The Marangu Route, Success Rates, Distance, Map & Elevation
Since it is the only route on Kilimanjaro that offers hut accommodation for trekkers, the Marangu route—also known as the “Coca-Cola Route“—remains incredibly popular and is the oldest and most well-established hiking route on the mountain.
With breathtaking vistas and an exciting trekking journey to the top of Uhuru Peak, this route gives hikers the traditional Kilimanjaro climbing experience. However, there are a few distinctive features that make Marangu route stand out from the others, lending it a personality and vibe all its own.
The Marangu Route is unique among the Kilimanjaro ascent routes in that it forbids campers to sleep in tents; instead, they make due with permanent shelters.
Climbers often choose this route in April and May, when the weather is wet, because of the dormitory-style shelters that offer additional protection from the elements. Horombo Hut has 120 bunk beds, while Mandara and Kibo Huts each have 60.
The Marangu Route
The huts provide trekkers with bunk beds, a mattress, and pillows for a night’s sleep. Since they may buy a variety of candy bars, bottled water, and soft drinks along the Marangu road, it is often called the “Coca-Cola Route.”
Many consider the Marangu Route to be the most manageable of Kilimanjaro’s trekking routes because of the gradual ascent to each of the daylight camps.
But don’t think you can breeze down this terrain; there’s around a thousand meters of vertical gain on the way to the last camp, so be prepared to sweat.
Regardless of your starting point, summit day on Kilimanjaro is never easy, but the payoff is worth it when you reach the peak.
Marangu Route hikers often choose this route when they have limited time for their journey to Uhuru Peak because it is one of the shortest routes to the top, taking only five days.
Hiking the Marangu Route to Kilimanjaro
Marangu Route Map
Unfortunately, this doesn’t give you nearly enough time to adjust to the higher elevation. This is why, out of all the ways up Kilimanjaro, the Marangu route has the greatest failure rate. Remember that when you decide to go this route on your Kilimanjaro climb.
Furthermore, no other road but the Marangu road follows the same course both up and down. Meaning that hikers will see the same sights on the way up as they do on the way down, even though the trail is beautiful. On top of that, Marangu can get quite congested because to the two-way traffic.
However, this time-tested path to the summit of Kilimanjaro is hard to beat for a traditional Kilimanjaro experience.
Kilimanjaro Climbing offers Marangu as a private five- or six-day climb. On day three at Horombo Hut, there is no acclimatization day in the five-day variant.
The Marangu Route Frequently Asked Questions
How Difficult is the Marangu Route
In contrast to other routes that necessitate sleeping in mountain tents, this one provides nice hut accommodations, thus many inexperienced hikers try it out every year. Several hikers have testified that this is the easiest way to reach the peak of Kilimanjaro.
Many hikers mistakenly believe that a 5-day trek is easier than a 6-day hike when they are actually hiking the Marangu route. On the other hand, if you only have five days to acclimate, you can find it quite challenging.
Even while the 6-day option is somewhat easier, you will still need to be in decent physical shape.
What is the distance of the Marangu Route and how many days does it take to complete
The Marangu Route covers a precise distance of 82 kilometers, or 50 miles. Taking into account the arrival and departure days, the Marangu Route takes 9–10 days, even though the shortest number of days is 5. To maximize your chances of success, it is recommended to finish the expedition over six days using the Marangu Route, the shortest route on the mountain.
What is the Maragu Route Summit Success Rate
Since it is among the mountain’s shorter routes, the Marangu Route has the lowest success percentages for reaching the top. The main cause of this is the incompetent local tour guides that lead tourists on the shorter 5-day trip up the mountain. This accounts for half of the success rates in just five days! Keeping this in mind, we stick to the 6-day option, which boosts our success rate to more than 90%, when advising our hikers.
What scenery will I see on the Marangu Route
Starting in the lowlands and terminating in the highlands, the Marangu route winds its way up through the rainforest, moorlands, and alpine regions. The only way to go down the mountain the same way you came up is on this stunning hike.
Can you tell me if the Marangu route has any rain
At least a few of the cabins along the Marangu route do have running water and toilets. Mandara hut and Horombo hut both have chilly showers, though.
What is the best time to journey through the Marangu Route
The optimal period to climb Kilimanjaro is from July to September. There is minimal chance of rain and the weather is rather stable during this time. Due to its proximity to the equator, the peak may be climbed at any time of year. You should exercise caution because the months of April and May tend to have the highest rainfall.