7 Days KILIMANJARO
RONGAI ROUTE
"Seven days on Rongai: Kilimanjaro wonders."
This is one of Kilimanjaro’s easiest routes, and its popularity has been increasing in recent years. This route is located on the northern side of Mount Kilimanjaro with a variety of spectacular landscapes together with different plants and animal’s species. A six-day itinerary for this route is also commonly used but adding an extra day makes reaching the summit more obtainable yet.
The Rongai Route is more scenic than the Marangu Route and easier than other camping routes in climbing Kilimanjaro and the success rate on the Rongai Route is very high. Unlike the Marangu Route where you sleep in huts, on the Rongai Route you sleep in tents, the porter will have your tent pitched and waiting for you at the end of each day’s trek.
On the descent, there are shared camps with Marangu Route at Kibo Huts and Horombo Huts, but the huts are not used for those using Rongai Route. This route starts on the north side of the mountain just south of the Kenyan border and is one of the least traveled routes. The route merges with the Marangu Route for the summit climb.
The descend follows the Marangu Route on the mountain’s southeast side, so you will ably see Kilimanjaro from many viewpoints. The north side of the mountain receives less precipitation so it is a good choice during the wetter months of March – May, and November.
Arrival Day: Kilimanjaro International Airport
Welcome to Tanzania! You will be picked up at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town. You will meet the company representative and your mountain guide who give you a thorough climb briefing, answering all your questions. There will also be an equipment check. Any items that you are lacking may be rented locally of good quality at a fair rate. If your arrival is late in the day, the briefing and equipment check may happen early the next morning instead. No meals are included in the itinerary for this day.
Day 1: Moshi to Rongai Gate (1,950m) to Simba Camp (2,750m)
Transfer by our vehicles through many villages and coffee and plantations for 2-3-hour drive to Rongai Gate (1,950 m/6,398 ft.). After signing in and preparing the porters, you will start hiking on a wide path winding through fields of maize and potatoes, and then enter into montane forest. You will then start to climb gently but consistently through attractive forest that shelters a variety of wildlife. The forest begins to thin as you arrive at Simba Camp (2,600 m/8,530ft) with fantastic views over the Kenyan plains.
Day 2: Simba Camp (2,750m) to Second Cave Camp (3,200m)
After an early breakfast you will have a steady ascent to the second cave where you will stop for lunch. Then after lunch you will have a little rest before acclimatization session whereby you will be walking higher then descend back to the same camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Second cave Camp (3,200m) to Kikelewa Camp (3,600m)
After an early breakfast you will leave the direct trail at this point and strike out across the moorland on a smaller path toward Mawenzi Peak to Kikelewa Camp in a sheltered valley. At the Kikelewa Camp you will settle for your dinner and overnight rest.
Day 4: Kikelewa Camp (3,600m) to Mawenzi Tarn Hut Camp (4,330m)
After breakfast you will face a short, steep climb up grassy slopes; rewarded by superb all-round views, immersed in the vast surrounding wilderness. Soon after, you leave the vegetation behind and arrive at the Mawenzi Tarn Camp, which is situated in a spectacular cirque directly beneath the towering spires of Mawenzi Peak. After this hike, you will reach to the Mawenzi Tarn Hut Camp where you will also see the amazing lake (tarn) with no inlet as well as no outlet. Then after lunch you will have a little rest before acclimatization session whereby you will hike up towards Mawenzi for a splendid acclimatization hike. Then after return back to the camp for lunch the dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Mawenzi Tarn Hut Camp (4,330m) to Kibo Huts Camp (4,695m)
After an early breakfast you will cross the lunar desert of the saddle between Kibo Peak and Mawenzi Peak to Kibo Huts Camp at the bottom of Kibo’s crater wall. You will spend the remainder of the day resting and preparing for your summit climb.
Day 6: Summit Day! Kibo Huts Camp (4,695m) to Uhuru Peak (5,985m) to Horombo Huts Camp (3,690m)
Wake at midnight to a light breakfast and then prepare for your summit ascent. The goal is to climb before dawn so that you can reach Uhuru Peak shortly before or after sunrise. Leave to the peak at 12; 00AM, switchback up steep scree or possibly snow, and reach Gilman’s Point on the crater rim at 5,861 m/18,640 ft between 4 and 6 AM. At this point, you will have views of the fabled crater and its icecaps facing you. Then after 2 hours of hiking along the Kibo Crater Rim near the celebrated snows takes you to Kilimanjaro’s true summit, Uhuru Peak here you will spend some minites for taking photos and enjoying the achievement. After your summit activities done, descend back to the Kibo Huts Camp, have lunch, rest, collect your equipment, and continue on down, re-crossing the saddle to the Horombo Huts. Have dinner and overnight at Horombo Camp.
Day 7: Horombo Huts Camp (3,690m) to Marangu Gate (1,830m) to Moshi (1,387m)
After a long and enjoyable sleep, you will be awaked for breakfast and pack up, start descend through the moorland to Mandara Camp. Here you will have lunch then precede with your triumphant recessional down through lush forest to Marangu Gate. Here you will sign out then after a vehicle will take you to back to the hotel. Those who have achieved certificates will be awarded to them, you will have the opportunity to tip your climb staff and say goodbye to them. Dinner is not included in the climb package for this day.
Departure Day
Our driver will be available to take you to Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) at any time you require. If you have a safari planned through Dotcom Safaris, your safari guide will pick you up at the pre-arranged time. If you have planned for time in Zanzibar, we will have gone through the arrangements with you. Your breakfast is included in your itinerary this day as long as your departure is not before the hotel’s scheduled breakfast hours. Hotel checkout is at 10am but if you have a later departure we can try to arrange a late checkout or a day room (extra cost for day room).
| # of climbers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rongai 7 Days | $3498 | $2557 | $2487 | $2417 | $2347 | $2277 |
| Rongai 6 Days | $3106 | $2233 | $2163 | $2093 | $2023 | $1953 |
• Airport pick up and drop-off per group
• 2 nights at a hotel bed & breakfast plus celebration dinner
• Professional guides & dedicated crew
• Transfers to and from the mountain
• All Meals as per daily itinerary
• Activities as per the itinerary
• National Park Fees
• Purified drinking water
• Dry bag to protect your duffel bag
• Oxygen bottles for emergency
• Portable chemical toilet
• Mountain tents plus standard sleeping mattress
• Official Summit Certificate
• Personal travel insurance
• Tanzania entry visa
• Tips for the support team
• Sleeping bags and other personal gear
• Rental gear
• Lunch and dinner at the hotel
• Drinks and snacks
• Additional airport or gate transfers
• Extra nights at the hotels
• Expenses of a personal nature (souvenirs, etc.)