Kilimanjaro Climb Rongai Route

I was part of a group of 6 teamed up with a further 10 individuals. We bonded well from the beginning and throughout this amazing adventure and from this experience I would have no hesitation in travelling alone. The Exodus team were superb from start to finish and The African Walking Company who were locally based were the guys on the ground and their knowledge of Kilimanjaro was superb and with 50+ porters/guides our group of 16 were well catered for and out 'leader 'JT' was excellent. This was a challenging trek, particularly the final two days and should not be taken lightly. One gripe is it needs to be made clearer on summit night how best to keep water from freezing, as many of us were very de-hydrated on the way down having summited in atrocious conditions. But I would highly recommend the experience and Exodus and we have made friends for life.

Very well organised, everyone very helpful and friendly. Guides brilliant and supportive. 13 out of our Group of 14 made it to the very top ,Uhuru Summit. What a team and great experience.

What a fantastic adventure summiting Africa’s highest peak with the most amazing and supportive group of people, ever!!!! Easily The most difficult thing I have ever done. The trek was a well oiled machine. Porters were amazing. Tents were were dry and set up by the time we entered each camp. The food was fantastic. The toilet was a godsend. The guides were amazing, supportive, present and empathetic. I never would have summited without the excellent pacing and patience of Seraphine. I never would have made it die without the quick thinking, preparedness and assistance of Seraphine, King Janes, Abraham and others. Of our group of 11 trekkers, 10 made it to Gilman’s point, and 8 of made it to Uhuru Peak!!! I highly recommend Exodus and the African Walking Company (AWC)

What a hard, rewarding experience... although Kili is not the prettiest of mountains it is certainly a mighty challenge... and withholds its beauty till summit day sunrise. The porters enabled summiting to be possible with their tireless support and encouragement.

Exodus Travels were an excellent company to deal with whilst arranging my recent trip to Kilimanjaro. I felt like I had my own personal travel agent to help me every step of the way. They answered every question and query I had knowledgably and efficiently. Everything about the trip ran smoothly and to plan. I would definitely use Exodus again for a future trip!

Made memories for life on this trip. Summit day was torture but our guides made getting to Gilmans Point (before getting to Uhuru Peak) an incredible moment. The team of guides and porters are exceptional. This is our second trip with Exodus and will use them again for future ones because we trust their ability to take care of us, from booking to the itinerary and guides

Second time of climbing Kilimanjaro and it didn't disappoint. Glorious starscapes at night, changing scenery from jungle to lunar landscapes and then the snow encrusted peak. This is a challenging hike on summit day but within most people's abilities if you are reasonably fit. Due to airline problems my luggage didn't arrive, but luckily I had ultra essentials and warm kit in my daysack. Day before the summit a porter brought my luggage up to the camp so had an incredible surprise. You may think you will lose weight on this trek, but the food is incredible and plentiful - but you will still eat lots of snacks on your trek too. You will use the energy

If you have ever harboured thoughts of climbing Kilimanjaro, go for it!This is a brilliant trip with excellent friendly and knowledgeable guides. There is so much more to this trip than simply reaching Uhuru point or not. We saw baboons and blue monkeys, beautiful landscapes and met many amazing people.. Do not underestimate the physical and mental impact of summit day though. This involves a trek to Kibo camp, followed by some rest, then around 11 hours or so of solid walking to the summit and returning to Kibo camp, a short rest.and then a further 3-4 hours walking before reaching Horombo camp and falling completely exhausted into your sleeping bag. None of our group were elite athletes but we all exercised regularly. We ranged in age from 21 to 66 years and both the youngest and the oldest achieved the summit. Not to be missed!

If you have ever harboured thoughts of climbing Kilimanjaro, go for it!This is a brilliant trip with excellent friendly and knowledgeable guides. There is so much more to this trip than simply reaching Uhuru point or not. We saw baboons and blue monkeys, beautiful landscapes and met many amazing people.. Do not underestimate the physical and mental impact of summit day though. This involves a trek to Kibo camp, followed by some rest, then around 11 hours or so of solid walking to the summit and returning to Kibo camp, a short rest.and then a further 3-4 hours walking before reaching Horombo camp and falling completely exhausted into your sleeping bag. None of our group were elite athletes but we all exercised regularly. We ranged in age from 21 to 66 years and both the youngest and the oldest achieved the summit. Not to be missed!

