Rongai Route And Success Rates: A Beginner’s Guide & Cost

6 Days Rongai Route Itinerary Cost

6 Days Rongai Route Price per person ($ USD)
1 pax	2 -4 pax	5-9 pax	10-16 pax	16+ pax
1,850	1,800	1,750	1,700	1,650

7 Days Rongai Route Itinerary Cost

7 Days Rongai Route Price per person ($ USD)
1 pax	2 -4 pax	5-9 pax	10-16 pax	16+ pax
1,935	1,885	1,835	1,785	1,735

Detailed Itinerary Rongai Route

Day 1: Arrival

When you get to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), you’ll be met by an agent from Kabira Safaris, who will take you to your hotel as part of the package deal. There will be nice rooms, hot water, friendly staff, a swimming pool, and Internet access at the hotel, so you can have a peaceful stay. There will be a meeting with our bosses in the evening, and they will also make sure you are ready to start the climb.

As part of private tour packages, your group will share a ride to and from the airport. For more than one person transfer, there will be extra fees. To avoid extra fees, make sure that the times your group arrives and leaves are the same.

Day 2: Trekking From Nalemuru Gate to Simba Camp

In the morning, a guide and a mountain support crew will come to your hotel to meet you and give you a quick training. You will then be driven to Nalemuru Gate, which is 2,020 metres (6,627 feet) above sea level and the northern entrance to Kilimanjaro National Park. The group will quickly get climbing permits and sign up with the search and rescue service, and then they will begin their walk up to Simba Camp (2,671 m/8,761 f). This day’s walk will be mild and take you up Kilimanjaro’s northern slope through a forest of conifers. Remember to take your time and go at a steady pace. After setting up tents and getting everything ready, our skilled mountain crew will have started making dinner by the time you get to camp.

You should really pay attention to these rules from now on because today is your first day at this height:

• Hold off on drinking booze and caffeine;
• Over 4 litres of drinking water every day (little by little, often);
• If you want to avoid getting altitude sickness in the first place, you might want to take a high-altitude rescue medicine. Many mountain hikers take these kinds of pills in the morning, before they start their climb, to ease the pain of altitude sickness. Along with your travel plans, our managers will give you more detailed information. Before the trip, you should talk to your doctor about any allergies or health worries you might have.

It is normal to feel uncomfortable at night; this is exactly how high elevation makes people feel. In the mountains, it’s normal to feel sick and get headaches. But make sure you tell your guide if you start to feel sick from the high air.

Day 3: From Simba Camp to Kikilewa Camp

Today starts with an early breakfast. After that, we leave Simba Camp and head to Kikilewa Camp, which is 3,630 metres (11,906 feet) above sea level. If the weather is clear, you can see Kibo Volcano at its most beautiful from Kikilewa Camp. We suggest that you take a break when you get to camp because this walk is harder on your body than the last one.

Day 4: Trekking From Kikilewa Camp to Mawenzi Tran Camp

The day starts with another early breakfast. After that, you will walk to Mawenzi Tarn Camp, which is at the base of Kilimanjaro’s second-highest peak, Mawenzi Volcano. When you get to camp, you’ll have lunch and a two-hour break. After that, you’ll go on an ascent of 200 metres (656 feet) to get used to the air before going on a walk to Mawenzi Volcano. After that, you’ll walk back down to Mawenzi Tarn Camp for dinner.

To speed up the process of getting used to the altitude, the acclimatisation hike is a short, easy hike with a small elevation gain. The acclimatisation hikes are very important that you do them. They make it more likely that you will be able to reach the top of Kilimanjaro and protect you from getting altitude sickness.

Day 5: Trekking From Mawenzi Tran Camp to School Hut Camp

We will be hiking to School Hut Camp (4,800 m/15,744 f) today. The land will change a lot and turn into a rocky semi-desert. The hike itself isn’t too hard; just make sure you keep up a good pace to keep your strength up for the hike to the top of Kilimanjaro. As you get to camp, make sure you get enough rest, don’t do anything too hard, and drink as much as you can. That night, you’ll be climbing Uhuru Peak (5,895 m/19,336 f).

