The Marangu Route, famously known as the “Coca-Cola Route,” is the most affordable path to Mount Kilimanjaro’s summit and the only one offering hut accommodations instead of tents. With Kili Vista Expeditions, trekkers stay in communal sleeping huts equipped with solar lighting and comfortable bunk beds complete with mattresses and pillows.
Mandara and Kibo Huts each provide 60 beds, while Horombo Hut offers 120 beds. Bathrooms with running water are available at the lower camps, while basic men’s and women’s latrines serve the final hut. Shared dining halls bring together climbers from around the world, creating a fun, social, and energetic trekking atmosphere.
Most climbers complete Marangu in 5 days, making it the shortest route to the summit. However, Kili Vista Expeditions recommends a 6-day itinerary for better acclimatization, using the extra day to rest at Horombo Hut or explore the scenic Mawenzi area—improving your comfort, safety, and summit success.
If you’ve booked optional airport transfers, Kili Vista Expeditions will warmly welcome you upon arrival at Kilimanjaro or Arusha Airport and transfer you to your hotel in Moshi.
Today includes a detailed pre-trek briefing at your hotel, where your guide will review the route, expectations, safety procedures, and trekking etiquette. We will also check your gear and assist with renting any missing equipment. For the best preparation, plan to arrive in Moshi at least one day before your climb begins.
After breakfast, depart Moshi and drive for about an hour to Marangu Gate, the official starting point of your Kilimanjaro adventure. Once registered, begin your ascent through a lush rainforest filled with towering eucalyptus trees, vibrant birdlife, and playful black-and-white colobus monkeys. A short optional walk to Maundi Crater offers panoramic views stretching into Kenya and Northern Tanzania. Continue on to Mandara Hut for the night.
Elevation: 1,860m/6,100ft → 2,700m/8,875ft
Distance: 8 km / 5 mi
Hiking Time: 3–4 hours
Habitat: Montane Forest
Meals: Lunch & Dinner
Leave the rainforest behind and emerge into open moorland, following a steady uphill trail toward Horombo Hut. Along the way, enjoy breathtaking views of Kibo and Mawenzi peaks and look out for iconic high-altitude plants such as giant groundsels and lobelias. Altitude may start to become noticeable today.
Elevation: 2,700m/8,875ft → 3,700m/12,200ft
Distance: 12 km / 7.5 mi
Hiking Time: 5–6 hours
Habitat: Heathland
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Spend a valuable acclimatization day at Horombo, allowing your body to adapt for a safer and more successful summit attempt. You may rest at camp or take an optional hike toward Mawenzi Peak for stunning views and improved altitude adjustment.
Elevation: 3,700m/12,200ft
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Continue climbing past the last water point and enter the vast alpine desert. Cross the dramatic saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo—an otherworldly landscape resembling the surface of the moon. Arrive at Kibo Hut, where you’ll rest, hydrate, and prepare for your midnight summit push.
Elevation: 3,700m/12,200ft → 4,700m/15,500ft
Distance: 9 km / 5.5 mi
Hiking Time: 5–6 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Your summit attempt begins between midnight and 2:00 am. Ascend slowly and steadily up steep scree toward Gilman’s Point on the crater rim, then continue to Uhuru Peak (5,895m/19,340ft)—the highest point in Africa. Celebrate, take photos, and soak in a once-in-a-lifetime sunrise before descending to Kibo for lunch and onward to Horombo Hut for a well-earned rest.
Elevation: 4,700m/15,500ft → 5,895m/19,340ft → 3,700m/12,200ft
Distance: 6 km / 4 mi up | 15 km / 9 mi down
Hiking Time: 6–8 hours up | 5–6 hours down
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, descend through moorland and back into the lush rainforest, where the air grows warmer and thicker with oxygen. Arrive at Marangu Gate, collect your summit certificates, and celebrate your achievement. A Kili Vista Expeditions vehicle will transfer you back to your hotel in Moshi for a well-deserved shower and rest.
Elevation: 3,700m/12,200ft → 1,700m/5,500ft
Distance: 20 km / 12.5 mi
Hiking Time: 4–5 hours
Habitat: Forest
Meals: Breakfast
