Rongai is the only route starting on the North-Eastern slope of Kilimanjaro. This part of the mountain is rarely visited by hikers, so can be the best choice for those who wanting a quiet climb. It is the preferred route for those looking for an alternative to the popular Marangu route. Rongai is a moderately difficult route and has a more gradual slope than other routes. It is highly recommended for those with less backpacking experience.
This route is also recommended for those who would like to climb Kilimanjaro during the wet season, as the north sides receive less precipitation. Although the scenery is not as varied as the western routes, Rongai makes up for this by passing through true wilderness areas for days before joining the Marangu route at Kibo base camp. Rongai is considered to be the easiest route to climb Kilimanjaro before the marangu route.
This route bordered with Kenya to the North-East. Climbers and crew use tents for sleeping. The ascent and descent are on opposite sides,so you can see mount Kilimanjaro from different viewpoints. The Rongai route has lower summit success compared to Lemosho and Machame routes, but higher than the Marangu route. The descent is through the Marangu route.
Rongai route can be much more expensive than other routes, because of long distances to Rongai gate and from Marangu gate, in the exit day.
TOTAL TREKKING DISTANCE: 76 Kilometers
TOTAL TREKKING TIME: 43 Hours
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
SUMMIT SUCCESS RATE: 83%
If you have chosen to take a flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport, your host will be waiting for you outside customs area. Then he will take you to your hotel in Arusha. One day before your climb, you will be met by your mountain guide at the hotel for pre-climb briefing and gear check. For a gear that will be missing, can be rented on the same day.
Evening meals and overnight at the hotel.
FROM: Rongai gate(2,240m.)
TO: Simba camp(2,625m.)
HEIGHT GAIN: 385m.
Simba camp is the first camp site through the Rongai route in Mount Kilimanjaro and is located along the North Eastern side of the mountain. It is located in the heather zone and is surrounded by erica arborea shrubs. From this camp, you can get great views of plains in Kenya.
A guide and a mountain support crew will arrive at the hotel in the morning with a vehicle, in order to pick you up. Then you will travel for an approximately four hours to Nalemuru (Rongai) gate. After the quickly formality of acquiring climbing permits and registering, you will start trekking to the camp. Before that, you will eat from your lunch box at the gate.Your trek this day will be short and moderate and takes you through Coniferous forest up Kilimanjaro northern slope.
By the time you reach the camp, your professional mountain crew will have been already prepared everything necessary, like putting tents on.
Evening meals and overnight at Simba camp.
TREKKING DISTANCE: 3.5km.
TREKKING TIME: 2hrs.
VEGETATION ZONE: Heather
FROM: Simba camp(2,625m.)
TO: Kikelelwa camp(3,600m.)
HEIGHT GAIN: 975m.
Kikelelwa camp site is the camp located along the Rongai route in Kilimanjaro, the next camp to Simba camp. It is located on north-eastern part of the mountain. It is in the moorland zone, the third vegetation zone in Kilimanjaro..There are few public toilets at the camp, but due to lack of water supply especially in dry season, most toilets at the camp are pit latrines, sometimes referred as dry toilets.
Early in the morning after breakfast, you will depart from the camp and start trekking towards your high altitude camp, where you can see Kibo volcano at its finest(barring cloudy weather).This trekking is more physically demanding than the previous one. On the way up before Kikelelwa, the views start to open up, with the Amboseli plains of Kenya stretching in to the distance. You will take a lunch break at the second cave(3,487m.),where a hot lunch will be waiting for you in the mess tent. It takes around 4-5 hours to reach here. After lunch, you will have about three hours more to the destination camp, Kikelelwa.
Evening meals and overnight at Kikelelwa camp.
TREKKING DISTANCE: 13km.
TREKKING TIME: 7hrs.
VEGETATION ZONE: Moorland
FROM: Kikelelwa camp(3,600m.)
TO: Mawenzi tarn hut camp(4,310m.)
HEIGHT GAIN: 710m.
Mawenzi Tarn hut is the name derived from the Tarn which is near to the camp. The camp is located at the base of the Mawenzi peak, in the alpine desert zone. It is a small campsite with a small metallic rangers hut and few public toilets in the form of pit latrines, used by Rongai climbers for accommodation, on their way up in day 3.There is a never-dry small pool close to the camp, which is one of the major attractions of the camp, but the water is not good for drinking or cooking. At the camp, there is enough clear and clean water streams flowing down from the slopes of Mawenzi. This camp is rarely used by climbers compared with other camping sites in Kilimanjaro.
Early work up packing and breakfast and you will start by trekking to the camp. The trail today is quite steep with few flatter points and down hills. You will arrive to the camp in the early afternoon for lunch. In the afternoon, your guide will lead you to acclimatization hike towards Mawenzi volcano, with a 150m. Vertical gain in altitude. After this hike, you will get warm washing water together with tea and popcorn.
Evening meals and overnight at Mawenzi tarn camp.
TREKKING DISTANCE: 4km.
