Rise Beyond the Horizon on Kilimanjaro
Rongai Route 6 Days or 7 Days
Rongai Route 6 Days or 7 Days
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Overview
Hiking Adventures Across Kilimanjaro's Diverse Landscapes
This is one of Kilimanjaro’s easiest routes, and it has become an increasingly popular route in recent years. This route is located on the northern side of Mount Kilimanjaro with a variety of spectacular landscapes together with different plants and animals species.
The typical duration for this trip is 6 days. However, you can also add an acclimatization day and make it 7-day climb.The Rongai Route is more scenic than the Marangu Route and easier than other camping route in climbing Kilimanjaro and the success rate on the Rongai Route is very high.
Unlike the Marangu Route where you sleep in huts, on the Rongai Route you sleep in tents, the porter will have your tent pitched and waiting for you at the end of each days trek. This route starts on the north side of the mountain just south of the Kenyan border and is one of the least traveled routes. The route merges with the Marangu Route for the summit climb. The descend follows the Marangu Route on the mountain’s southeast side, so you will able see Kilimanjaro from many view points. There are two versions of this trek – a direct 6-day itinerary, and a 7-day itinerary that takes a longer route. The 6-day itinerary is described down below and the longer variation is described in the extra day’s section.
| Day | Overnight Stays In Tents | Hours | Kilometers |
| 1 | Nalemeru Gate (1950m) – Simba Camp (2750m) | 3-4 | 9 km |
| 2 | Simba Camp (2750m) – Kikelewa Camp (3600m) | 6-7 | 10 km |
| 3 | Kikelewa Camp (3600m) – Mawenzi Tarn Hut (4330m) | 4-5 | 7 km |
| 4 | Mawenzi Tarn Hut (4330m) – Kibo Hut (4700m) | 5-6 | 8 km |
| 5 | Kibo Hut (4700m) – Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Horombo Hut (3690m) | 10-15 | 18 km |
| 6 | Horombo Hut (3690m) – Marangu Gate (1870m) | 5-7 | 18 km |
Price depends on the number of people in a group, The route and number of days, click book below and let us know the number of people in your group, the route you want and number of days, We will get back to you instantly with the exact price.
Inclusion
Trip Included
- All park fees (entry, camping, forest department fees, crater camp fees and rescue fees).
- Three meals a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) while on the mountain.
- Camping facilities (tents, mattresses, dining tent, kitchen tent, camping chair, lanterns, cooking gas canister, utensils, and table).
- Salaries for the team (guide, assistant guide, cook and porters).
- Transport from the hotel in Moshi town to the starting point of Lemosho route and back on the final day at Mweka gate back to the
- Hotel in Moshi town.
- Drinking water.
- Two night’s accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis in Moshi town before the climb and after the climb.
- Pulse oximeter. A daily medical check up will be done every morning and in the evening by my professional team to see how you are responding to the high altitude.
- Emergency oxygen canister.
- All applicable government taxes.
- Airport transfers to and from Kilimanjaro airport.
exclusion
Trip Excluded
- Tips for the team (guides, cook and porters)
- Personal mountain climbing gears and equipments.
- Alcoholic and soft drinks (sodas)
- Meals at the hotel in town
- Any additional night(s) in town
- Private portable toilet
7 Days Rongai Route
Scale Kilimanjaro via the Rongai Route in 7 days—your ultimate adventure with epic views and memorable highs!
Days 1
Moshi to Rongai Gate to Simba Camp
You will have an early breakfast. Transfer by our vehicles through many villages and coffee plantations for 2-3 hours drive to Rongai Gate (1,950 m/6,398 ft). After signing in and preparing the porters, you will start hiking on a wide path winding through fields of maize and potatoes, and then enter into montane forest. You will then start to climb gently but consistently through attractive forest that shelters a variety of wildlife. The forest begins to become thinner as you arrive at Simba Camp (2,600 m/8,530ft) with fantastic views over the Kenyan plains.
- Elevation(m): 1,387/915 m to 1,950 m to 2,750 m
- Distance: 9 km
- Hiking Time: 4 hours
- Habitat: Montane Forest
After an early breakfast you will have a steady ascent to the second cave where you will stop for lunch. You leave the direct trail at this point and strike out across the moorland on a smaller path toward Mawenzi side peak to Kikelewa Camp in a sheltered valley. At the Kikelewa Camp you will settle for your dinner and overnight rest.
