Kilimanjaro via the Marangu route from Zanzibar: how many days, price, difficulty and how to add it to your trip
The Marangu route is the oldest and easiest-to-organise way to Uhuru Peak, the 5,895-metre summit of Kilimanjaro: you sleep in huts (not tents) and the climb takes 5 or 6 days. Offers seen in October 2026 run from about 1,400 to 2,300 dollars per person depending on the agency and the length, park fees usually included. From Zanzibar you need a flight to Kilimanjaro or Arusha (about 1 hour), then the road to Moshi or Marangu. The sensible order is the mountain first, the beach after. This page says how many days to allow, which package to choose and what makes the summit hard.
Highlights
The forest and huts of the Marangu route
The path starts at Marangu Gate, crosses rainforest and moorland to the Mandara, Horombo and Kibo huts (about 2,700, 3,700 and 4,700 metres according to agencies). The huts have dormitories and meals; toilets are shared.
Uhuru Peak at dawn
The summit push leaves Kibo Hut around midnight, in the cold and sometimes snow, to reach the top at sunrise. The descent to the gate still takes several hours.
The acclimatisation day at Horombo
Six-day packages add an extra night at Horombo with a walk to the Zebra Rocks. It is the single thing that most improves your chances of reaching the top.
Practical info
Tips
- Choose 6 days rather than 5: the Marangu route climbs fast and you come down the same way, so an extra acclimatisation day helps a lot. Compare three points before paying: what is included (park, rescue and hut fees, guides, porters, meals), the number of guides and porters per hiker, and the real price. Offers seen run from about 1,600 dollars (5 days) to about 2,300 dollars (6 days) for online bookings, and local agencies are cheaper; park fees are not an official schedule confirmed here. Budget a tip for the crew, see money and tipping in Zanzibar. Altitude sickness can affect anyone, even fit people: ask a doctor, see visa, vaccines and entry rules. If Kilimanjaro is too long for your stay, look at Moshi and the countryside around the mountain, Mount Meru in 3 or 4 days or the two-day safari from Zanzibar.
How to get there
From Zanzibar, flights link the island to Kilimanjaro airport or to Arusha in about 1 hour to 1 hour 20 (airlines and times to check when booking). Moshi is the usual starting town, about 45 minutes by road from Marangu Gate according to agencies. See Arusha for a bed before the start and from Zanzibar airport to your hotel for the way back.
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