7-Day Kilimanjaro · Rongai Route

The Rongai Route is the only Kilimanjaro climb that approaches the mountain from the north, from the Kenyan border side. It is the driest of the established routes, the northern slopes lie in the rainshadow of the summit cone, and one of the quietest, typically with fewer than ten percent of the climbers you would see on Machame or Marangu. For climbers who want the mountain without the crowds, or who are climbing in the shoulder seasons when the southern routes can be wet, Rongai is the answer.

The trade-off is that Rongai's scenery is less varied than Machame's. The northern approach is essentially open moorland for two days, the wilderness feel is strong but the views are subtle. The compensation is the Mawenzi Tarn campsite on day four, a small alpine lake at 4,330 m sheltered by the jagged spires of Mawenzi peak, one of the most beautiful camps on the mountain.

We run Rongai as a seven-day climb with an acclimatisation day at Mawenzi Tarn. Summit is via Gilman's Point on the crater rim, reached at sunrise after a midnight start from Kibo Hut. The final descent uses the Marangu route, the only established route with hut accommodation, which makes for a faster, drier descent than the Mweka path.

All our Kilimanjaro climbs are KPAP-registered. The crew structure on Rongai is identical to Machame: guide, assistant guide for groups of four or more, chef, and three porters per climber.