Tanzania Rewilded

Kilimanjaro from the north on the 6-day Rongai route
 
 
 Kilimanjaro climb · 6 days on the mountain
Rongai Gate
 
Mawenzi Tarn
 
Gilman’s Point
The quiet way up,

From the North

The 6-day Rongai route follows the only trail that starts on Kilimanjaro’s northern side, close to Kenya. It is drier and quieter than the southern routes, with gentle slopes, a night below Mawenzi’s cliffs and the summit push on Day 6.

8days
7 nights, 8 days total
6
Days on the mountain
5,895m
Uhuru Peak
Plan this climb
Day by day ↓
Download PDF ↓
 MoshiDay 1
 Simba CampDay 2
 Mawenzi TarnDay 4
 Kibo HutDay 5
 Uhuru PeakDay 6
Climbing permit
TR · RO06
Rongai Route
 
Duration
8 days · 7 nights
6 days on the mountain, 2 nights in Moshi
Start / finish
Kilimanjaro Airport
Hotel in Moshi before and after
Summit
Uhuru Peak · 5,895 m
Summit push from Kibo Hut at midnight
Difficulty
Challenging
Gentle gradients, long summit night
Style
Private · Camping
Tents on the way up, huts near the top
Best months
Jan – Mar · Jun – Oct
The north side gets less rain

Why takethe 6-Day Rongai Route

Most climbers start on the busy south side. Rongai starts in the north, near the Kenyan border, where far fewer people walk. The first days climb gently through a pine plantation and forest, with views back over the plains towards Kenya.

The north side sits in the mountain’s rain shadow, so it is usually drier than the southern routes. You camp for three nights, including one below the jagged cliffs of Mawenzi, then cross the Saddle to Kibo Hut and come down the Marangu side, so you see two faces of the mountain.

The climb

Six Days From the North

Each point is where you sleep. The line climbs steadily to Mawenzi Tarn, levels off across the Saddle, and drops fast after the summit on the Marangu side. Tap a camp to see it on the profile.

FarmlandRainforestHeath & moorlandAlpine desertArctic summit1,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,000m 12345Uhuru Peak5,895 m67
Trail altitudeVegetation zones
  1. 01

    Moshi

    915 m · Hotel before and after the climb

    2 nights
  2. 02

    Simba Camp

    2,600 m · Top of the forest, looking north to Kenya

    1 night
  3. 03

    Kikelewa Camp

    3,600 m · Sheltered valley among giant senecios

    1 night
  4. 04

    Mawenzi Tarn

    4,300 m · Beside a small lake below Mawenzi

    1 night
  5. 05

    Kibo Hut

    4,720 m · High hut for the summit night

    1 night
  6. 06

    Horombo Hut

    3,720 m · First night down, on the Marangu side

    1 night
Trek ≈ 74 kmHighest 5,895 mDescent Marangu route
Day by day

The Journey

✦

This is how the trip usually runs. Your guide will adjust each day around the weather, the trail and how the group is acclimatising.

Karibu Tanzania
Day01
Kilimanjaro Airport → Moshi

Landing in Kilimanjaro

We meet you at Kilimanjaro International Airport and drive about an hour through farmland to Moshi, the town at the foot of the mountain.

At the hotel your lead guide gives you a briefing on the Rongai Route: the drive round to the northern gate, the camp routine, altitude and a check of your gear. Anything missing can be hired in Moshi.

  • Transfer45 km · about 1 hr
  • OvernightKibo Palace Hotel, Moshi
  • Meals
    BreakfastLunchDinner
The Northern Slopes
Day02
Moshi → Rongai Gate → Simba Camp

Round to the North

Today starts with a long drive, 2 to 3 hours, around the eastern side of the mountain to Rongai Gate near the Kenyan border. You register at the gate at 1,950 m and meet your full crew.

The path climbs gently through a pine plantation and then natural forest, where colobus monkeys are often seen. After 3 to 4 hours you reach Simba Camp at the top of the trees, with big views north over the plains.

Good to know

Bring snacks and something to read for the drive. It is the longest transfer of any Kilimanjaro route, and it is the price of a quiet trail.

  • Trek8 km · 3–4 hrs
  • Altitude1,950 → 2,600 m
  • OvernightSimba Camp
  • Meals
    BreakfastLunchDinner
A hiker on a rocky path among tall giant senecio plants
Giant senecios on the northern slopes
Day03
Simba Camp → Second Cave → Kikelewa Camp

Past the Caves

You climb out of the forest into heath and moorland. The trail passes Second Cave, an old rock shelter, and the jagged outline of Mawenzi grows bigger ahead of you.

Then the path turns off towards Mawenzi and drops into a sheltered valley at Kikelewa Camp, 3,600 m, where giant senecios grow around the tents.

Pole pole

“Slowly, slowly.” Today you climb 1,000 m. Keep the pace easy and drink often; it helps you tomorrow.

