Marangu Route
Marangu Route
The Marangu Route is the classic trail for Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing, often called the Coca-Cola route. Unlike other trails, it offers communal huts for staying rather than camping.
Although the route is relatively easy and has few steep climbs, it’s known for a lower success rate due to limited acclimatization time. Its popularity remains, providing a unique experience as one of the oldest Kilimanjaro Routes and the convenience of purchasing a Coke along the way.
Introducing The Classic Tariff
Marangu Route Price
| US$ | 1 Pax | 2 Pax | 3 Pax | 4 Pax | 5 Pax | 6 Pax | 7 Pax+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Days treks + 2 night hotel | $2, 530 | $2,300 | $2, 225 | $2,115 | $2,000 | $1, 823 | $1,788 |
| 6 Days treks + 2 night hotel | $2,730 | $2, 545 | $2,457 | $2,386 | $2,247 | $2,100 | $1,872 |
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Marangu Route At A Glance
- Total Distance – 72 km or 45 miles
- Difficulty – Low
- Duration – 5-7 Days
- Success Rate – Low
- Height – Reaches the summit at Uhuru Peak at a height of 5895 meters (19341 feet)
- Location – Marangu approaches Kilimanjaro from the southeast, and the trails begin at Marangu gate.
Highlights And Considerations
Being the oldest Kilimanjaro Climbing Route, the Marangu Route is the only trail providing hut accommodation. It allows amateur hikers or trekkers to a comfortable sleep-in dormitory-style hut accommodation.
The Marangu Trail will take you through panoramic views as you travel through forests, moorlands, a high-altitude desert-like alpine area in the Saddle, and rocky paths and snow when you reach the summit.
However, the scenic variety is limited as the Marangu Route Up Kilimanjaro follows the same route for ascent and descent.
Key Highlights
- Stay in comfortable huts
- Experience sweeping views
- Diverse terrain
Points To Consider
- Limited time for acclimatisation
- Not as scenic compared to other routes
- Challenges with the Kilimanjaro Marangu Route success rate
Best Time To Climb The Marangu Route
The Best Time To Climb Kilimanjaro via the Marangu Route is typically between January–March and June–October. It may get chilly and wet during the rest of the year.
The Marangu Route Itinerary
| DAY | FROM-TO | DISTANCE | TREKKING TIME | ZONES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrival |
|
|
|
|
| DAY 2 |
Kilimanjaro National Park Gate (1700 meters) to Mandara Hut (2700 meters) |
7 km/4 miles |
4-5 hours |
Montane Forest |
| DAY 3 |
Mandara Hut (2700 meters) to Horombo Hut (3720 meters) |
10 km/6 miles |
5-6 hours |
Rainforest/Low-alpine moorland zone |
| DAY 4 |
Horombo Hut (3720 meters)- Kibo Hut (4700 meters) |
10 km/6 miles |
4-8 hours |
Low-alpine zone/High-alpine zone |
| DAY 5 |
Kibo Hut (4700 meters)- Uhuru Peak (5895 meters) |
4 km/2 miles |
6-8 hours |
Glacial zone, high-alpine zone and low-alpine zone |
|
|
Uhuru Peak (5895 meters)-Horombo Hut (3720 meters) |
14 km/8 miles |
4-5 hours |
|
| DAY 6 |
Horombo Hut (3720 meters)-Marangu Gate (1860 meters) |
20 km/12 miles |
5-7 hours |
Low alpine zone and rainforests |
| DAY 7 |
Departure |
|
|
|
All About Marangu Route
Sceneries Along The Way
The Marangu Route is considered less scenic than other Kilimanjaro Routes because the route ascends and descends along the same trail. The path remains picturesque, offering sweeping vistas from the tropical forest, expansive moorland, and elevated desert terrains to a frosty peak summit. It is just that there is a more scenic variety on other Kilimanjaro Routes, as their ascent and descent paths are different.How Crowded Is The Marangu Route?
Trekkers/hikers coming for Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing generally perceive the Marangu Route as more manageable because of its shorter trek, gradual slopes and direct path. However, this is not the case. The route has a lower acclimatization time and is the least scenic among other Kilimanjaro Climbing Routes. Still, owing to the misinformation spread, many hikers continue to choose this route. Therefore, the trail becomes busy and attracts more crowds. Hence, if you want a less crowded trek, this route is not for you.Accommodations On The Marangu Route
As already discussed above, the Marangu Route is the only route up there in Kilimanjaro that accommodates comfortable hut accommodations for its guests. The Kilimanjaro Marangu Route Huts are:
- Mandara Hut – There are 60 bunk beds.
- Horombo Hut- 120 bunk beds
- Kibo Hut- 60 bunk beds
And yes, you are expected to bring your sleeping bags. But you will be supplied with mattresses and pillows at the various huts. These huts are equipped with communal dining halls and washrooms. Expect running water and flushing toilets at lower huts while buckets of water and long drops at Kibo Hut.
Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Cost For Marangu Route
Tanzania Tribe Safaris provides the Marangu Kilimanjaro Route in a seven-day format, suitable for group or individual climbers, starting from $2,099 per person (calculated on double occupancy). This rate encompasses seven days of trekking on the mountain, with an additional day at both the beginning and end of the journey at our appealing partner lodge in Moshi. Kindly visit our 7 Days Marangu Route package to explore further details about this specific Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Tours’ inclusions, exclusions, and specifics.Marangu Route Success Rate
Marangu has a relatively poor acclimatisation profile as one of the shortest routes up Kilimanjaro. Hence, the summit’s success is low.
It is hard to substantiate this fact with official numbers; however, if you look at the data provided by various Mount Kilimanjaro Tour Operators, the average success rate for a 5-day trek is only 45%. And, for a 6-day itinerary, the Kilimanjaro Marangu Route Success Rate becomes 50%
This means that the chances of reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro are low when opting for the Marangu Route. However, we offer the 7-Day Marangu Route trek up Kilimanjaro with an extra day for acclimatization for better summit success rates.
Our Honest Opinion On The Kilimanjaro Marangu Route
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