Day 6: Trekking to Uhuru Peak and Descent to Horombo Camp

At night, your group will leave School Hut Camp (4,800 m/15,744 f) and head towards Uhuru Peak (5,895 m/19,336 f), which is the highest point of Kilimanjaro. Of course, the trek isn’t really that hard, but at this high elevation, even normal physical exercise can feel hard. Because of this, climbers are paired up in pairs and given a personal guide to watch over their health during the final peak. Once you’ve reached the top of Uhuru Peak, you can choose to go down to the nearest glacier. Then you will go back to Kibo Camp and rest for two hours. After that, you will continue your drop to Horombo Camp, which is 3,720 m (12,202 f) below you.

Don’t forget that 90% of crashes happen on the way down, and most people break their arms and legs. You should be very careful with your feet because you could hurt your toes.

Day 7: Descent From Horombo Camp to Maranga Camp Gate

In the morning, you will be given a warm breakfast. Then, we will leave Kilimanjaro National Park through the Marangu Gate (1,970 m /6,462 f). After you get to the bottom, everyone will meet to congratulate you. After that, you’ll have time to write in the guestbook about your thoughts on the trip. Last but not least, we will give you your commemorative awards and take you back to your hotel.

Day 8: Departure

Rest in the hotel and transfer to the airport.

PLEASE NOTE:
The hotel’s check-out time is 11 AM. If you need to check out late because of a flight in the evening, you can pay extra to stay longer at the hotel.

Rongai Route FAQ

Rongai 7 vs Machame 7 to climb Kilimanjaro

Rongai 7 and Machame 7 are both great routes, but each has its own pros and cons. Machame stands out because it has a slightly higher success rate at the top and more varied scenery on the way up. Rongai 7 does have one big benefit, though: it’s not nearly as busy as Machame. It might also be better to climb Mount Kilimanjaro from Rongai during the wet seasons. It rains much less on the northern hills, making them drier.

Overall, both itineraries offer something unique and are quite accessible even for beginners. Machame goes up Kilimanjaro from the southern side by going around the Barranco Wall. The Rongai trailhead, on the other hand, starts on the northern side and goes down through the southwest.

Rongai route vs Marangu route

These routes have about the same success rate for reaching the peak. During the wet season, both are good ways to climb Kilimanjaro. But the two are also very different in important ways. To begin, the Marangu is the only path that has huts that are set up like dorm rooms in each camp along the route. Marangu is also thought to be one of the busiest roads, so there is a lot of traffic.

Rongai, on the other hand, is one of the most private and quiet ways to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. This is the only route that starts on the northern side of the mountain, so it’s a one-of-a-kind adventure that you won’t find anywhere else. It’s interesting that the Rongai descent goes down the Marangu way, so you can see both sides of the mountain in one trip! For a better acclimatisation profile, we suggest going with the 7-day Rongai schedule.

Rongai vs Northern Circuit

The Northern Circuit and Rongai are two of the least busy ways to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. The Northern Circuit is farther away and takes more time—at least 8 days on the mountain—than the Rongai Circuit, which can be done in 6 or 7 days. If you choose the Northern Circuit, you will have more time to see more of the mountain and its shapes. But the long walks every day might be too much for some people. It is clear that Rongai is the faster option. It is also a great choice if you don’t want to see a lot of other groups of trekkers on your trip.

How hard is the Rongai route

Everyone who is at least somewhat fit can walk the Rongai way. It is not too hard, but it is definitely not easy either. Keep in mind that the seven-day Rongai schedule is easier and gives you a better chance to get used to the altitude than the six-day version.

What is the success rate of the Rongai route

A little over 87% of trekkers who go on a Rongai trip make it to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro (Uhuru Peak), and over 90% make it to the edge of the crater. We suggest going with the 7-day plan so you have a better chance of making it to the top of Kilimanjaro on the summit day.

You can add an extra day of rest at any of the camps along the way if you book a private trip and need more time to get used to theltitude. Please keep in mind that extending the expedition will cost more money to cover extra park fees, staff pay, and other costs. Regardless, this change can increase your chances of reaching the top, especially if you think the standard route might be too hard.

Is the Rongai route better than the Lemosho route

The answer is mostly up to your personal taste. Rongai can be a great choice if you want to climb Kilimanjaro during the rainy season or if you’d rather not deal with a lot of people. But Lemosho is known as the most beautiful way to climb Kilimanjaro, and a very high percentage of people who try it actually make it to the top.

How long is the Rongai route

The Rongai route is about 79 km (49 miles) long. The top night push and descent is the longest walk. The Rongai path on Kilimanjaro starts at Nalemuru Gate (also called Rongai Gate), which is 2,020 metres high. It leads to the Kibo Crater Wall and Uhuru Peak through a steady but not too steep climb.