Marangu Route

Accommodation: All huts along this route are unfurnished uniports which each sleep 6 people. There are stream water and platform toilets from first hut to other upper huts. But, the huts are not good for clients to stay, so we strongly recommend clients to stay in tents for all nights they spend on the mountain.

ITINERARY 
6 DAYS/5 NIGHTS: UMBWE ROUTE

Day 1 - Umbwe Gate (1 700 m) to Bivouac 1 (2 900 m).
After breakfast you are driven to the Umbwe Gate (1 700 m). On arrival at the park's gate you are met by your guides and porters. You will now commence on a walk through the spectacular forest to the first camp, Bivouac 1 (2 900 m), with access to water. This path begins at 2 100 m and generally keeps to the narrow ridge crest between the Lonzo River on the west and the Umbwe on the east. The path gains altitude quickly, and offers some spectacular views of deep gorges, and if you are lucky glimpses of Kilimanjaro towering above you in the distance! Take your time walking through this section. It will help you acclimatize and the paths are often steep in places.

Day 2 - Bivouac 1 (2 900 m) to Barranco Hut (3 950 m).
The day starts with a walk up to Bivouac No 2 (3 780 m), just under the first head-on view of the peak. If you're feeling strong, then you may continue to Barranco Hut (3 950 m). The path is fairly steep through the forest, heading along a sharp ridge before it flattens as you approach Barranco Hut in the moorland zone. After a fairly long and strenuous day, you will now start to fell the symptoms of altitude.

Day 3 - Rest day at Barranco Hut (3 950 m).
This day can be used for acclimatization and rest. You can hike to any of the higher elevations surrounding the Barranco camp and return for a well-deserved rest. The whole idea is to hike to a higher elevation and return to sleep low, this should help immensely with acclimatization, (walk high/sleep low).
There are two options to summit on this route:
Option 1 via Barafu Hut:
Option 2 via Arrow Glacier: 

Day 4 - Barranco, Karranga Valley to Barafu Hut (4 600 m).
The morning starts with a scramble up the almost vertical Barranco Wall to an altitude of about 4 200 m and then the path crosses through the south-western slopes to reach the Karranga Valley. Before reaching the camp at Karranga Valley below 4 000 m, you'll pass through valleys offering great views of Heim, Kersten and Decken Glaciers that form part of the Southern Ice fields.
This is the last water stop on the route. There is no water at Barafu Hut (4 600 m), so you should take care and stock up your water supply. After lunch you ascend a ridge along a footpath that leads to the next camp, Barafu Hut (4 600 m). On a clear day the Saddle and Mawenzi (5 149 m) can be seen to the east. Barafu Hut (4 600 m) is situated on an exposed and dangerous ridge, so familiarize you with the terrain before dark to avoid any tragedies. You will be able to rest up at Barafu for the whole afternoon, acclimatizing and gathering strength for the summit.
At this point you should take special care and move around this area with extreme caution as many fatal accidents have been recorded at the camp over the years. Porters will erect the tents and prepare supper and while this is happening you can arrange your gear for the summit bid, which will take place towards midnight. Ensure that you replace your headlamp and camera batteries. Because it so incredibly cold, it would be wise to carry your water in a thermal flask to avoid it freezing into one solid and useless icicle. Of course, for practical reasons, the group size will determine how many assistant guides are required.

Day 5 - Barafu Hut (4 600 m) to Uhuru Peak (5 895 m) to Mweka Hut (3 100 m). 
At around midnight you'll head in a northwesterly direction up the South East Valley towards Stella Point on the crater rim. The night is very cold with the footpath rocky and steep in places. The long walk to Stella Point is a mental and physical challenge. Even more serious, altitude has now been gained rapidly. The result is shortness of breath, severe headaches and nausea - affecting most climbers badly.
Depending on weather conditions, you could encounter snow and ice from below Stella Point all the way to Uhuru Peak (5 895 m). This stretch takes about an hour and offers great views of Rebmann, Decken, Kersten and Heim Glaciers. From Uhuru Peak you can also see Furtwangler Glacier to the north and the Eastern Ice Fields to the north-east. Above all you are also rewarded with just about the most beautiful African sunrise ever. The time you spend on the summit is determined by weather and wind conditions. These can cause temperatures to plummet well below minus 30 degrees Celsius. The walk back to Barafu Hut (4 600 m) from the summit can take over three hours. There walk back to have a short rest and collect the rest of your gear before heading down to the find camp o9n the mountain, Mweka Hut (3 100 m). 

Day 6 - Mweka Hut (3 100 m) to Mweka Village (1 450 m) to hotel. 
A hearty breakfast is served before you descend through the rain forest to the park's gate. On reaching the gate you must enter your particulars into the park's register. The guides are issued with green certificates for climbers who reached Stella Point and gold certificates for those who reached Uhuru Peak. You can buy drinks, beer, maps, books and shirts from the ranger. After all formalities are over, continue your descent to the Mweka Village (1 450 m) where transport awaits to transfer you to the hotel for a bath or shower. Certificates are presented during supper by either your guide or team leader.