Day 1 – Kilimanjaro Gate (1,700m) to Mandara Hut (2,740m) and Return
Elevation: 1,700m to 2,740m and back | Hiking Time: 4-5 hours up, 3-4 hours down

After enjoying breakfast at your hotel, you’ll meet your experienced guide and embark on a scenic one-hour drive to Kilimanjaro National Park Marangu Gate, where you’ll complete registration formalities before beginning your exciting ascent through the spectacular rainforest. The well-maintained trail winds steadily upward beneath a lush canopy of towering Eucalyptus trees where you’ll watch for playful Colobus monkeys leaping through the branches, listen to enchanting birdcalls echoing through the forest, and breathe in the fresh mountain air as you climb toward Mandara Hut at 2,740 meters. Upon reaching the hut, take a well-deserved break and enjoy your packed lunch before embarking on an optional but highly rewarding side trip to Maundi Crater for breathtaking panoramic views stretching across Northern Tanzania into Kenya, offering a stunning perspective of the surrounding landscape. In the afternoon, begin your descent back through the rainforest to Marangu Gate, where your vehicle will be waiting to drive you back to Moshi, completing your memorable one-day Kilimanjaro adventure.