Marangu Route/Coca-Cola Route/Tourist Route and Success Rates: A Beginner’s Guide & Cost
Marangu Route – The Only Kilimanjaro Route with Hut Accommodation.
The oldest trail on Mt. Kilimanjaro is the Marangu Route, which is also called the “Coca-Cola Route” or the “Tourist Route.” It is also one of the most famous, mostly because it is the only trail on the mountain with huts for hikers to stay in. This hut has 120 bunk beds, with 60 bunk beds in Mandara Hut and 60 bunk beds in Kibo Hut.
Climbers usually get mattresses and pillows from tour companies; hikers, on the other hand, need to bring their own sleeping bags.
The oldest and most well-known route on Kilimanjaro is the Marangu route, which is also called the “Coca-Cola” path.
This is the only path that lets you stay in sleeping huts that are set up like dorm rooms instead of camping. This hut has 120 bunk beds, with 60 bunk beds in Mandara Hut and 60 bunk beds in Kibo Hut. Even though guests are given mattresses and blankets, they still need to bring their own sleeping bags. There are common eating rooms and simple bathrooms in each hut. The lower huts have flushing toilets and running water, while the Kibo Hut has long drop toilets and buckets of water.
Marangu is liked by many because it is thought to be the easiest path on the mountain because it has a gentle slope and a straight road. However, the short length of the route makes getting used to the higher elevations hard. From the southeast, the path leads up to Mount Kilimanjaro. Marangu isn’t as scenic as the other ways, though, since the path that goes up and down is the same. Because of this, it is also the busiest road.
Kabira Safaris & Tours Africa lets you climb Marangu on your own for 5 or 6 days. On day 3 at Horombo Hut, the 5-day version doesn’t have an acclimatisation day.
This is our full guide to the Marangu route.
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro – Insights & Golden Tips via Marangu route (Africa’s highest peak)
Mount Kilimanjaro in 4K I Marangu Route
5 Days Marangu Route Itinerary Cost
| 5 Days Marangu Route Price per person ($ USD) | ||||
| 1 pax | 2 -4 pax | 5-9 pax | 10-16 pax | 16+ pax |
| 1,735 | 1,685 | 1,635 | 1,585 | 1,535 |
6 Days Marangu Route Itinerary Cost
| 6 Days Marangu Route Price per person ($ USD) | ||||
| 1 pax | 2 -4 pax | 5-9 pax | 10-16 pax | 16+ pax |
| 1,835 | 1,785 | 1,735 | 1,685 | 1,635 |
Climbing Cost Includes
- All transfers: Hotel before and after the hike
- Camping equipment
- Meals on the hike
- Professional guides and porters
- Oxygen tanks
- GPS Trackers
- Medical check-ups, fully-loaded medical kits, and in-company doctor
- Fully-loaded medical kits
- All park fees and taxes
- Dedicated support team
- Innovative and user-friendly travel planning portal
- Safe room and storage room
- Leave No Trace adventure
- Impactful change for the local communities
Climbing Cost Excludes
- International flights
- Tips to the climbing crew
- Visa fee
- Personal gear rentals
- Single supplement
- Travel insurance
- Portable toilet
- Lunch and dinner in the hotel
The Marangu Route Day-to-Day Itinerary
Day 1 – Marangu Gate to Mandara Hut
Elevation: 6,046 ft to 8,858 ft
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Distance: 8 km | 5 miles
Habitat: Rain Forest
Before we start our walk, we leave Moshi and go to Marangu Gate to do the appropriate paperwork. The hiking path starts by going up through a beautiful tropical rain forest. There are blue monkeys that we might see at the upper edge of the forest line. After that, the path gets wider, letting us see more of the beautiful hills until we reach Mandara Hut.
Day 2 – Mandara Hut to Horombo Hut
Elevation: 8,858 ft to 12,205 ft
Hiking Time: 6-8 hours
Distance: 12 km | 7 miles
Habitat: Heath
To start the day, we keep going through the forest until the track ends and meets high moorland. At some point, we might get our first look at Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. These are two of the three volcanic peaks that make up Kilimanjaro’s top.
