Trek Marangu ("Coca Cola") Route, Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

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The Marangu Route (also known as the "Coca-Cola" route) is the easiest ascent of Kilimanjaro, although any ascent can be challenging. Climbs can be done over 6 days. It is the only route which offers sleeping huts in dormitory style accommodations. The route has the least scenic variety of all the routes because the ascent and descent are done on the same path and it is the most crowded route for that reason. It crosses The Saddle, a 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) wide, high-altitude, semi-desert that separates craggy Mawenzi from the main summit Kibo. From the summit, glaciers, screes, cliffs, afro-alpine moorland, and forests lead down to the cultivated foothills. The Merangu route is a favourite of local tour operators as it's the shortest route and requires no camping gear to be carried. For this reason it is often the cheapest option. Because of its short profile, the Merangu route actually has the lowest summit success rate out of any route. Trekkers sometimes spend an extra day to acclimate to the altitude at Horombo Hut. Also, trekkers often start the final ascent to Uhuru Peak early from Kibo Hut, because the scree is easier to climb when frozen, and dawn views from the crater rim are often spectacular. Route Outline: Drive to Marangu Gate. Walk through the rain forest to Mandara hut (2,743 metres (8,999 ft)). Leave the forest and cross open moor land to Horombo hut (3,760 metres (12,340 ft)). Rest and acclimatisation day at Horombo Hut. Day walk to Zebra Rocks or to Mawenzi Hut. This day can be omitted. Walk through moorland then alpine desert to "The Saddle" between the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo. From here it takes about an hour to reach Kibo hut (4,730 metres (15,520 ft)). Very early start for the summit on steep scree up to Gillman's Point (5,681 metres (18,638 ft)), which is on the crater rim. Continue around the rim (which will take about two hours for fit climbers) to Uhuru Peak (5,895 metres (19,341 ft)) the highest point in Africa. Descend to Kibo Hut and then down to the thicker air and relative warmth of Horombo hut. Descend to Marangu gate.

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