Prepared: 23/06/2015
by: Vanessa Janion
Rongai Route,
Kilimanjaro Challenge
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Prepared: 23/06/2015
by: Vanessa Janion
DAY 1: Thursday 15 September 2016, Marangu Hotel for 2 nights, half
board
Transfer from Bristol Airport to Marangu Hotel, Kilimanjaro
Depart from Bristol airport on KLM flight KL1046 at 0615. Arrive Amsterdam at 0845. Remain
in transit and depart again on KLM flight KL569 at 1015. Arrive Kilimanjaro airport at 1950.
Met on arrival and transferred to Marangu Hotel.
Overnight on half board basis.
Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira, is a dormant
volcanic mountain in Tanzania. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest freestanding mountain in the world at 5,895 metres (19,341 ft) above sea level.
Kilimanjaro is a large stratovolcano and is composed of three distinct volcanic cones: Kibo,
the highest; Mawenzi at 5,149 metres (16,893 ft) and Shira, the shortest at 4,005 metres
(13,140 ft). Uhuru Peak is the highest summit on Kibos crater rim. Tanzania National Parks
list the height of Uhuru Peak as 5,895 m (19,341 ft).
Mawenzi and Shira are extinct, while Kibo is dormant and could erupt again. The last major
eruption has been dated to between 150,000 and 200,000 years ago. Kibo has gas-emitting
fumaroles in its crater.
Several collapses and landslides have occurred on Kibo before, one creating the area known
as the Western Breach.
Marangu Hotel
This beautifully situated hotel, on the slopes of Kilimanjaro, stands in twelve acres of mature,
well laid out gardens. It has a fine variety of exotic trees and flowering shrubs. From the
gardens there are magnificent views to be had of Kilimanjaro, with its larger peaks of icecapped Kibo and rocky Mawenzi. The oldest peak on the mountain, Shira, is much smaller
and heavily eroded. Its remains are best viewed when climbing via the Machame route.
The hotel takes its name from the surrounding area. "Marangu" means "full of water" in the
local Chagga language, and the lush green surroundings demonstrate the truth of this.
The central hotel building was once a farm house, built in the early 1900s, and is of a
charming, old world style. This is a family-run business, with the consequent attention to
detail one expects.
Guest accommodation is provided in cottages around the grounds. The cottages are of varied
style, and each has its own character. Several cottages have integral central sitting rooms,
which are popular with small groups travelling together. All rooms have private bathrooms with
bath or shower.
For recreation, the hotel has a swimming pool and croquet lawn, or guests may simply relax
in the comfortable bar and lounges. There are also pretty walks to be had locally through the
surrounding banana and coffee farms, and along the river that borders the hotel on one side.
Where time permits, the colourful local markets are well worth a visit.
The hotel is renowned for its well-prepared menu, using vegetables from its own gardens and
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Prepared: 23/06/2015
by: Vanessa Janion
home baked bread. A range of wines is always available.
Two nights on half board basis. (lunch paid for locally).
On the 16th September, you will be given a full briefing on the trek and there will be a
chance to go through all of your kit with staff and add any kit that you might not have.
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Prepared: 23/06/2015
by: Vanessa Janion
DAY 3: Saturday 17 September 2016, 4 night/5 day Rongai trek for 4
nights, full board
Transfer from Marangu Hotel to start point of trek
Depart from the hotel and transferred to the start point of the trek, see below.
4 night/5 day Rongai trek
17 Sept: Nalemuru (Rongai) gate to Simba camp.
Vehicles take climbers to the gate at 2,000 metres at the entrance to the forest on the north
eastern side of the mountain. This is a journey of a little over an hour from Marangu, on a
good paved road which winds around the mountain passing through banana and coffee
plantations. From the gate, a 3 to 4 hour walk, gradually ascending through the forest to the
camp which is just clear of the forest at 2,600 metres.
