NAIROBI HOTELS
ARUSHA HOTELS
MOSHI HOTEL

Accomodation on Marangu route accomodation in huts

Accommodation and food
The accommodation is in good huts, either dormitory or smaller four bed
A-frames. The lower huts have spacious dining rooms, where you will be
served meals cooked by your guide. All food and kitchen equipment will be
carried by the porters and cooked by an experienced cook. It will be
plentiful and wholesome, but may be limited by the circumstances. Beer and
soft drinks are available at the huts. Your own supply of chocolate and
high energy snacks is a good idea.

Water is available at several points and should be purified before drinking. All water at the huts will be boiled and some provided for drinking the next day. A comforting tip is to fill your bottle in the evening with boiled water for the next day, and to use it as a hot water bottle overnight. There are water points between the huts – check with your guide.

Acclimatisation
Acclimatisation is extremely important, both to let you enjoy your ascent
but more importantly to avoid any serious complications. The route is
planned to optimise the height gain, but you may still get a head ache or
feel nauseous. There are two important preventative measures: to drink
copiously, even when it is really difficult, and to walk very slowly,
avoiding as far as possible increased heart and breathing rates.

A drug, Diamox, is well proven to help with acclimatisation. This is taken as tablets for a few days before and then during your ascent. It is safe and has no serious side effects. It is important to remember that one possible effect of altitude is light-headedness and odd behaviour, which can lead to foolish decisions. The danger here is of someone who is not well insisting on continuing. Watch each other closely.

Huts

Mandara Hut - 2700 m. This is a group of comfortable, wooden A-frame huts.
The largest cabin has a downstairs dining area and an upstairs dormitory
with bunk beds and mattresses; smaller huts sleep 8 each. The total
capacity is 60. Water is piped into site from springs above and flush
toilets are behind the main cabin.

Horombo Hut - 3720 m. The buildings are similar to Mandara, but total
capacity is 120. Water is piped from the stream behind the huts. Do not use
this stream or its valley as a waste disposal area. There are platform
toilets south-east of main hut, about 80 m down the slope and new flush
toilets have been built within the complex of small huts.

Kibo Hut - 4700 m. This stone built block house with a small dining-room
and a number of dormitory rooms leading off a main corridor has bunk beds
and mattresses for 60 people. Water: None, so we bring an adequate supply
from the 'Last Water' stream above Horombo Hut. Platform toilets are behind
the hut (to the southwest).

All huts are fairly basic and heavily used, but they provide more comfort
than sleeping in a tent

Other trekking details
Toilets are available at the huts. If you are caught out, please find a
spot as far as possible from the path and any water. Bury your faeces and
paper. It is often easiest to move a large rock and use the indent as a
hole.