Unfortunately for the first time ever I suffered from altitude sickness with reduced my stamina and caused loss of balance and coordination. However, thanks to the professionalism, experience and support of the Exodus staff I was able to reach the summit. I have no hesitation in recommending Exodus for an event of this nature.

The guide-to-guest ratio was excellent and we were well-fed and taken care of. Others in the group had altitude sickness symptoms and the staff were great at recognizing and managing these situations.

A father and daughter adventure of a life time. Never to be forgotten.

This was something I've been wanting to do for so long.... it was the most difficult but rewarding trip. What really made the experience magical was the guides and porters who were superheroes! Thank you for making my dream of climbing Kilimanjaro a reality!

I have just returned from my amazing adventure of climbing Kilimanjaro using the Rongai route. Don't believe people that say its easy. It isn't. But, it is 100% worth it :). "The greatest things in life aren't things" Is it challenging - Yes Is it 100% worth it - Absolutely Yes! Should you do it - Yes definitely!

Excellent climb but maybe less diverse scenery of other routes.

My trip to kilimanjaro was another one of my bucket list challenges and one where head and body was truly tested. The 7 day trip provided testing hot days, and cold nights and where darkness from 18.00hrs to 0600hrs played havoc with my inability to sleep while trying to keep warm despite the numerous layers. I journeyed with a wonderful group of people from England and Ireland, all of whom had one desire, To ascend Kilimanjaro. We all did it, supported each other through the trials and tribulations and left the mountain with a new sense of achievement and camaraderie

What a great route to choose to get to your destination. You get to see both sides of the moutain the arid dry north compares the lush rainy south. The beautiful extra day at Mawenzi tarn to help with acclimitisation is so worth it. but most importantly living above the clouds for 4 days is just the best.

A brilliant trip/experience. I fully endorse Ivor Davenport-Smiths previous review. At 69 years I can say that age should not be a barrier as long as you are very fit.

A very hard and very rewarding trek to a place beyond the clouds. A once in a lifetime experience. Great group and guides, always positive. Thankyou.

I couldn't believe how a short period of time can change your life.

Amazing trip. Well organised, porters and guides fantastic. Great group of people. Food was good and plentiful. Altitude sickness/ exhaustion very hard on final summit. Views spectacular at the top, totally worth it. Descent on summit day very hard! An unforgettable once in a lifetime experience!

Wow, this trip was amazing!

This trip was execellent and we couldn't have been taken care of any better by the team, almost felt a little criminal how pampered we where. The guides (Henry, James, Sarafin and ) had great knowledge and kept a very watchful eye on the whole party to monitor how everyone was coping, they adapted walks and talks to ensure everyone's needs where met. At all times they where positive and encouraging whilst also pushing us along to ensure we achieved the summit. Personally I've never been so well fed on a trip like this, it was 3 course breakfast, lunch and dinner with a Menu that Milton our Cook was only to happy to change at our request. The porters are amazing, carrying heavy loads and flying off ahead of us from the start, shouting Jambo as they pass. The camp was always ready for us when we arrived which for a few was a god send as they flopped into their beds after a trek. Our whole group made it onto the top of Kilimanjaro which is a great credit to the support provided by the team.

I really enjoyed the experience of trekking to the top of Kilimanjaro and successfully reaching the top of Africa's highest mountain

Well for detailed summery of my trip you better check the reviews of my two fellow travellers (Garry Ward and Julia Porter). I have been intending to write this review since my return in August 2014 but as you see although it stayed on my mind i haven't managed to get it down till today (25.02.2015)!

