The Marangu route

Marangu is the odd one out among Kilimanjaro’s routes, and the oldest. It is the only route with huts: instead of camping, you sleep in simple dormitory buildings with bunks at Mandara, Horombo and Kibo. It approaches from the south-east, and (unusually) you come down the very same trail you went up, rather than making a circuit. Its old nickname is the “Coca-Cola route”, a contrast to the tougher Machame “Whiskey route”, and it has a reputation as the easiest and most comfortable way up.

That reputation is only half right. The huts, the gentler gradients and the shorter walking days do make it comfortable, and the roof over your head makes it a sensible choice in the wet seasons when everyone else is in sodden tents. But Marangu is also the route with the least room to acclimatize, and its success rate (especially on the bare five-day version) is lower than the longer camping routes. Comfortable is not the same as easy when it comes to reaching the top.

This section carries the full eastern stage set, including the summit day via Gilman’s Point and the descent, which the Rongai route also uses. We present Marangu as a six-day climb (five days is the minimum we would not recommend) with the important extra night spent at Horombo Hut for an acclimatization day. Honestly, though, Marangu does not stretch to the longer, better-acclimatized profiles that suit this mountain: the huts are at fixed points and you walk up and down the same path, so there is a ceiling on how much time you can add. If maximizing your chances of the summit matters most to you, a longer camping route such as Lemosho or the Northern Circuit will serve you better. The planning chapter explains why days on the mountain matter so much.

In this section

• → Marangu Gate to Mandara Hut
• → Mandara Hut to Horombo Hut
• → Horombo Hut to Kibo Hut
• → Summit day: Kibo Hut to Uhuru
• → Descent via Marangu