Rongai Route Options
Known for being one of the easiest routes the Rongai is the only route starting on the northern slope of Kilimanjaro. Though this part of the Mountain is rarely visited by hikers, it is not less interesting than the popular southern and western slopes. We recommend Rongai to all those who like reclusive hiking experiences. Rongai is also the only route that passes by Mawenzi, one of the three volcanic cones of Kilimanjaro and the third highest peak in Africa. The way back lies through Marangu, and thus you will be able to see both sides of the mountain.
6 Day Rongai Route
ITINERARY
Day 1:
Arrive in Tanzania. Pickup at Kilimanjaro International Airport by a High Mountain Edge rep and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town. Later on, your guide will come to brief you about the trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear overnight and dinner in the hotel.
Day 2:
Nalemoru Gate (1990 m) to Simba Camp (2570m)
Approx. hiking time: 4 hours
Distance covered: 8 km
Habitat: tropical Rain Forest
Meal: breakfast, lunch and dinner included
After breakfast, you will depart your hotel in Moshi and drive to Nalemoru Gate near the Kenyan boarder, where you start your Mount Kilimanjaro trek. Your first day walk is a gradual ascent through the rain forest. If you’re lucky zebras, elephants, buffalos, monkeys can be seen.
Day 3:
Simba Camp (2570 m) to Kikelelwa Camp (3630 m)
Approx. hiking time: 7 hours
Distance covered: 11 km
Habitat: moorland zone
Meal: breakfast, lunch and dinner included
The trail continues up towards Kibo, passing Second Cave (3450m) and reaching Kikelwa Cave at about 3600 m. The views start to open up and you begin to feel you’re on a really big mountain! Water is in the obvious stream below the cave, although you might have to wander downhill a way to find some.
Day 4:
Kikelelwa Camp (3630 m) to Mawenzi Tan Hut (4330 m)
Approx. hiking time: 4 hours
Distance covered: 8 km
Habitat: semi desert
Meal: breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Today prepare yourself for a short day but steep climb that will take up grassy slopes where you will be rewarded by stunning all round views and a tangible sense of wilderness. The camp it is spectacularly located in a cirque directly beneath the towering spires of Mawenzi. You have free time in the afternoon that you can either use to rest or explore the surrounding areas as an aid to acclimatization. Overnight at Mawenzi Tan Hut
Day 5:
Mawenzi Tan Hut (4330 m) to Kibo Hut (4700 m)
Approx. hiking time: 5 hours
Distance covered: 8 km
Habitat: alpine desert
Meal: breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Today you will cross the lunar desert of the saddle between Kibo and Mawenzi to reach Kibo Hut. You will spend your afternoon for lunch and resting at Kibo while waiting for final ascent to summit at midnight.
Day6:
Kibo Hut (4700 m) to Uhuru Peak (5895 m) then down to Horombo Hut (3700 m)
Approx. hiking time: max. 15 hours
Distance covered: 22 km
Meal: breakfast, lunch and dinner included
The final part you will start climbing around 00:00. The part is considered as the steepest and most demanding. Your guide will set a very standard pace to you (walk slowly). In the darkness it will take us 5 hours to reach the crater rim at Gilmans Point (5685 m) where you will have a short rest with a cup of tea while you enjoy the spectacular sunrise over Mawenzi. Afterwards you continue for almost 1 hour to UHURU Peak (5895 m). You will be passing close to the spectacular glacier and ice diffs that still occupy most of the summit area. After taking photos at the top of Africa you will start walking down to Kibo Hut for a short rest and hot lunch before descending down to Horombo Hut. Overnight at Horombo Hut
Day 7:
Horombo Hut (3720 m) to Marangu Gate (1860 m)
Approx. hiking time: 7 hours
Distance covered: 20 km
Meal: breakfast and lunch Included.
The last day you will pass through heath and moorland zone to Mandara Hut (2700 m) and have a hot lunch there. Then continue going down through a tropical rain forest up to the Kilimanjaro National Park Gate. You will collect your certificates and after completing other park formalities the car will be ready to take you to your hotel in Moshi where you will have warm shower. It’s definitely time to celebrate!
Day 8:
Departure / other destination in Tanzania Later in the evening or the next day you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport to board your home bound flight. Also let High Mountain Edge organize an affordable safari trip to one of the best wildlife parks in Tanzania such as Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater or Serengeti National Park.
END OF TOUR
PRICING:
Prices (quoted in USD/per person)
1 person – $2,000/person
2-4 people – $1,870/person
5-9 people – $1,800/person
10+ people – $1,775/person
Included in the price:
– Two nights’ accommodation in the hotel;
first
night includes dinner &breakfast, last
night
includes dinner
– Private transport to / from Kilimanjaro
International Airport to your hotel in
Moshi
– Qualified guides with mountain crew
– National park fees
– 18% VAT on tour fees
and
services
– All camping accommodations including
mountain tents
– Transport
– All meals on the mountain (breakfast,
lunch
and
dinner)
– Guides and porters accommodations and
their
entry fees on the mountain
– Pulse oximeter
– First aid kit
– Emergence oxygen
– Sleeping bag and sleeping mats
– Katady filtered water throughout the trek
– Fair wages to guides and porters as
approved
by Kilimanjaro National Park
authority
Not included:
– Flights
– Visa
–Rescue insurance
– Tips to mountain crew (usual: guides $20,
Cook
$15, porter $10 per day)
– Items of personal nature Laundry services
– Portable flush toilet with a toilet tent is
extra
($150)
7 Day Rongai Route
ITINERARIES
Day 1:
Arrive in Tanzania. Pickup at Kilimanjaro International Airport by a High Mountain Edge rep and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town. Later on, your guide will come to brief you about the trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear. Then overnight and dinner in the hotel.