- Elevation: 2,750 m to 3,600 m
- Distance: 17 km
- Hiking Time: 7 hours
- Habitat: Moorland
Days 2
Simba Camp to Kikelewa Camp
Days 3
Kikelewa camp to Mawenzi turn hut
After breakfast you will face a short, steep climb up grassy slopes; rewarded by superb all-round views, immersed in the vast surrounding wilderness. Soon after you leave the vegetation behind and arrive at the Mawenzi Tarn Camp, which is situated in a spectacular cirque directly beneath the towering spires of Mawenzi Peak. After this hike, you will reach the Mawenzi turn hut camp where you will also see the amazing undried Lake with no inlet as well as outlet here you will have lunch and rest, dinner and overnight at this camp.
- Elevation: 3,600m to 4,330m
- Distance: 7km
- Hiking Time: 4 hours
- Habitat: Semi-Desert
This is your extra day on the mountain, and you will spend two nights at Mawenzi Tarn. You will hike up towards Mawenzi for a splendid acclimatization hike. Then after return back to the camp for lunch, dinner and overnight at the camp.
Days 4
Acclimatization day (6 day itinerary skips this day)
Days 5
Mawenzi Tarn hut to Kibo Huts camp
After an early breakfast you will cross the lunar desert of the saddle between Kibo peak and Mawenzi peak to Kibo Huts at the bottom of Kibo’s crater wall. You should spend the remainder of the day resting and preparing for your summit climb.
- Elevation: 4,330 m to 4,695 m
- Distance: 8km
- Hiking Time: 5 hours
- Habitat: Alpine Desert
Wake up at midnight to a light breakfast and then prepare for your summit ascent. The goal is to climb before dawn so that you can reach Uhuru Peak shortly before or after sunrise. Leave to the peak at 12; 00AM, switchback up steep scree or possibly snow, and reach Gilman’s Point on the crater rim at 5,861 m/18,640 ft between 4 and 6 AM. At this point, you will have views of the fabled crater and its icecaps facing you. Then after 2 hours of hiking along the Kibo crater rim near the celebrated snows takes you to Kilimanjaro’s true summit, Uhuru Peak here you will spend some times for taking photo’s but it will depend on how you feel. After your summit activities done, descend back to the Kibo Huts, have lunch, rest, collect your equipment, and continue going down, re-crossing the saddle to the Horombo Huts. Have dinner and overnight at Horombo camp.
- Elevation: 4,695 m to 5,895 m to 3,690 m
- Distance: 4 km up, 14 km down
- Hiking Time: 10-15 hours
- Habitat: Alpine Desert.
Days 6
Summit Day! Kibo Huts camp to Uhuru Peak to Horombo Huts camp
Days 7
Horombo Huts camp to Marangu Gate to Moshi
After a long and enjoyable sleep you will be awaken for breakfast and pack up, start descend through the moorland to Mandara Huts. Here you will have lunch then proceed with your triumphant recessional down through lush forest to Marangu Gate. Here you will sign out, then a vehicle will take you back to the hotel where it is definitely time for certificate presentation and celebration!
- Elevation: 3,690 m to 1,830 m to 1,387 m
- Distance: 18 km
- Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
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Testimonials
In Our Reviews, see the authentic feedback and testimonials from our satisfied travelers, providing valuable perspectives on our quality, value, and professionalism.
Great experience with Kilimanjaro Vikings, amazing flexibility and professionality
Me and my girlfriend wanted to combine climbing Kilimanjaro with the Migration Safari. I contacted few different companies to have an idea of what possibilities i could chose from, Charlie was very fast responding and he took the time to answer all my questions and clarify all my doubts.
Federico F
Adventure of a lifetime
Amazing adventure, everything was organized perfectly, from airport pickoff to drop off. Communication before and after was 10/10, guides, cook and porters beyond words and expectations. Highly recommended
Nikola Z
WOW!! Amazing experience!
We did a 5 day safari trip and a 5 day cultural tribal tour. The Safari was great, we saw every animal we wanted to see and the itinerary was well planned. The cultural and tribal tour was awesome! It’s an experience I would recommend to everyone! We got to know the local villages and different activities with the tribes!
Massimo B
Unforgettable Kilimanjaro Climb & 5 day Safari
We combined a 7-day Kilimanjaro Climb with a 5-day camping safari afterwards. Charlie answered all our questions fast and made a very reasonable offer. The organization was all over very good.Our guides on Kilimanjaro Michael and Protas are the very best! Caring, motivating, and just great people! Also, our cook Thomas and the porters were just amazing and so nice. The food was fantastic and fresh every day. We couldn’t have a better Kilimanjaro experience 🙂
Aline
8 days Kilimanjaro Lemosho route
We were a group of 8 friends from Germany and we did 8 days Lemosho route with Kili Vikings. It was absolutely amazing! All of us successfully reached the top, but we wouldn’t have made it without the whole team around our guides Michael, Juma and Protas.
Isabelle
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