The important thing to bear in mind with this trek is that, with the exception of the summit day, the walking is pretty dull. I've trekked extensively in Nepal, Europe and the UK and the scenery on Kili is less interesting and less varied than pretty much anywhere else I've been. If you took away the summit, no one would be that interested in walking there. Yes, the scenery does change from day to day - you start off in forest, then that becomes scrubland as you get higher - but there isn't the interest of variety which is present in other places. Therefore, I look at this trek as a challenge, rather than something to do for the sake of enjoyment. The summit day is very, very, very tough - six hours of steep climbing on gravel/scree, with an ascent of around 1200m, not much in the way of oxygen and in the dark, with the temperature comfortably below freezing. It's not so much about personal fitness as how well you cope with the altitude and how mentally tough you are. If you follow the advice from the guides, it'll certainly help though. The contribution of the guides to the success of our group cannot be underestimated - they were fantastic, particularly on the summit day.

The trip was great, the guides really looked after me especially on the descent down from Uhuru Peak when I suffered from a lack of energy and exhaustion. I felt in safe hands the entire trip and this gave me more confidence to just concentrate on walking. The tents and camps were all set up expertly everyday and food was nutritious. Only negative comment I have is that we could have prompted more often for sipping water so were sufficiently hydrated. Its hard to think at high altitude!

An excellent trip from start to finish. We were looked after by the best guides, cooks and porters and feel privileged to have been part of the group.

I consider myself to be fit but do not underestimate the final ascent/descent...... it is extremely hard work. We completed in 9.25 - hindsight tells me we should have gone slower as I had a pounding headache and was exhausted at the end. It doesn't help that you then have another walk in the afternoon to cope with ! The walking prior to the ascent was a breeze if that helps ! The organisation was excellent but be prepared for very early nights and then being wide awake early on ... food was first class and plenty of it. We were lucky with the weather (Feb) I would not want to walk Kilimanjaro in the rain and wind. Good luck

I consider myself to be fit but do not underestimate the final ascent/descent...... it is extremely hard work. We completed in 9.25 - hindsight tells me we should have gone slower as I had a pounding headache and was exhausted at the end. It doesn't help that you then have another walk in the afternoon to cope with ! The walking prior to the ascent was a breeze if that helps ! The organisation was excellent but be prepared for very early nights and then being wide awake early on ... food was first class and plenty of it. We were lucky with the weather (Feb) I would not want to walk Kilimanjaro in the rain and wind. Good luck

This tour company says that it does everything it can to make it possible for you to achieve your aim of getting to the summit, and they lived up to their word. The local guides and porters work tirelessly to make everyday a success, their good humour is infectious and the feeling of standing at the summit is wonderful beyond words.

Excellent climb but maybe less diverse scenery of other routes.

My trip to kilimanjaro was another one of my bucket list challenges and one where head and body was truly tested. The 7 day trip provided testing hot days, and cold nights and where darkness from 18.00hrs to 0600hrs played havoc with my inability to sleep while trying to keep warm despite the numerous layers. I journeyed with a wonderful group of people from England and Ireland, all of whom had one desire, To ascend Kilimanjaro. We all did it, supported each other through the trials and tribulations and left the mountain with a new sense of achievement and camaraderie

What a great route to choose to get to your destination. You get to see both sides of the moutain the arid dry north compares the lush rainy south. The beautiful extra day at Mawenzi tarn to help with acclimitisation is so worth it. but most importantly living above the clouds for 4 days is just the best.

A brilliant trip/experience. I fully endorse Ivor Davenport-Smiths previous review. At 69 years I can say that age should not be a barrier as long as you are very fit.

Exodus say that they do everything they can to make it possible for you to achieve your aim of getting to the summit, and they lived up to their word. The local guides and porters work tirelessly to make everyday a success, their good humour is infectious and the feeling of standing at the summit is wonderful beyond words.

A very hard and very rewarding trek to a place beyond the clouds. A once in a lifetime experience. Great group and guides, always positive. Thankyou.

I couldn't believe how a short period of time can change your life.

Amazing trip. Well organised, porters and guides fantastic. Great group of people. Food was good and plentiful. Altitude sickness/ exhaustion very hard on final summit. Views spectacular at the top, totally worth it. Descent on summit day very hard! An unforgettable once in a lifetime experience!

Wow, this trip was amazing!

