky, as you continue to Horombo Hut
at 3761 m above sea level. Dinner and overnight at the Horombo Hut. You
should have warm clothes due to strong winds here.
DAY
4:
KIBO HUT
After breakfast, continue
to Kibo Hut through the euphorbia trees and here high altitude causes
difficulty in breathing and tiredness is felt. The path leading you to
Kibo Hut passes the water streams and skirts MAWENZI before opening out
into the lunar landscape of the saddle. It forms a "U" between MAWENZI
and KIBO Peaks. You will experience the winter nights as cold and icy
winds encircle the huts accompanied byfrost and snow. Dinner and overnight
at KIBO Hut.
DAY
5:
HOROMBO HUT
Wake up soon after
midnight for the final attempt to the summit. Walk for about 5 hours,
the steepest and most difficult part of the route, to GILMAN'S POINT at
5681 m above sea level, on the Crater rim. Try again if your stamina allows,
for UHURU Peak, reached in about 2 hours. This is the highest point in
Africa. After signing the visitors book, descend to Horombo Hut, for dinner
and overnight.
DAY
6:
MARANGU GATE/ARUSHA/NAIROBI
After breakfast, descend
to the Marangu National Park Gate, meet your driver, drive back to Nairobi
through Arusha and Namanga.
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