TREKKING TIME: 4hrs.
VEGETATION ZONE: Alpine desert
FROM: Mawenzi camp(4,310m.)
TO: Third cave camp(3,900m.)
HEIGHT LOSS: 410m.
The third cave camp, which lies to the north east of Mount Kilimanjaro, is located along the boundary of the Moorland and the Alpine desert zones of Kilimanjaro. It is used for over-knighting by climbers on the Rongai and Northern Circuit routes. At this camp, there are good views of Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. This is the last camp up, before heading ahead to the base camps of Kibo and school hut.
After done with packing and breakfast, you will begin your day by walking up a ridge and down again, followed by a plain part before ascending again and you will be finally descending all the way to the camp. Today is one of the best acclimatization days and makes good summit`s preparation as well.
You will be arriving at the camp in the mid-afternoon. Lunch will be served at the camp in the mess tent. Later, there will be washing water and late afternoon`s tea with popcorns. The rest of the day time, you will be relaxing at the camp.
Evening meals and overnight at the Third cave camp.
TREKKING DISTANCE: 6km.
TREKKING TIME: 4hrs.
VEGETATION ZONE: Moorland
FROM: Third cave camp (3,900m.)
TO: Kibo base camp (4,750m.) - 5km./5hrs.
HEIGHT GAIN: 850m.
Then,
FROM: Kibo base camp (4,750m.)
TO: Uhuru peak (5,895m.) - 7.5km./8hrs
HEIGHT GAIN: 1,145m.
Kibo base camp is located at the base of Kibo crater. It is used by both Marangu climbers whose accommodation are in wooden huts and a shelter built of stone and those from Rongai route who overnight in tents at camping grounds. The camp is in the alpine desert and always climbers spend a night here, before they start summiting.
This day will be spent trekking towards Kibo camp. The landscape will change significantly to give way to a rocky semi-desert. The actual trekking is not very difficult. The hike today begins with a steady climb to the saddle,a landscape between the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi that resembles the moon. Once at the saddle, the trail ascends steepy to your next camp,Kibo base camp. Lunch will be served at the camp. Today you will have an early dinner for an early sleep.
In the night, you will be woken up probably an hour before mid-night, and you will have a couple of minutes for the final summit`s preparation and having light breakfast also. Departure for the summit will be around 24:00 and the begin of the trail is the steep incline up the slopes of Kibo. We start in the dark(if no moonlight),plodding along by head lump on the never-ending switch-backs. The trail will consist of loose volcanic scree and will continue going up until you reach the crater rim.It takes around three hiking hours to get to the Hans Mayer cave,which is located at the half way point to the rim.
The last hour to Gillman`s point can be difficult and very steep, crossing the boulders area. But walking in zig-zag way helps a lot to reduce much body`s energy and effort to be utilized. At Gillman`s point, we will rest for a short time admiring the beautiful sunrise over Mawenzi peak. The trek from here to Uhuru peak is less steep and gradual. We will be walking now along the rim and it takes about 30 -40minutes more to Stella point. From here we are remain with about one more hour to the summit. Along the crater rim, we will keep on walking and passing by spectacular glaciers and ice cliffs en route to the top. At the summit, we will spend more or less fifteen minutes, depending to our condition and weather, by taking a rest, taking photos and enjoying the great views.
TREKKING DISTANCE: 12.5km.
TREKKING TIME: 12hrs.
VEGETATION ZONE: Ice caped
FROM: Uhuru peak (5,895m.)
TO: Horombo hut`s camp (3,720m.)
HEIGHT LOSS: 2,175m.
From Uhuru peak, we will backtrack down to Gillman`s point. From here, we will make a quick descend to Kibo camp. It takes normally about three hours descending from the summit to Kibo camp. At Kibo base camp we will have some time to rest, have lunch and organize our gear, ready to carry on to the last camp. It takes approximately three hours walking down to Horombo camp from Kibo camp.
We will arrive at Horombo camp in the late afternoon. There, we will have warm washing water and tea.
Evening meals and overnight at Horombo camp.
TREKKING DISTANCE: 17km.
TREKKING TIME: 6hrs.
VEGETATION ZONE: Moorland
FROM: Horombo camp (3,720m.)
TO: Marangu gate(1,879m.)
HEIGHT LOSS: 1,841m.
The last day of your Kilimanjaro adventure will see your continued descend along the mountain side. The descend will take us down through moorland to the Mandara hut (2,720m.).Continue descending through lush forest path to the marangu gate. After signing out and receiving your summit`s certificate, hope you are going to make it, it will be time for you to have hot lunch and celebrating your summit`s success, at the same gate.
Then a vehicle will meet you to drive you back to your hotel in Arusha,a journey that can take approximately three hours to Arusha.
Evening meals and overnight at the hotel.
TREKKING DISTANCE: 20km.
TREKKING TIME: 6-7hrs.
We hope that, your stay in Tanzania during your tour with us, in our hands will be safe and enjoyable,and your climb will be successful and a life time experience.
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