Due to the fact that it is the only way up Kilimanjaro where you sleep in huts rather than tents, the Marangu Route has been dubbed the “Coca Cola” route by travelers.
For those with no prior experience of high-altitude trekking, an optional acclimatization day at Horombo Huts is strongly advised. The trail passes through a rich rain forest, heath, and moorland before reaching an alpine desert, the arctic zone, and finally the summit. The same route is taken back down.