18 Sept: Simba camp to Third Cave camp.
Climbers trek to Second Cave on a path which climbs through the alpine zone. The main
peak of Kibo lies directly ahead, and the lower jagged peak of Mawenzi is on the trekkers' left
hand side. Second Cave is at an altitude of 3500 metres, so there is a significant altitude
gain in the morning. After lunch at Second Cave, the path continues directly towards the
peak of Kibo for a further 2 hours and camp is made at Third Cave, 3,700 metres.
19 Sept: Third Cave to Kibo Hut camp.
After breakfast, climbers ascend to the moonscape of the Saddle, the high altitude desert
lying between the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi. Then they trek across the Saddle to Kibo,
ascending the foothills of Kibo to make camp close to Kibo Hut at 4700 metres. The trekking
day is around 5 to 6 hours' long.
20 Sept: Kibo Hut to Summit, then descent to Horombo Hut.
Climbers are woken at about 11pm. After dressing in all their warm clothing, they have a hot
drink and then set off at midnight. The first part of the ascent to the Hans Meyer cave is quite
indirect, going around large rock outcrops and it is not as steep as the latter part. The surface
is loose and can be hard going. After the cave the scree slope becomes extremely steep
and you have to climb in a zig-zag fashion. It takes an average of 6 hours to reach Gillmans
Point on the crater rim. On a fine morning, the views of the sun rising from behind Mawenzi
are spectacular. Gillmans Point is at 5,700 metres. From here, the path goes around the
crater rim for a further one and a half to two hours to the summit at Uhuru Peak, 5896 metres.
The descent back to Kibo Hut can take a further 3 or 4 hours. After a rest and a meal, the
descent continues to Horombo Hut via the lower route, a further trek of around 3 hours. Camp
is made close to Horombo Hut. This hut has washrooms with piped running water and flush
toilets and it is a great luxury to have this after the previous 3 days!
21 Sept: Horombo Hut to the Park Gate.
The descent from Horombo to Mandara Hut takes around 3 hours, and the final part of the
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Prepared: 23/06/2015
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descent through the forest to Marangu Gate takes another 2 hours. At the Gate vehicles will
be waiting to take climbers and crew back to the hotel, a short ten minute drive.
Weights given by climbers to the porters to carry for them have to be strictly limited to 15kgs.
Even 1 kg over can trigger the need to hire an additional porter at extra cost.
Climbers should try to bring as much of their own clothing essentials as possible. But
Marangu Hotel does have a mountain clothing store with a lot of items in it. First of all, we
have a good supply of sleeping bags and mats for the camping routes (there are mattresses
in the huts on the Marangu route). Climbers may borrow these sleeping bags at no extra
charge.
It is essential that climbers have certain items of their own: these include good, well-worn in
boots, good quality sunglasses, sunblock, headlamps, water bottle systems capable of
carrying 3 ltrs total.
Please bring some energy and chocolate bars, perhaps some nuts and raisins. These are
especially good on the final ascent.
Climbers should not think of our mountain stores as having everything they need (although we
are often able to kit people out from A-Z when their baggage is delayed) but rather as a place
where any gaps in their kit can usually be filled.
Climbers cannot count on down for jackets. Sometimes we have down but it is not
guaranteed (and it can't be laundered). But we will supply warm jackets if they lack same.
But please understand that it is not like walking into a top end outdoors store with all top of
the range gear.
However, it is all free. No charges are made at all although we may ask for a deposit in
certain cases. Losses do occur, not through theft but because people get tired and careless.
Try to bring as much of your important mountain gear as possible as cabin baggage.
Consider wearing your boots on the plane.
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Prepared: 23/06/2015
by: Vanessa Janion
DAY 7: Wednesday 21 September 2016, Marangu Hotel for 1 night, half
board
Transfer from end of trek back to Marangu Hotel
Transfer from the end of the trek back to the Marangu Hotel.
Marangu Hotel
A final night back at Marangu Hotel on half board basis.
DAY 8: Thursday 22 September 2016, Transfer from Kilimanjaro to
Bristol Airport
Transferred to Kilimanjaro airport for departure of KLM flight KL569 departing at 2050.
Arrive Amsterdam at 0725 the following morning. Remain in transit and depart on KL1049
departing at 0830. Arrive Bristol Airport at 0845.
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