Day 3 – Horombo Hut to Mawenzi Ridge to Horombo Hut
Horombo Hut to Mawenzi Ridge
Elevation: 12,205 ft to 14,400 ft
Hiking Time: 2-3 hours
Mawenzi Ridge to Horombo Hut
Elevation: 14,400 ft to 12,205 ft
Hiking Time: 1-2 hours
Distance: 5 km | 3 miles
Habitat: Heath
Distance: 5 km | 3 miles
Habitat: Heath
This is an extra day to help you get used to the altitude. You can spend it day hiking on Mawenzi Ridge. The unique scenery has views of Kibo and Mawenzi that are very inspiring. We go back to Horombo Hut after taking a short break to look around the area.
Day 4 – Horombo Hut to Kibo Hut
Elevation: 12,205 ft to 15,430 ft
Hiking Time: 6-8 hours
Distance: 10 km | 6 miles
Habitat: Alpine Desert
We slowly make our way up, and then we cross the “Saddle,” which is a lunar desert between Mawenzi and Kibo. Kibo Hut, our camp, is at the base of the Kibo crater wall. We’ll rest here and eat dinner early to get ready for the day at the top.
Day 5 – Kibo Hut to Uhuru Peak to Horombo Hut
Kibo Hut to Uhuru Peak
Elevation: 15,430 ft to 19,341 ft
Hiking Time: 6-8 hours
Uhuru Peak to Horombo Hut
Elevation: 19,341 ft to 12,250 ft
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Distance: 6 km | 4 miles
Habitat: Arctic
Distance: 16 km | 10 miles
Habitat: Heath
We start our push to the top very early in the morning, around midnight. This part of the trip is the hardest on both the mind and the body. At this height and time of day, the wind and cold can be very bad. We go up in the dark for several hours, stopping often for short periods of time. Once you get to Gilman’s Point (18,600 ft), the morning over Mawenzi Peak will likely be the most beautiful of your life. We finally get to Uhuru Peak, which is the highest point on both Mount Kilimanjaro and Africa as a whole.
We’ll go down to Horombo Hut after taking a moment to enjoy the view of the African fields and your hard work. In the late evening, we have our last meal on the mountain and then get a good night’s sleep.
Day 6 – Horombo Hut to Marangu Gate
Elevation: 12,205 ft to 6,046 ft
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
Distance: 20 km | 12 miles
Habitat: Rain Forest
On our last day, we keep going down until we reach Mweka Gate, where we will pick up our summit badges. Down low, it might be wet and muddy. We keep going for another hour from the gate to Mweka Village. We will be picked up at Mweka Village by a car that will take us back to the hotel in Moshi.
End of the 5-6 Days Marangu Route Itinerary
Marangu Route Map
The Marangu way can be done in 5 days, but climbers should stay an extra day at Horombo Hut to get used to the altitude.
The main problem with the Marangu Route is that the ascent and descent are the same. This means that there isn’t as much difference in the scenery as there is on other routes. It also means that a lot of people can use the road at once.
The Marangu Route also has a low success rate because it is often picked by trekkers who aren’t ready or experienced and are led astray into thinking it is the easiest route on Kilimanjaro. Check out the Kilimanjaro success rates.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How Difficult is the Marangu Route
This road is tried by many first-time hikers every year because it has comfortable huts instead of mountain tents, which are needed on other routes. A lot of people say that this way to get to the top of Kilimanjaro is easier than other ways.
Trekkers often think that a 5-day hike is easier than a 6-day hike, which is in fact not true. It can be hard to do the 5-day choices, though, because you don’t have much time to get used to the altitude.
The 6-day choice is a lot easier, but you still need to be in good shape.
What is the distance of the Marangu Route and how many days does it take to complete
The Marangu Route goes for 82 km, which is 50 miles. The smallest amount of time needed for the Marangu Route is five days. However, when you count the days you arrive and leave, it takes nine to ten days. The shortest path on the mountain is the Marangu path. To improve your chances of success, it is best to spread out the trip over 6 days.
What is the Maragu Route Summit Success Rate
It is one of the shortest ways on the mountain, so not many people are able to reach the top of the Marangu Route. This is mostly because the local tour guides who lead groups up the mountain on the shorter 5-day hike are not very good at what they do. There is a 50% success rate after 5 days because of this! The success rate goes up to over 90% when we only take the 6-day choice, which is what we tell our hikers.
What scenery will I see on the Marangu Route
Before finishing in the glacial zone, the Marangu route goes up through the rainforest, moorlands, and alpine areas. This hike is very pretty, and it’s the only way to go back down the same way you came up.
Are there showers in the Marangu route
Yes, some of the huts along the Marangu path have showers and toilets that flush. However, the showers at Mandara Hut and Horombo Hut are very cold.
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