After an early breakfast at your hotel, you will be picked up from Moshi and driven to the Marangu gate. At the gate, the porters will organize and pack the belongings for the hike while you and your waiting lounge registering with the Tanzania National Park (TANAPA). You will then begin your ascent into the rainforest. During this section of the hike, you should expect rain, mud, and fog. Also, be on the lookout for wildlife, including Colobus monkeys! About halfway up the trail, you will have a lunch break and you will reach the Mandara Huts in the late afternoon or early evening. The porters and chefs who move very fast up the mountain will reach camp before you and set up your tents, boil drinking water, and prepare snacks for your arrival. After washing up, a hot dinner will be served followed by overnight.