Tanzania Rewilded

The summit at the end of the 7-day Rongai route
 
 
 Kilimanjaro climb · 7 days on the mountain
Rongai Gate
 
Mawenzi Tarn
 
Uhuru Peak
Two nights below Mawenzi,

Then the Summit

The 7-day Rongai route climbs from the quiet northern side of Kilimanjaro. The extra day is spent at Mawenzi Tarn, a small lake under Mawenzi’s cliffs, so you reach the Saddle and Kibo Hut better adjusted. You aim for Uhuru Peak on the morning of Day 7.

9days
8 nights, 9 days total
7
Days on the mountain
5,895m
Uhuru Peak
Plan this climb
Day by day ↓
Download PDF ↓
 MoshiDay 1
 Simba CampDay 2
 Mawenzi TarnDays 4–5
 Kibo HutDay 6
 Uhuru PeakDay 7
Climbing permit
TR · RO07
Rongai Route, 7 Days
 
Duration
9 days · 8 nights
7 days on the mountain, 2 nights in Moshi
Start / finish
Kilimanjaro Airport
Hotel in Moshi before and after
Summit
Uhuru Peak · 5,895 m
Via Gilman’s Point on the crater rim
Difficulty
Challenging
Gentle gradients and a rest day
Style
Private · Camping
Your own guides, cook and porters
Best months
Jan – Mar · Jun – Oct
The two dry seasons

Why the 7-DayRongai Route Is Better

The Rongai Route climbs Kilimanjaro from the north, close to Kenya. It is the quietest of the main routes: on the first days you can walk for hours without meeting another group, through pine forest, moorland and past the old caves of the northern slopes.

This 7-day version adds a second night at Mawenzi Tarn, at 4,300 m. You spend the day on a short walk up the ridges around the lake and come back down to sleep. It is the most comfortable way to do Rongai, and the one we suggest if you have the time.

The climb

Seven Days, Two by the Tarn

Each point is where you sleep. The small peak in the middle is your rest day at Mawenzi Tarn, a short climb and back. Tap a camp to see it on the profile.

FarmlandRainforestHeath & moorlandAlpine desertArctic summit1,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,000m 123456Uhuru Peak5,895 m78
Trail altitudeVegetation zones
  1. 01

    Moshi

    915 m · Hotel before and after the climb

    2 nights
  2. 02

    Simba Camp

    2,600 m · First camp, above the forest

    1 night
  3. 03

    Kikelewa Camp

    3,600 m · Among giant senecios

    1 night
  4. 04

    Mawenzi Tarn

    4,300 m · Two nights beside the lake

    2 nights
  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 mRest day Mawenzi Tarn, 4,300 m
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.

Jambo
Day01
Kilimanjaro Airport → Moshi

First Look at Kibo

We meet you at Kilimanjaro International Airport and drive about an hour to your hotel in Moshi. If the evening is clear, the summit you are heading for is right there above the town.

Your lead guide talks you through the week ahead: the drive to the northern gate, life in camp, the rest day at Mawenzi Tarn and how we look after you at altitude.

  • Transfer45 km · about 1 hr
  • OvernightKibo Palace Hotel, Moshi
  • Meals
    BreakfastLunchDinner
Pine Forest & Plains
Day02
Moshi → Rongai Gate → Simba Camp

Starting Near Kenya

After breakfast you drive for 2 to 3 hours around the mountain to Rongai Gate on the northern slopes. The road passes villages and farms, and the country gets drier as you go.

The trail starts in a pine plantation and climbs gently into forest, where you may see colobus monkeys. Simba Camp sits at 2,600 m at the top of the trees, looking north over the plains to Kenya.

  • Trek8 km · 3–4 hrs
  • Altitude1,950 → 2,600 m
  • OvernightSimba Camp
  • Meals
    BreakfastLunchDinner
Evening sun breaking through cloud over heath and boulders
Evening over the northern moorland
Day03
Simba Camp → Second Cave → Kikelewa Camp

Moorland and Caves

Today the trail climbs steadily through open heath, past rock shelters called First Cave and Second Cave that early climbers used. Mawenzi’s jagged top grows bigger ahead of you.

Beyond Second Cave you leave the main path and head towards Mawenzi, down into the sheltered valley of Kikelewa. The camp is ringed by giant senecios, strange tree-like plants that only grow on East Africa’s high mountains.

Pole pole

Walk slowly enough that you can talk as you go. If you are out of breath, slow down; your guide will be glad you did.

  • Trek10 km · 5–6 hrs
  • Altitude2,600 → 3,600 m
  • OvernightKikelewa Camp
  • Meals
    BreakfastLunchDinner
Three trekkers with backpacks walking a rocky trail through low heath
Rocky ground on the way up
Day04
Kikelewa Camp → Mawenzi Tarn

Up to the Tarn

A short but steep climb takes you up a ridge and out of the moorland. The plants thin to lichens and small shrubs, and the rock gets sharper and darker as you get close to Mawenzi.

You arrive in time for lunch at Mawenzi Tarn, a still, cold lake in a bowl under the cliffs. Unpack properly: you are here for two nights.

