We'll set off from The National Park Gate (1,830 m.) at the edge of Marangu, a charming village with a swathe of small coffee and banana plantations. After completing the entrance formalities, we'll climb up through an leafy and unspoilt forest to reach the clearing containing Mandara Hut (2,700 m.). We've reached our accommodation for the night, a group of comfortable wooden huts in a forest clearing.
They may be huts, but this isn't rough sleeping: the largest cabin has a downstairs dining area and an upstairs dormitory and mattresses, with each smaller hut sleeping eight people. We've powered through 3-4 hours of walking today so you're welcome to rest here: the taps gush fresh spring water, you can hear the birds singing, and you might be lucky enough to spot some monkeys. Or for an extra afternoon excursion, you can hike to the volcanic remains of nearby Maundi Crater. (B/L/D) Stay: Mandara Hut Camp
Rise and shine! We're starting our ascent this morning by torchlight at about 1AM, aiming to be up at Gillman’s Point by sunrise. The initial climb is steep over loose volcanic scree, but there are some well-graded zig-zags and a slow but steady pace will have us up to Gillman’s (5,685 m.) in about five or six hours. We rest here and spend some time taking in the beauty of the sunrise. For those who are still feeling strong, you can make the three hour round trip from here along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,896 m.), passing close to the spectacular glaciers that still occupy most of the summit area.
The descent is surprisingly fast and we return to Horombo via Kibo for the night. We descend back to the Kibo Huts, have lunch, rest, collect our things, and re-cross the saddle to the Horombo Huts. Time to eat dinner and get some well-deserved sleep: this was, by far, the most difficult part of the trek. (B/L/D) Stay: Horombo Hut Camp
There are currently no departures available on this trip. Either it's the end of the season and new departures will be released shortly, or this itinerary has been changed and will no longer continue. Feel free to contact us for information about when next seasons dates will be released or click here to view the general release dates for all destinations.
Contiki Tours
Travel Styles