Traveling to Tanzania but don’t have the time or desire to summit Mount Kilimanjaro? Still want a taste of the highest free-standing mountain in the world? Spend just one day before or after your safari hiking through the lush, cool rainforest at the foot of this iconic peak. (See our Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking Tours for more information and inspiration.)
This day hike is a perfect way to stretch your legs after a long journey or several days in a safari vehicle. You’ll follow the Marangu Route — Kilimanjaro’s original ascent path, first forged in 1889 by Tanzanian guide Yohani Lauwo and German explorer Hans Meyer. The trail takes you through Kilimanjaro’s second eco-climatic zone, the montane forest, at an altitude of 1,600 m (5,250 ft) to 2,700 m (8,860 ft).
This rich rainforest is alive with the sounds of flowing streams, crashing waterfalls, and birds calling from the canopy above. You may spot black-and-white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, and — if you’re lucky — the elusive duiker.
The Day’s Kilimanjaro Hiking Schedule
Your guide will collect you from your hotel in Moshi town at 8:00 am for a scenic one-hour drive to Marangu village, located at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. Upon arrival at the park gate, your guide will handle the necessary registration and permit formalities. Once everything is set, you’ll begin your hike into the lush montane forest.
The trek is a 14 km (8.7 miles) round-trip journey, typically taking around four hours to ascend and about three hours to descend. Your route follows the historic Marangu Trail, steadily climbing through the rainforest to reach Mandara Hut, where you’ll pause for a well-earned lunch.
After lunch, you’ll continue a short distance further to Maundi Crater. From here, weather permitting, you may catch a glimpse of one of Kilimanjaro’s dramatic summits — the jagged Mawenzi Peak — rising through the clouds. After soaking in the views, you’ll begin your descent back down the same trail to the park gate, where your vehicle will be waiting to take you back to Moshi by late afternoon.
Any questions? Please get in touch. For more Kilimanjaro inspiration, check out our Kilimanjaro Routes.