  • Trek6 km · 3–4 hrs
  • Altitude3,600 → 4,300 m
  • OvernightMawenzi Tarn camp
  • Meals
    BreakfastLunchDinner
Tents beside Mawenzi Tarn with a sea of cloud beyond
Mawenzi Tarn above the clouds
Day05
Mawenzi Tarn → ridge walk → Mawenzi Tarn

A Day at the Lake

Today you stay put. After breakfast your guide takes you on a short walk up the ridges above camp, a couple of hundred metres higher, where you can look out over the Saddle to Kibo.

You come back down to camp for lunch and a quiet afternoon. This climb-high, sleep-low day is why the 7-day Rongai is easier on the body than the 6-day version.

Field note

Mawenzi is an old, worn-down volcano, much older than Kibo. Its crumbling rock is not a trekking summit, so you enjoy it from below.

  • TrekAcclimatisation walk towards Mawenzi
  • Altitude4,300 m
  • OvernightMawenzi Tarn camp
  • Meals
    BreakfastLunchDinner
The Saddle
Day06
Mawenzi Tarn → the Saddle → Kibo Hut

The Empty Plain

You walk west across the Saddle, a high desert of gravel and scattered rocks between Mawenzi and Kibo. Almost nothing grows here, and the wind can be strong and cold.

At Kibo Hut, 4,720 m, you meet the climbers coming up from Marangu. Early dinner, a final kit check with your guide, and bed by 7 pm.

  • Trek8 km · 5–6 hrs
  • Altitude4,300 → 4,720 m
  • OvernightKibo Hut
  • Meals
    BreakfastLunchDinner
Uhuru Peak
Day07
Kibo Hut → Uhuru Peak → Horombo Hut

Gilman's Point to Uhuru

The summit climb starts around midnight. The path zigzags up loose volcanic scree past Hans Meyer Cave to Gilman’s Point on the crater rim, 5,685 m, which you usually reach around first light.

From Gilman’s the trail follows the rim past Stella Point to Uhuru Peak, 5,895 m, with the glaciers beside you. After the summit you return to Kibo Hut, rest, and walk on down to Horombo for the night.

Honest note

Even with the rest day, summit night is 12 to 15 hours and the hardest thing most people have done. Your guides will turn back anyone who is not safe to go on. The mountain will still be there another year.

  • Trek22 km · 12–15 hrs
  • Altitude4,720 → 5,895 → 3,720 m
  • OvernightHorombo Hut
  • Meals
    BreakfastLunchDinner
A stone path through green rainforest
The forest path to Marangu Gate
Day08
Horombo Hut → Marangu Gate → Moshi

Down to the Green

You follow the Marangu trail all the way down, from moorland into rainforest that smells of wet earth and feels almost warm after a week up high.

At Marangu Gate you receive your summit certificate, say goodbye to the crew and drive about an hour back to Moshi.

Good to know

Tipping the crew usually happens at the gate. We give you guideline amounts before the climb, so you can bring the right cash.

  • Trek20 km · 6–7 hrs
  • TransferAbout 1 hr to Moshi
  • OvernightKibo Palace Hotel, Moshi
  • Meals
    BreakfastLunchDinner
Safari njema
Day09
Moshi → Kilimanjaro Airport

Homeward, or Onward

After breakfast you are driven to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight. If you have a few more days, a safari in the northern parks or a rest on the beach in Zanzibar are easy to add.

Where you sleep

Six Nights on the Mountain

A hotel in Moshi at each end. On the mountain you camp for four nights, two of them at Mawenzi Tarn, then stay at Kibo Hut and Horombo Hut on the way over and down.

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

The first campsite on the Rongai Route, with wide views of the plains and forest below.

Plains views
1night

Kikelewa Camp

North-east slopes · 3,600 m

A sheltered valley where the forest plants give way to moorland and giant senecios.

Giant senecios
2nights

Mawenzi Tarn

Below Mawenzi · 4,300 m

Tents beside a small alpine lake under the rugged spires of Mawenzi. Your base for the rest day.

Rest dayAlpine tarn
1night

Kibo Hut

Alpine desert · 4,720 m

The last stop before the summit, at the foot of Kibo. Simple dormitory huts with bunk beds.

Summit base
1night

Horombo Hut

Moorland · 3,720 m

The big hut stop on the Marangu side, with views of Mawenzi. Your first night down.

Descent

Hotels are shown “or similar”. On the first four nights you sleep in tents that our crew carries and pitches; at Kibo and Horombo you use the hut stops of the Marangu Route.

Timing & price

When to Climb

You can climb Rongai in any month. The two dry seasons are best, and even in the rains the north side usually stays drier than the southern routes.

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

A relaxed breakfast, a guided walk of 2 to 4 hours up the ridges around the lake, and back to camp for lunch. The rest of the day is free. It sounds easy, and it is meant to be: the point is to give your body time at 4,300 m. See our altitude safety guide.

It is one of the quietest routes. You share Simba, Kikelewa and Mawenzi Tarn with only a few other groups. It gets busier at Kibo Hut and Horombo, where Rongai meets the Marangu Route.

Rongai is gentler and drier, with fewer people, but the scenery changes less and you miss the Barranco Wall and the southern glaciers on the way up. Machame has more ups and downs. Both end with a hard summit night. See our routes guide.

No climbing skills are needed, but you should be comfortable walking 5 to 7 hours a day, several days in a row. Hill walks with a daypack in the months before help most. Our preparation guide has a simple plan.

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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