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Price
£1795
What's Included
• Two nights bed and breakfast in Moshi, one night before and one night after the climb.• Transfers to and from Kilimanjaro airport.
• Transfers from the bed and breakfast to the start point and return.
• Services of experienced and dedicated local guides, porters and cooks, supervised by Samson Lauwo.
• 3 meals a day and drinking water.
• All park fees including park rescue fees.
• Air Ambulance, emergency medical & air evacuation included with with AMREF Flying Doctor.
• Quality equipment including professional mountain tents.
There is NO local payment payable on our Kilimanjaro treks
5 + bookings Contact us for group discounts
Contact us for overland camping safari + kilimanjaro combinations discounts
Countries Visited
Tanzania
Trek Overview
We avoid the crowded Marangu route on Kilimanjaro, preferring to approach the mountain from the north by the lightly-used Rongai route. The Rongai route starts just south of the Kenya-Tanzania border and has been almost unused for many years because the area was considered sensitive. Now open for climbing once again, experienced guides consider this ascent route to be both easier and more beautiful than the main Marangu trail. The Rongai route begins in attractive farmland and delightful forest, with the possibility of wildlife viewing, and passes through several different climate zones, adding considerably to the interest of the trek. We also add two extra days to the standard five day itinerary to ensure maximum acclimatisation and give ourselves the best possible chance of enjoying the magnificent scenery. Recent National Park statistics indicate that the chance of reaching the summit increases by at least 30% if an extra day is spent acclimatising. The deviation to Mawenzi Tarn is very beautiful and on a little-used trail through moorland. This route retains a sense of unspoilt wilderness and offers a different perspective on Kilimanjaro by approaching it from the north.
Variations Available
Itinerary
Day 1
After completing the necessary registration formalities at Marangu National Park gate, we transfer by landrover to Rongai. The climb begins from the attractive wooden village of Nale Moru (1,950 m.) on a small path that wind through fields of maize and potatoes before entering pine forest.
The track then starts to climb consistently, but gently through attractive forest that shelters a variety of wildlife, including the beautiful Kilimanjaro colobus monkey. These monkeys are black with a long cape of white hair and a flowing white tail. The forest begins to thin out and the first camp is at the edge of the moorland zone (2,600 m.) with extensive views over the Kenyan plains. [3-4 hours walking]
Day 2
This is only a morning walk up to the Second Cave (3,450 m.). The walk is steady uphill with superb views of Kibo and the Eastern icefields on the crater rim. The afternoon can be spend enjoying the view over the Kenyan plains or doing a short acclimatisation walk up towards Third Cave. [3-4 hours walking]
Day 3
We now leave the main trail and strike out across the moorland on a smaller path towards the jagged peaks of Mawenzi. Our campsite is in a sheltered valley with giant senecios near Kikelewa Caves (3.600 m.) After a hot lunch there is time to wander in the valleys and see the special vegetation. [2.5-3.5 hours walking]]
Day 4
A short but steep climb up grassy slopes is rewarded by superb allround views and a tangible sense of wilderness. We leave vegetation behind shortly before reaching the next camp at Mawenzi Tarn (4,330 m.), spectacularly situated in a cirque directly beneath the towering spires of Mawenzi. The afternoon will be free to rest or explore the surrounding area as an aid to acclimatisation. [3-4 hours walking]
Day 5
We cross the lunar desert of the Saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo to reach Kibo campsite (4,700 m.) at the bottom of the Kibo crater wall. The remainder of the day is spent resting in preparation for the final ascent before a very early night! [4-5 hours walking]
Day 6
We will start the final, and by far the steepest and most demanding, part of the climb by torchlight around 1 a.m. We plod very slowly in the darkness on a switchback trail through loose volcanic scree to reach the crater rim at Gillmans Point (5,685 m.) We will rest there for a short time to enjoy the spectacular sunrise over Mawenzi. Those who are still feeling strong can make the three hour round trip to Uhuru Peak (5,896 m.), passing close to the spectacular glaciers and ice cliffs that still occupy most of the summit area. The descent to Kibo (4,700 m.) is surprisingly fast and, after some refreshment, we continue the descent to reach our final campsite at Horombo (3,720 m.). [11-15 hours walking]
Day 7
A steady descent takes us down through moorland to Mandara Hut (2,700m.), the first stopping place at the Marangu route. We then continue descending through lovely lush forest on a good path to the National Park gate at Marangu (1,830 m.). [5-6 hours walking]
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Budgeting Summary
7 day Rongai Route Budget
The costs to consider when trekking Kilimanjaro are:
What's included
Your Kilimanjaro trek price covers:
At a glance what you get on the 7 day Rongai trek:
Two nights bed and breakfast in Moshi at Bristol Cottages, one night before and one night after the climb.