  • Trek10 km · 5–6 hrs
  • Altitude2,600 → 3,600 m
  • OvernightKikelewa Camp
  • Meals
    BreakfastLunchDinner
A stone cairn topped with buffalo horns and a Tarn Hut sign, with tents behind
Mawenzi Tarn, 4,300 m
Day04
Kikelewa Camp → Mawenzi Tarn

Below the Spires

A short, steep climb up a grassy ridge takes you out of the moorland and into rocky alpine desert. You arrive in time for lunch.

Mawenzi Tarn is a small lake in a hollow right under the cliffs of Mawenzi, Kilimanjaro’s second peak. In the afternoon, a short walk up the ridge behind camp helps you adjust and gives you a view across the Saddle to Kibo.

  • Trek6 km · 3–4 hrs
  • Altitude3,600 → 4,300 m
  • OvernightMawenzi Tarn camp
  • Meals
    BreakfastLunchDinner
Flat, stony alpine desert under a blue sky
The Saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo
Day05
Mawenzi Tarn → the Saddle → Kibo Hut

Across the Saddle

You drop off the Mawenzi ridge and cross the Saddle, the wide, bare plain between the mountain’s two peaks. The walking is flat or gently uphill, but the thin air makes it feel harder than it looks.

Kibo Hut stands at 4,720 m at the foot of the summit cone, where the Rongai and Marangu routes meet. You eat early and sleep by 7 pm; the wake-up call comes before midnight.

  • Trek8 km · 5–6 hrs
  • Altitude4,300 → 4,720 m
  • OvernightKibo Hut
  • Meals
    BreakfastLunchDinner
Gilman’s Point
Day06
Kibo Hut → Uhuru Peak → Horombo Hut

Up to Uhuru Peak

Just after midnight you start up the scree slope above Kibo Hut in long zigzags, resting at Hans Meyer Cave. Gilman’s Point on the crater rim, 5,685 m, is usually reached around dawn.

From there the path follows the rim past the glaciers to Uhuru Peak, 5,895 m. After your photos you come back down to Kibo Hut for a rest and a hot drink, then keep going down to Horombo Hut.

Honest note

This is 12 to 15 hours of hard walking in the cold and dark, on a six-day climb with no rest day. Your guides watch every climber and will bring you down if it is not safe. Your health comes first, always.

  • Trek22 km · 12–15 hrs
  • Altitude4,720 → 5,895 → 3,720 m
  • OvernightHorombo Hut
  • Meals
    BreakfastLunchDinner
Tall trees in the rainforest on the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro
Rainforest above Marangu Gate
Day07
Horombo Hut → Marangu Gate → Moshi

Out the Other Side

Your last day on the mountain follows the Marangu trail down, through moorland and then thick rainforest you have not seen yet, because you came up on the dry northern side.

At Marangu Gate you sign out, collect your summit certificate and thank the crew. An hour’s drive takes you to your hotel in Moshi for a hot shower and dinner.

Good to know

If you would like to add a safari or a few days in Zanzibar, this evening is a good time to talk it through with us. Tips for the crew are usually handed over at the gate.

  • Trek20 km · 6–7 hrs
  • TransferAbout 1 hr to Moshi
  • OvernightKibo Palace Hotel, Moshi
  • Meals
    BreakfastLunchDinner
Kwaheri
Day08
Moshi → Kilimanjaro Airport

Time to Fly Home

After breakfast you are driven back to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight home, or you carry on to a safari or a few days on the beach.

Where you sleep

Five Nights on the Mountain

A hotel in Moshi at each end. On the mountain you camp for three nights in the park’s campsites, then sleep at Kibo Hut and Horombo Hut on the Marangu side.

A camp on Mount Kilimanjaro
On the mountain

Nights on the mountain: Simba Camp, Kikelewa Camp, Mawenzi Tarn, Kibo Hut, Horombo Hut.

2nights

Kibo Palace Hotel

Moshi · 915 m

A comfortable hotel in Moshi with a swimming pool, a garden, a bar and a restaurant. You stay here before the climb and after it.

PoolGardenBar
1night

Simba Camp

Forest edge · 2,600 m

Tents on a ridge with views over the Kenyan plains, a dining tent and shared toilets.

Kenya views
1night

Kikelewa Camp

Sheltered valley · 3,600 m

A quiet valley ringed by giant senecios, out of the wind.

Giant senecios
1night

Mawenzi Tarn

Below Mawenzi · 4,300 m

Tents beside a small mountain lake, right under the jagged spires of Mawenzi.

Alpine tarn
1night

Kibo Hut

Alpine desert · 4,720 m

Simple dormitory huts with bunk beds, very basic at this height. You rest here before the summit.

Summit base
1night

Horombo Hut

Moorland · 3,720 m

Communal huts with views of Mawenzi, and much warmer than the high camps.

Descent

Hotels are shown “or similar”. For the first three nights you sleep in tents our crew carries and pitches; Kibo and Horombo are hut stops shared with the Marangu Route.