Day 2:
Nalemoru Gate (1990 m) to Simba Camp (2570m)
Approx. hiking time: 4 hours
Distance covered: 8 km
Habitat: tropical Rain Forest
Meal: breakfast, lunch and dinner included
After breakfast, you will depart your hotel in Moshi and drive to Nalemoru Gate near the Kenyan boarder, where you start your Mount Kilimanjaro trek. Your first day walk is a gradual ascent through the rain forest. If you’re lucky zebras, elephants, buffalos, monkeys can be seen.
Day 3:
Simba Camp (2570m) to 2nd Cave Camp (3450m)
Approx. hiking time: 3 hours
Distance covered: 5 km
Habitat: moorland zone
Meal: breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Continue hiking up to second camp located in the moorland zone. On this day you will have a good view of Kibo and the eastern ice fields on the crater rim. Then overnight at 2nd Cave Camp
Day 4:
2nd Cave Camp (3480 m) to Kikelelwa Camp (3630 m)
Approx. hiking time: 3.5 hours
Distance covered: 5 km
Habitat: moorland
Meal: breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Another beautiful day with super views of the eastern ice field on the crater rims of Kibo, the highest of the three volcanoes which form the mountain. it will take us 3 hours to cross the moorland zone on a smaller path towards the jugged peaks of Mawenzi (5140 m) to reach at Kikelelwa for lunch and overnight.
Day 5:
Kikelelwa Camp (3630 m) to Mawenzi Tan Hut (4330 m)
Approx. hiking time: 4 hours
Distance covered: 8 km
Habitat: semi desert
Meal: breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Today prepare yourself for a short day but steep climb that will take up grassy slopes where you will be rewarded by stunning all round views and a tangible sense of wilderness. The camp it is spectacularly located in a cirque directly beneath the towering spires of Mawenzi. You have free time in the afternoon that you can either use to rest or explore the surrounding areas as an aid to acclimatization. Overnight at Mawenzi Tan Hut
Day 6:
Mawenzi Tan Hut (4330 m) to Kibo Hut (4700 m)
Approx. hiking time: 5 hours
Distance covered: 8 km
Habitat: alpine desert
Meal: breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Today you will cross the lunar desert of the saddle between Kibo and Mawenzi to reach Kibo Hut. You will spend your afternoon for lunch and resting at Kibo while waiting for final ascent to summit at midnight.
Day 7:
Kibo Hut (4700 m) to Uhuru Peak (5895 m) then down to Horombo Hut (3700 m)
Approx. hiking time: max. 15 hours
Distance covered: 22 km
Meal: breakfast, lunch and dinner included
The final part you will start climbing around 00:00. The part is considered as the steepest and most demanding. Your guide will set a very standard pace to you (walk slowly). In the darkness it will take us 5 hours to reach the crater rim at Gilmans Point (5685 m) where you will have a short rest with a cup of tea while you enjoy the spectacular sunrise over Mawenzi. Afterwards you continue for almost 1 hour to UHURU Peak (5895 m). You will be passing close to the spectacular glacier and ice diffs that still occupy most of the summit area. After taking photos at the top of Africa you will start walking down to Kibo Hut for a short rest and hot lunch before descending down to Horombo Hut. Overnight at Horombo Hut
Day 8:
Horombo Hut (3700 m) to Marangu Gate ( 1860 m) Approx. hiking time: 7 hours Distance covered: 20 km Meal: breakfast and lunch Included. The last day you will pass through heath and moorland zone to Mandara Hut (2700 m) and have a hot lunch there. Then continue going down through a tropical rain forest up to the Kilimanjaro National Park Gate. You will collect your certificates and after completing other park formalities the car will be ready to take you to your hotel in Moshi where you will have warm shower. It’s definitely time to celebrate!
Day 9:
Departure / other destination in Tanzania Later in the evening or the next day you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport to board your home bound flight. Also let High Mountain Edge organize an affordable safari trip to one of the best wildlife parks in Tanzania such as Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater or Serengeti National Park.
END OF TOUR
PRICING:
Prices (quoted in USD/per person)
1 person – $2,000/person
2-4 people – $1,980/person
5-9 people – $1,900/person
10+ people – $1,870/person
Included in the price:
– Two nights’ accommodation in the hotel;
first
night includes dinner &breakfast, last
night
includes dinner
– Private transport to / from Kilimanjaro
International Airport to your hotel in
Moshi
– Qualified guides with mountain crew
– National park fees
– 18% VAT on tour fees and services
– All camping accommodations including
mountain tents Transport Rescue fees
– All needs on the mountain (breakfast,
lunch
and dinner)
– Guides and porters accommodations and
their
entry fees on the mountain
– Pulse oximeter
– First aid kit
– Emergence oxygen
– Sleeping bag and sleeping mats
– Katady filtered water throughout the trek
– Fair wages to guides and porters as
approved
by Kilimanjaro National Park
authority
Not included:
– Flights
– Visa
–Rescue insurance
– Tips to mountain crew (usual: guides
$20,
Cook $15, porter $10 per day)
– Items of personal nature Laundry services
– Portable flush toilet with a toilet tent is
extra
($150)