Day 1
We climb up through attractive and un-spoilt forest to reach the clearing containing Mandara Hut (2,700 m.). The volcanic remains of Maundi Crater are nearby, and make a good afternoon excursion. An alternative is to simply rest and enjoy the beautiful forest around you. [3-5 hours walking]
Days 2
The first part of the walk is a steep ascent through forest. The path soon opens out into grassy moorland and, in clear weather, there are good views of Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. We climb steadily through the moorland zone to eventually reach the hut complex at Horombo (3,720 m.). [4-6 hours walking]
Days 3
The day is spent making an excursion towards the base of the seldom visited Mawenzi peak, which affords excellent views of Kibo and our route up to the crater rim at Gillmans Point. Mawenzi is an older volcano than Kibo and so has eroded further into a very jagged ridge with dramatic pinnacles. We spend a second night at Horombo Hut to further improve our acclimatisation. [4-5 hours walking]
Day 4
We climb gradually towards the lunar desert of the Saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo. We usually reach Kibo Hut (4,700 m.) at the bottom of the crater wall by midday and the afternoon is free (to contemplate the summit ascent!!). The remainder of the day is spent resting and eating in preparation for the final climb before a very early night! [4-6 hours]
Day 5
We will start our ascent by torchlight at about 12 a.m. so that we can be up at Gillmans Point by sunrise. The initial climb is steep over loose volcanic scree, but there are some well-graded zig-zags and a slow but steady pace should reach Gillmans Point (5,685 m.) in five or six hours.
Those who are still feeling strong can make the three hour round trip from here along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,896 m.). The descent is surprisingly fast and we return to Horombo for the night. [11-15 hours walking]
Day 6
We retrace our steps with a pleasant moorland walk to Mandara and then a lovely forest walk to the National Park gates. [5-6 hours walking]