Timing & price

When to Climb

Kilimanjaro can be climbed all year. The north side is drier than the south, which makes Rongai a good choice either side of the rains, but January to March and June to October still give the clearest skies.

Climbing Kilimanjaro, month by month Highlighted: best months to climb
MonthSeasonOn the mountainClimbing
JanuaryDryWarm & clearOne of the best months. Warm days, clear summit mornings and fewer climbers than in August.Best
FebruaryDryWarm & clearVery good climbing. Clear skies, and snow on the summit is possible after a cold night.Best
MarchDry → wetWarm, some showersStill good early in the month. Showers start to build towards the end.Good
AprilLong rainsWet & cloudyThe wettest month. Muddy trails and cloud; very few climbers.Wet
MayLong rainsWet, clearing lateRain eases later in the month. Quiet trails, but expect wet days.Wet
JuneDryCold & clearThe dry season starts. Cold nights up high, and the trails get busier.Good
JulyDryCold & clearPeak season. Cold, clear and dry, with the most climbers of the year.Best
AugustDryCold & clearPeak season. Very reliable weather; book early for this month.Best
SeptemberDryMild & clearExcellent conditions. Slightly warmer and a little quieter than August.Best
OctoberDryMild & clearGood weather and quieter trails before the short rains.Best
NovemberShort rainsShowersShort afternoon showers, mostly lower down. Possible, with good rain gear.Good
DecemberShort rains → dryMixedRain clears through the month. Busy over Christmas and New Year.Good
Price per personYour groupAll yearPrivate climbAny start date
1solo climber$2,534USD per person
2–5climbers$2,315USD per person
6–10climbers$2,236USD per person
11+climbers$2,178USD per person
 Check dates →
14%

Climb as a group and pay less. A group of 11+ pays about 14% less per person than a solo climber.

Prices are in US dollars, per person, for a private climb with two hotel nights in Moshi. Temperatures on the summit are well below freezing in every month. We send a full kit list when you book.

No surprises

What's Included

Included / 12

  • Airport transfers on arrival and departureKilimanjaro International Airport (JRO)
  • 2 nights at Kibo Palace Hotel in Moshi, before and after the climbSharing a double or triple room. The first night includes breakfast; the last night includes dinner and breakfast
  • Professional mountain guides and support crew
  • Wages for guides, porters, cook and waiter
  • National park entry fees
  • Camping and hut fees, tents and foam sleeping mats
  • Cooking gear, plates and cutlery
  • Park rescue fees
  • Pulse oximeter checks and a full first aid kit
  • All meals on the mountainBreakfast, lunch and dinner
  • Boiled drinking water on the mountain
  • Park fees and lodging for the crew on the mountain

Not included / 12

  • International and domestic flights
  • Tanzania visaSee our visa guide
  • Travel insuranceRequired, and it must cover climbing to 6,000 m. See our insurance guide
  • Single room supplement at Kibo Palace Hotel
  • Tips for guides, porters, cook and waiter
  • Personal mountain gear, such as a sleeping bagSome items can be hired. Ask us for the hire price list
  • Emergency oxygenNot part of the standard package
  • Vehicle surcharge of USD 145 per carApplies to climbs that start from the Lemosho, Rongai or Shira side
  • Meals and drinks not listed in the itinerary
  • Extra hotel nights beyond the two included
  • Optional trips, such as a waterfall walk or a village visit
  • Personal expenses, such as souvenirs, laundry and phone calls
Good questions

Before You Book

For quiet trails, a drier climate and a gentle climb. Far fewer people start from the north, the gradients are easy until summit night, and you see two sides of Kilimanjaro, because you come down the Marangu side. Compare routes in our routes guide.

It is one of the better choices. The north side sits in the mountain’s rain shadow and usually gets less rain than the south, so it is often suggested for the shoulder months. Expect some wet days anyway, and pack good rain gear.

Six days works for fit walkers, but there is no rest day. The 7-day version adds a second night at Mawenzi Tarn, which gives your body more time at 4,300 m before the summit. If you can spare the day, we recommend it. See our altitude safety guide.

Good broken-in boots, warm layers, a down jacket, warm gloves, a headtorch and a sleeping bag rated to about -15°C. Nights at Mawenzi Tarn and Kibo are well below freezing. Our preparation guide has the full list, and most things can be hired in Moshi.

Add to your trip

Related Activities

Ideas that fit well with this climb. Ask us and we’ll add any of them to your plan.

After the climb

Add a safari

Rest your legs in a safari vehicle: Tarangire, the crater or the Serengeti.

Read more →
Beach

Zanzibar beach days

Finish with warm sea, white sand and Stone Town’s old streets.

Read more →
Pole pole
Kilimanjaro

Altitude & safety

How acclimatisation works and how our guides keep you safe.

Read more →
Get ready
Kilimanjaro

Preparing for the climb

Training, gear and what to expect on summit night.

Read more →
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Kilimanjaro

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