Kilimanjaro
Marangu Route
a bed each night, all the way to Kibo
Five or six days up Kilimanjaro with nights in mountain huts instead of tents, and a pre-dawn climb to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m).
the only route with huts
What the Marangu Route is like
Marangu is the most established trail on Kilimanjaro and the only one where you sleep in permanent huts, with beds and dining halls, rather than tents. Climbers call it the Coca-Cola Route. You walk from the rainforest at Marangu Gate up through moorland to Horombo, then across the high, bare Saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo.
Do not mistake it for the easy way. The huts make the nights more comfortable, but summit night is as hard as on any other route: you leave Kibo Hut around midnight and climb by way of Gillman's Point to Uhuru Peak. The trail up is also the trail down, so you see less variety than on a route that crosses the mountain.
We would choose the six-day climb. Its full day at Horombo, with a short walk to around 4,000 m and back, gives your body time to adjust. The five-day climb is the shortest way up the mountain and leaves little of that time, so it only suits climbers who are already fit and short of days.
camp by camp, metre by metre
The climb, day by day
6 Days Marangu Route Kilimanjaro Adventure
- Day 1Marangu Gate to Mandara Hut
Drive to the Marangu Gate (around 1,970 m) and trek through rainforest to the Mandara Hut. Overnight at Mandara Hut (around 2,720 m).
- Day 2Mandara Hut to Horombo Hut
Climb through forest and open moorland with views of Mawenzi and Kibo to the Horombo Hut. Overnight at Horombo Hut (around 3,720 m).
- Day 3Acclimatisation Day at Horombo Hut
A full acclimatisation day at Horombo, with a short walk to higher ground (around 4,000 m) to help prepare for the summit. Overnight at Horombo Hut (around 3,720 m).
- Day 4Horombo Hut to Kibo Hut
Cross the alpine desert of the 'Saddle' between Mawenzi and Kibo to the Kibo Hut, then rest before the midnight start. Overnight at Kibo Hut (around 4,720 m).
- Day 5Summit Day: Uhuru Peak & Descent to Horombo Hut
Begin the summit attempt around midnight via Gillman's Point, aiming for Uhuru Peak (5,895 m), then descend to Kibo and continue to Horombo. Overnight at Horombo Hut (around 3,720 m).
- Day 6Horombo Hut to Marangu Gate & Departure
Complete the descent to the Marangu Gate, where you sign the register and receive a summit certificate, then transfer to Arusha.
Altitudes are approximate. Reaching the summit depends on your acclimatisation, your fitness and the conditions on the day.
5-Day Marangu Route (Coca-Cola Route)
- Day 1Marangu Gate to Mandara Hut
Drive to the Marangu Gate (around 1,970 m) and trek through rainforest to the Mandara Hut. Overnight at Mandara Hut (around 2,720 m).
- Day 2Mandara Hut to Horombo Hut
Climb through forest and open moorland to the Horombo Hut. Overnight at Horombo Hut (around 3,720 m).
- Day 3Horombo Hut to Kibo Hut
Cross the alpine desert of the 'Saddle' to the Kibo Hut, then rest in preparation for the midnight start. Overnight at Kibo Hut (around 4,700 m).
- Day 4Summit Day: Uhuru Peak & Descent to Horombo Hut
Begin the summit attempt around midnight via Gillman's Point, aiming for Uhuru Peak (5,895 m), then descend to Kibo and continue to Horombo. Overnight at Horombo Hut (around 3,720 m).
- Day 5Horombo Hut to Marangu Gate & Departure
Complete the descent to the Marangu Gate, where you sign the register and receive a summit certificate, then transfer to Arusha.
Altitudes are approximate. Reaching the summit depends on your acclimatisation, your fitness and the conditions on the day.
Is this the right route for you?
Choose it if
- You would rather sleep in a hut than a tent
- You are short of days, and fit enough to make the most of them
- You are happy to walk up and down the same trail
Look elsewhere if
- You want more scenery and do not mind camping Look at Machame
- You want more days to acclimatise, and do not mind camping Look at Lemosho
Next group climbs on this route
We have no confirmed group dates on this route at the moment. Tell us when you would like to climb and we will plan it with you.
Book this route
Kilimanjaro
Questions climbers ask
It is the most comfortable, because you sleep in huts, but it is not an easy climb. Summit night is as hard as on any other route, and the five-day climb leaves little time to adjust to the altitude. Reaching the summit depends on your acclimatisation, your fitness and the conditions on the day.
Yes. It is the only route on Kilimanjaro with hut accommodation: Mandara, Horombo and Kibo. They have beds and dining halls, so you do not camp.
We would take six. The extra day at Horombo, with a short walk higher up and back, gives you more time to adjust before you go on to Kibo.
It is the old nickname for Kilimanjaro's most established trail, set against the tougher Machame, which climbers call the Whiskey Route.
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