The Marangu route is used by almost 50% of all climbers and has comfortable mountain huts with solar power lighting. Although the trail is crowded, the views are beautiful and each day of walking progresses through a different climate zone, adding considerably to the interest of the trek. The real highlight is the walk from Gillman’s point along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak, passing close to the spectacular glaciers and ice cliffs that still occupy most of the summit area. The views on a clear morning are absolutely magnificent – The Rift Valley, Mt. Meru, and the Masai Steppes stand out from the plains almost three vertical miles below as the sun rises behind Mawenzi. We also add an extra day to the standard five-day itinerary to ensure maximum acclimatization and give ourselves the best possible chance of enjoying the magnificent scenery. National Park statistics indicate that the chance of reaching the summit increases by at least 20% if an extra day is spent acclimatizing.