Route & Itinerary
Rongai Route
11 days
ITINERARY
7 days
TREKKING
5,895m
ALTITUDE
Dates
2024 & 2025
The Quieter Way Up...
To climb Kilimanjaro on our 11 day Rongai itinerary (trekking for 7 days), you can join one of many Open Group Challenge climbs throughout the year, departing from the UK. Our group climbs bring like-minded people together to share a Kilimanjaro experience. You can sign up on your own, as a couple , or with a group of friends or family.
Day 1 Departure from UK
- Inflight
- Dinner inflight
Your flight departure will be from London.
Day 2 Rongai
- Hotel
- Lunch & Dinner
On arrival we transfer 3-4 hours to our lodge near the village of Rongai, close to the Kenyan border on the northern slopes of Kilimanjaro. We have lunch. meet our team of local guides. In the afternoon there’s time to relax before the welcome briefing, given by your UK Leader, UK Medic & Head Local Guide – and a kit check. This evening we enjoy dinner before an early night.
Day 3 Simba Camp
- Camp
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 4 hrs
- 7km
- 2,668m
After breakfast it’s a short short transfer to the Nale Moru Gate, where we meet the rest of our Kilimanjaro suppot team – including guides, cooks and porters. Our bags are weighed to ensure each is within the 15 kg limit – and finally the moment we have all been waiting for! We begin our Kilimanjaro trek through farm land and pine forest, which then gives way to scrub and heather, and we have a very good chance of seeing Mongoose and smaller wildlife. Elephant & Buffalo have been known to cross the path, but we may only see their tracks, as they generally move at night. We have some short breaks and a packed lunch en route before reaching our camp in the afternoon; where there’s time to relax before dinner and settling down for our first Kilimanjaro night under canvas.
Day 4 Kikelewa Caves Camp
- Camp
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 6+ hrs
- 12km
- 3,679m
Today’s route snakes through changing scenery – up through heather and moorland towards the jagged peak of Mawenzi, with the summit of Kilimanjaro itself in view during some of today’s walk. We stop for a hot cooked lunch at Second Cave Camp, before turning South East along a path that ambles through heath-land and rocky outcrops, with fantastic views of the Mawenzi, Kibo and the Northern ice fields of Kilimanjaro. We camp just below the Mawenzi Saddle at the Kikelewa Caves Camp. Today is a great kick-start to acclimatising and preparing for our Kilimanjaro summit push in 4 days time.
Day 5 Mawenzi Tarn Camp
- Camp
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 4+ hrs
- 4km
- 4,330m
An early start, continuing along the gentle path that soon steepens up. Your efforts will be rewarded by a hot lunch at Mawenzi Tarn, which sits in a bowl, protected by the ridges and spires of Mawenzi Peak. An afternoon walk allows time to explore and get used to higher altitude, before an early dinner. Today is a short day, and we are mindful of the altitude – so the pace is steady – with plenty of time to snack and keep hydrated. We’re rewarded with a spectacular campsite, arguably the most scenic on Kilimanjaro – which will be our home for 2 nights.
Day 6 Acclimatisation Day
- Camp
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 3+ hrs
- 5km
- 4,500m
Today is about acclimatising and resting. After a later breakfast, we head off for a relaxed day of walking to acclimatise ourselves up to a maximum of 4500m on the North West ridge of Mawenzi. This is often a great day, enjoying time in an incredible mountain environment and an excellent camp. The afternoon is spent relaxing, with stunning views over the Kenyan plains in the distance.
Day 7 Kibo Camp
- Camp
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 5+ hrs
- 9km
- 4,720m
Today we haed to our high camp – Kibo Camp – in as good shape as possible. That means walking at a steady pace, eating lots of snacks, and keeping hydrated. We leave Mawenzi Tarn and head across the desert style landscape towards Kibo. It’s a vast and bleak area, unlike any terrain we would have seen so far, and pass the site of a plane crash, with some wreckage still visible. After 5-6 hours we reach our campsite at Kibo Huts Camp – snd in the sftrernoon afternoon it’s time to rest and eat before the final push to Kilimanjaro’s summit later tonight!
Day 8 Summit Day
- Camp
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 13-15 hrs
- 16km
- 5,895m
And so to Kilimanjaro summit day! We awake just before midnight – and after a hot drink & snacks we begin our climb. We climb for about 6 hours up the most demanding part of the route by torchlight, to reach Gilman’s Point at the crater rim. After a short rest we make our final traverse to Uhuru Peak, the highest point on the African continent at 5895m. The rising morning sunlight gives spectacular views across the plains and of Mount Meru in the distance – we feel on top of the world! After some photos it’s back to Gilmans Point – down to Kibo Camp where we stop for a rest & brunch before continuing down Horombo Huts Camp at 3,720m. After a long and exhilarating day we can finally rest our tired legs and get a good night’s sleep!
Day 9 Moshi
- Hotel
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 7+ hrs
- 19km
After breakfast we continue our descent back through the rainforest to the Mandara Huts for lunch, and then on down the track to leave the Kilimanjaro National Park through Marangu Gate. Today’s descent is straightforward but after the challenge of the Kilimanjaro summit day we’ll have to dig deep. The finish line gives a real feeling of accomplishment – and it’s a farewell to our local Kilimanjaro crew – involving some singing and dancing and has emotions running high. A transfer to our hotel, where we can finally take off our walking boots and enjoy our first hot shower in almost a week! We have the afternoon to relax by the pool with a drink, and this evening we enjoy a fantastic dinner to celebrate our remarkable achievements – and for those with energy we can party in to the night!
Day 10 Departure Day
- Camp
- Breakfast
We can enjoy a free morning either by the pool or exploring the local area before transferring to the airport for our overnight flight back to the UK.
Day 11 Arrive Home in the UK
Our Brochure
The Challenge brochure details the full itinerary, inclusions, dates & prices – download for a full run down of the challenge details.