This trip was execellent and we couldn't have been taken care of any better by the team, almost felt a little criminal how pampered we where. The guides (Henry, James, Sarafin and ) had great knowledge and kept a very watchful eye on the whole party to monitor how everyone was coping, they adapted walks and talks to ensure everyone's needs where met. At all times they where positive and encouraging whilst also pushing us along to ensure we achieved the summit. Personally I've never been so well fed on a trip like this, it was 3 course breakfast, lunch and dinner with a Menu that Milton our Cook was only to happy to change at our request. The porters are amazing, carrying heavy loads and flying off ahead of us from the start, shouting Jambo as they pass. The camp was always ready for us when we arrived which for a few was a god send as they flopped into their beds after a trek. Our whole group made it onto the top of Kilimanjaro which is a great credit to the support provided by the team.

I really enjoyed the experience of trekking to the top of Kilimanjaro and successfully reaching the top of Africa's highest mountain

Well for detailed summery of my trip you better check the reviews of my two fellow travellers (Garry Ward and Julia Porter). I have been intending to write this review since my return in August 2014 but as you see although it stayed on my mind i haven't managed to get it down till today (25.02.2015)!

I know there's almost an obligation to describe this type of bucket-list expedition as life-changing, but I can genuinely say that it is one of the most incredible, emotional and uplifting things I've ever done. Our group have so many great memories: the singing porters, the great scenery, the emotion of reaching the summit, tea and popcorn in the mess tent every evening, the monkeys in the rainforest, even the rain on the second day

The important thing to bear in mind with this trek is that, with the exception of the summit day, the walking is pretty dull. I've trekked extensively in Nepal, Europe and the UK and the scenery on Kili is less interesting and less varied than pretty much anywhere else I've been. If you took away the summit, no one would be that interested in walking there. Yes, the scenery does change from day to day - you start off in forest, then that becomes scrubland as you get higher - but there isn't the interest of variety which is present in other places. Therefore, I look at this trek as a challenge, rather than something to do for the sake of enjoyment. The summit day is very, very, very tough - six hours of steep climbing on gravel/scree, with an ascent of around 1200m, not much in the way of oxygen and in the dark, with the temperature comfortably below freezing. It's not so much about personal fitness as how well you cope with the altitude and how mentally tough you are. If you follow the advice from the guides, it'll certainly help though. The contribution of the guides to the success of our group cannot be underestimated - they were fantastic, particularly on the summit day.

The trip was great, the guides really looked after me especially on the descent down from Uhuru Peak when I suffered from a lack of energy and exhaustion. I felt in safe hands the entire trip and this gave me more confidence to just concentrate on walking. The tents and camps were all set up expertly everyday and food was nutritious. Only negative comment I have is that we could have prompted more often for sipping water so were sufficiently hydrated. Its hard to think at high altitude!

An excellent trip from start to finish. We were looked after by the best guides, cooks and porters and feel privileged to have been part of the group.

