Walking approx. 12 km in 5 hours over the montane forest and low alpine zone (moorland). After breakfast at your lodge in Arusha, we will pick you up and drive to Marangu gate via Moshi town & along with villages, local farms of cassava, potatoes, maize, coffee & banana plantation. On arrival at the gate you will sign in at the park office and your guide will work on other Park formalities. The actual number of potters who will accompany you will depend on things to be carried and each potter normally carry not more than 20 kg, you will carry your lunch box, drinking water, clothes, and other personal stuff. Potters are hiking first so once they carry any of your things you will meet them at the camp. Today, your Mt Kilimanjaro Climbing Marangu route 5 days starts by hiking up to Mandara hut at (2700 m) your hiking will be through the beautiful landscape of the mountain forest, little streams and waterfalls Kisamboni picnic area the place for lunch can be reached after 1.5 hours of walking from the park gate. From Kisamboni you will possibly need 1.5 hours to reach Mandara hut (2,700 m). Vegetation type at this campsite is of low alpine zone and moorland, accompanied by shrub and trees with lots of lichens. Mandara area is located in a clear forest with wooden A-shaped framed huts and here is where you will spend your first night in Kilimanjaro Mountain. Mandara huts can accommodate 60 people sleeping in bunks; each hut has 6-8 sleeping bunks. The water around this area is from the spring and can be used for drinking, cooking, and flushing toilets. You can have a short walk to the Maundi crater where you can enjoy good weather and possibly see Mawenzi peak. Blue Monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys can be spotted around this place. Each day when arriving at the huts you will have tea/coffee & some bites then hot water to wash before changing clothes you have been hiking with. On the mountain, we say stay warm all the time. Dinner will be served before going to bed.