The Marangu Route is the oldest trail on Kilimanjaro and the only one where you sleep in huts instead of tents. It starts on the southeast side of the mountain, climbs through rainforest and moorland to Uhuru Peak at 5,895 metres, and takes five or six days. We recommend six.

People call it the “Coca-Cola Route”, and the nickname is a bit unfair. Yes, the beds are real beds and the walking is gentle at the start. But a short schedule gives your body less time to adjust, and that is where most Marangu climbers run into trouble. The fix is simple: take the extra day.