Kilimanjaro Day Hike to Mandara Hut

A taste of Africa's highest mountain: a rainforest hike on the Marangu route, no summit required.

8–9 hours Moderate Kilimanjaro National Park From $739 per person

Kilimanjaro Day Hike to Mandara Hut · 8–9 hours

Package Overview

Not everyone has a week to climb Kilimanjaro. This day hike takes you up the Marangu route from the park gate through thick montane rainforest, where black-and-white colobus monkeys feed in the canopy, to Mandara Hut at 2,720 metres, the first camp for summit climbers. Families and anyone short on time can feel what it's like to be on the mountain. It can also be stretched to two days with a night at Mandara Hut.

Highlights

Hike into Kilimanjaro National Park
Colobus monkeys in the rainforest
Lunch at Mandara Hut (2,720 m)
Optional side trip to Maundi Crater on the 2-day version

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1 • Marangu Gate to Mandara Hut and back

Marangu route

Early pickup in Moshi for the 45-minute drive to Marangu Gate (1,860 m). After registering with the park, hike for around three hours through rainforest to Mandara Hut, eat lunch with the climbers starting their ascent, then walk back down the same trail to the gate and your hotel.

Note: Want more time on the mountain? Ask for the 2-day version with a night at Mandara Hut.