Stage 3 of the Kilimanjaro Marangu Route covers 9.3 km from Horombo Hut to Kibo Hut, with 1,004 m of ascent and 23 m of descent. The highest point is 4,699 m. Allow about 6.5 hours of walking, plus breaks.
Distance, climb and elevation come from the Outest route data. Difficulty and time are estimates from distance and climb; your pace will vary with heat, pack weight and photo stops.
Stone hut at about 4,703 m in the alpine desert below the summit cone, with about 60 bunks in dormitories and long-drop toilets. There is no water here: porters fill up at the Last Water Point (about 4,100 m) and bottled water is sometimes sold. You rest for a few hours and leave for the summit around midnight.
Checked online in October 2026. Places marked "not confirmed by the operator" are listed on OpenStreetMap or in guides but could not be checked on an official page. On the mountain you sleep in the KINAPA park huts, in shared bunk rooms with mattresses. You cannot book them yourself: a licensed tour operator books your permit and bunks and brings the food, guide and porters.
Emergency: tell your guide and go down. Tanzania 112. Emergency & health guide
Pharmacies, ATMs, shops and stops: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Hospitals and health centres checked online.
The full stage works offline in Outest, with the route, elevation, water and village points, and a trail guide you can ask about conditions and the next place to sleep.