Transfers to and from Kilimanjaro airport.
Transfers from Bristol Cottages to start point and return.
Services of experienced and dedicated local guides, porters and cooks, supervised by Samson Lauwo.
3 meals a day and drinking water.
All park fees including park rescue fees.
Air Ambulance, emergency medical & air evacuation included with AMREF Flying Doctor.
Quality camping equipment including Mountain Mess tent for meals essential for keeping out wind and cold. Kelty and North Face Mountain tents.
There is NO local payment on our Kilimanjaro treks
Equipment available for hire. Contact us for further details.
All transfers to and from Nairobi (either the airport or The Heron Hotel) to Moshi can be arranged.
Spending Money
Spending money is very individual and will mainly depend on what you spend before and after
your climb on meals, drinks and other personal needs, for example internet.
There is not a lot to purchase once you head out except a map of the mountain, which can be bought
at the Park Gate. A suggested budget would be £60 - £180
It is important to realise too that tipping is expected for good service on the route and can work out between 250 - 300 USD including tips to your guide, cook and porters. Suggested amounts are: for the guide US$12-US$20 per day; cook US$10- $15 per day; porters US$7-US$30 for the trek
Visa
Your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 - 9 months after your trip finishes. Ensure as well you have adequate pages in your passport for each country you visit. Up to 2 consecutive blank pages can be required. If you have dual nationality you can only use one passport for the entire trip, whilst bringing both is wise as a back up. More information can be found in the different country listings on the FCO website under entry requirements.Below is an estimation of current visa requirements and their costs. We have included visa information in regards to entry into Kenya as most clients arrive via the shuttle bus from Nairobi. Flying into Kilimanjaro Airport does mean you can avoid having to pay a visa to enter Kenya.
If your passport is not detailed below please dont hesitate to contact us for further details of your requirements.
Visas for most passport holders including British, Australian, New Zealand, Irish, South African, German, French, Canadian and American passport holders can be arranged in Africa on route. This includes the Kenyan visa which for most passport holders can be easily arranged upon arrival in Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Visas can only be paid for in US Dollars cash.
This information is given as a guide only. Visa requirements can change without prior notice. We recommended you also check your personal current visa requirements with the relevant embassies well in advance before you travel.
| VISA CHART | Kenya | Rwanda | Uganda | Tanzania | Malawi | Zambia | Zimbabwe | Botswana | Namibia | South Africa |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PASSPORT | ||||||||||
| Australian | $50 | - | - | $50 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| New Zealand | $50 | - | - | $50 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| South Africa | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Canadian | $50 | - | - | $50 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| American | $50 | - | - | $100 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| British | $50 | - | - | $50 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| German | $50 | - | - | $50 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Dutch | $50 | - | - | $50 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Irish | $50 | - | - | $100 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Other exciting ADD-ONs
Pre and post climb please click here.
Remember you then need to budget for flights, insurance, vaccination costs and any equipment you might need such as a sleeping bag.
Any queries? Call our office on +44 (0) 208 742 0226, email us at absaf@absoluteafrica.com or skype us on skypeabsoluteafrica
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7 day Rongai Route
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Before You Go
7 day Rongai Route
Click on the link below to download the predeparture dossier for this trek "Climb Kilimanjaro (7 day Rongai Route)".
Climb Kilimanjaro (7 day Rongai Route) - pre departure packThis information has been developed over 30 years of experience overlanding in Africa.
It includes all you might need to know to prepare for this trip and more. We know many people love to plan their trip in detail and we hope you will find lots of "stuff" in here to help!
We also send out personal updates about 6 weeks before departure to all participants heading out on each departure date. This includes final confirmations of pre safari transfers and accommodation and other details relating to your specific travel arrangements so you can check all is as you need.
We recommend once booked on a 7 day Rongai Route to trip that you periodically check back here as this information is regularly updated. It is also a good idea to keep an eye on the news area of this site.
And if you are not excited enough about heading to Africa already, check out our facebook page, listen out for our tweets and keep up to date with our blog to stay up to date with all that is happening on the road on the trucks.
Overlanding in Africa is a very different destination from your usual package holiday! You may find some information in this dossier different from what you expected. Whatever your question don't hesitate to ask. We are here to help so feel free to get back to us.
We are more than happy to advise as to what is the best plan for your particular Africa travel needs.
Give us a call, or skype or email. We look forward to planning your trip to Africa with you.
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