Day 1 – Kilimanjaro National Park Gate (1,860m) to Mandara Hut (2,700m)
Elevation Gain: 1,860m to 2,700m | Distance: 8km | Hiking Time: 3-4 hours | Habitat: Montane Forest | Meals: L, D

After enjoying breakfast and a comprehensive briefing at your hotel, you’ll embark on a scenic one-hour drive to Kilimanjaro National Park Marangu Gate where you’ll complete registration formalities before beginning your ascent through the spectacular rainforest. The well-maintained trail winds steadily upward beneath a canopy of towering Eucalyptus trees where you’ll spot playful black-and-white Colobus monkeys swinging through the branches and listen to the calls of exotic birds, before arriving at Mandara Hut for your first night on the mountain. In the afternoon, take an optional but highly rewarding side trip to Maundi Crater for breathtaking panoramic views stretching across Northern Tanzania into Kenya, then return to your comfortable mountain hut for dinner and overnight rest at 2,700 meters.

Day 2 – Mandara Hut (2,700m) to Horombo Hut (3,700m)
Elevation Gain: 2,700m to 3,700m | Distance: 12km | Hiking Time: 5-6 hours | Habitat: Heathland | Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast, you’ll leave the cool embrace of the rainforest glades behind and follow an ascending path that opens onto the dramatic moorlands, where the landscape transforms into expansive heathland with increasingly stunning views at every turn. As you climb steadily toward Horombo Hut, you’ll be rewarded with amazing vistas of the jagged Mawenzi Peak and the snow-capped summit of Kibo rising majestically above, while the unique high-altitude vegetation—including otherworldly giant lobelias and groundsels found only on East African mountains—creates an almost alien landscape around you. At this elevation of 3,700 meters, you may begin to feel the effects of altitude as the air thins, making it important to stay hydrated and move at a comfortable pace before arriving at Horombo Hut for dinner and your second night on Kilimanjaro.

Day 3 – Horombo Hut (3,700m) to Marangu Gate (1,860m), Return to Moshi
Elevation Loss: 3,700m to 1,860m | Distance: 20km total | Hiking Time: 6-7 hours | Meals: B, L

Following breakfast, you’ll begin a steady and scenic descent back through the moorland to Mandara Hut, then continue downward along the lush forest path to Kilimanjaro National Park Gate at Marangu, where the air becomes noticeably warmer and thicker with each step. At these lower elevations, the trail can be wet and muddy—especially after rain—so gaiters and trekking poles prove invaluable, while shorts and t-shirts are usually sufficient clothing (though you should keep rain gear and warmer layers handy just in case). Upon reaching Marangu Gate and completing park formalities, you’ll be met by your vehicle for the approximately one-hour drive back to your hotel in Moshi, carrying with you incredible memories of your Kilimanjaro adventure and a deeper appreciation for Africa’s highest mountain.

Package Includes: Park entry fees, hut fees, experienced guides, lunch boxes, all meals on the mountain, and round-trip transport from Moshi to the park gate.

Exclusive (Not Included): Tips for mountain crew, accommodation before and after the trek.