The Rongai route six day ascent and descent of Kilimanjaro felt like a hit and run trip to me but overall very well run and conducted by skilled professional people. Rongai is frequently touted as being a quiter route, unfortunately simply due to the luck of the draw our group was roughly mirroring the progress of at least two other groups on the same route and we frequently came into contact with each other on the trail and obviously at the camp sites. Perceptions of how easy or hard something is will obviously depend upon the individual, I personally found the first three days of this route to be easy to moderate hiking, enjoyable and certainly not challenging. At the end of the third day, at Mawenzi Tarn camp I got my only significant symptoms of altitude sickness for the entire trip, a very obvious headache that would come and go. After a night's "sleep" it had gone and never came back. Poor quality sleep is a real issue for everyone, guides as well. The high altitude affects your ability to sleep properly, frequently waking in the night was common amongst nearly everyone in the group as was the feeling we hadn't really slept at all but we'd comment that about remembering our dreams so must have been asleep at some point. That third night at Mawenzi Tarn is likely to be the last sleep you get before attempting the summit on the night of the fourth day. Virtually no one sleeps at Kibo Camp at 4700M, it's just too high up and of course you're trying to rest and sleep while it's still daylight and the noise of numerous climbing parties goes on outside. Once the night comes and you prepare for the summit climb the air is electric with nervous excitement and you may see the light trails of groups already making their climb. Within minutes of setting off both myself and another member of our group had taken our gloves off. With all those layers on we were getting hot, very hot. At the first rest stop I ended up stripping off my second pair of thermal leggings and took my down body warmer off too. It's surprising how hard work that is approaching 5000metres up. We read how it can be up to -20C on the summit but the reality that night was -7C, still cold but a fair way from -20C. Incidentally you don't need a super high spec head torch that will turn night into day for the night climb, all it needs to do is light up the ground immediately in front of you as far as the heels of the person in front of you, that's all you need to see. I GPS tracked our summit attempt at 0.7 km/h, 700 metres per hour!!! That is how slow you go, painfully slow, in more ways than one but there are many times when even that felt too quick. Despite a number of rest stops they never seem to be enough and the feeling of really pushing your limits in the thin air are ever present. Eventually the ridge does start to get closer and you emerge onto Gillman's Point to immense relief and elation at finishing the main climb and knowing you made it to the summit crater. Sadly at this point we had to leave one of our group behind as we headed on for Uhuru peak via Stella point. We watched the sun rise from Stella Point which was beautiful and put a smile back on our faces despite being very tired now. A short time later we arrived at Uhuru Peak, miussion accomplished. All that was missing was football stadium style turnstiles, there was quite a crowd there but we got our photos and after only fifteen minutes or so were on a our way back down... no one complained. We did however complain about the speed of descent. We were very sore and tired but felt we were being relentlessly marched down with no regard for that and so started taking our own rest stops. For the only time on the trip there might have been a little tension between the conflicting wishes of the guides and the clients. Anyway the descent continued and we got over it. A short rest stop at Kibo Huts. The crew had made a big brunch for us but we barely touched it we were that exhausted... sorry guys, it was then a sustained descent for the next day and a half until we finally emerged at marangu gate. Fantastic!

This was an amazing experience, a chance to enjoy the great outdoors with freindly group of fellow travelers whilst pushing myself to my personal limits. Unfortunately I didn't reach the summit due to altitude sickness brought on by the rapid ascent of this brutal itinerary. I strongly recomend that if you can afford the extra time & money you should consider taking an extra couple of days to get up the mountain.

Quite simply if you enjoy the 'great outdoors' and the mountains plus a challenge this is the trip for you. It is not a holiday but an 'experience'.

Overall this was a well organised trip and in general met most of my expectations. This was my first trip with Exodus and I booked it with them based on word of mouth advice from others. As I didn't plan to come back to Kilimanjaro another day, I wanted to make sure I booked with a serious company in order to increase the probability of a summit success. 

This was the most amazing experience, it is an incredible feeling reaching the roof of Africa, but that is not to undervalue the rest of the trip...every day has different scenery and stunning view points. Well worth it!

AMAZING TRIP, VERY WELL ORGANISED, WONDERFULL EXPERIENCE, CANT FAULT ANYTHING, DONT DELAY BOOK THIS TRIP WITH EXODUS, YOU WILL NOT BE DISSAPOINTED.I BOOKED ON THE SOLO DEPARTURE AND EVERYONE IN THE GROUP WETE LIKE MINDED AND GREAT PEOPLE, PORTERS,COOKS AND GUIDES ARE FABULOUS, OUT OF THE 14 IN OUR GROUP ONLY 7 OF US MADE THE SUMMIT, I WAS LUCKY AND DIDNT GET ANY ALTITUDE SICKNESS, HEADACHES ETC .... ONE OF THE BEST EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE !!!   

Awesome, Fantanstic, Exilirating.

A truly amazing experience....the trekking, the people and the country made this an unforgettable trip of a lifetime.

The toughest, but most rewarding challenge of my life. The trip was simply brilliant.

An absolutely brilliant experience, exceptionally hard last couple of days and definately not for the faint hearted.

Toughest but most amazing thing I've ever done in my life!!

An amazingly well organised and fantastic trip with a lovely group of people. Something I will never forget! 

Guides were vey experienced, helpful and friendly. A wonderful country with friendly people. A wonderful experience.