Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking Hiking Routes

Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking Holidays

Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking Hiking Routes, Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking, Kilimanjaro Climbing, Trekking and Hiking Tours is a once-in-a-lifetime challenge. Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking, Kilimanjaro Climbing, Trekking and Hiking Tours takes in muddy rain forests, unique high-altitude plants and alpine meadows before finally arriving at the glacier-coated summit.

Standing tall above the savannahs of East Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro (5,896m/19,343ft) is an icon of Africa. But just how do you go about climbing Tanzania’s Mt. Kilimanjaro and how fit do you have to be? Mount Kilimanjaro routes and their variations take between five to nine days to complete. Although Mount Kilimanjaro is known as a "walk-up" mountain, you should not underestimate it and its risks.

Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking Hiking Routes, Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking, Kilimanjaro Climbing, Trekking and Hiking Tours

Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking Hiking Routes consist of nine different routes on the mountain of which seven are ascent routes and two are used for descent. Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking Hiking Routes are made of seven established routes to climb Mount Kilimanjaro - Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Trekking Hiking Routes, Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Trekking Hiking Marangu Route, Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Trekking Hiking machame Route, Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Trekking Hiking lemosho Route, Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Trekking Hiking shira Route, Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Trekking Hiking Rongai Route, Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Trekking Hiking Northern Circuit and Umbwe route. The Rongai route approaches from the north.

Kilimanjaro climbing routes

There are seven established routes that lead to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. They are: Lemosho, Machame, Marangu, Rongai, Northern Circuit, Shira and Umbwe. There's also a descent-only route called the Mweka route. Each of the seven Kilimanjaro routes has its own pros and cons, like cost, scenic variety and summit success rate. Each should therefore be thoroughly researched in order to make an informed and educated choice.

Which is the best Kilimanjaro route?

In our opinion, the best Kilimanjaro routes are the Lemosho, Machame and Northern Circuit routes. We like these routes because they're beautiful and varied, and don't require you to descend along the same path. They also enjoy high summit success rates, and of course we want our climbers to enjoy standing at the summit! If we had to choose just one Kilimanjaro route, it would be a toss up between the Lemosho route and the Northern Circuit, because they're less crowded than the Machame.

The Seven Kilimanjaro Routes

Here are the seven established routes leading to the summit of Kilimanjaro and a short, introductory description of each. The Mweka route is a descent-only route on the southeast side of the mountain, followed by the trekkers of most routes, so it isn't mentioned here.

Lemosho route – The Lemosho is arguably the most beautiful Kilimanjaro route.

The Lemosho route is one of the newest Kilimanjaro routes. It was introduced as an alternative to the Shira route, which starts at a higher and therefore more challenging altitude. The Lemosho offers gorgeous scenery. We love the rather untouched, wild start to the trail. We also love how the scenery changes from day to day. The Lemosho can be completed in seven or eight days. The eight-day Lemosho route has one of the best summit success rates of all the trails on Kilimanjaro, and is yet another reason why we recommend this route highly!

Machame route – The Machame is the most popular Kilimanjaro route.

The Machame route is the busiest of the seven Kilimanjaro routes, with about 50% of Kilimanjaro climbers using it each year. It's also one of the most scenic Kilimanjaro routes. It offers breathtaking views and a rich variety of terrain throughout. The route approaches from south and has a high success rate, especially for climbers who choose the seven-day option.

Marangu route – The Marangu is the only route to offer hut accommodation.

The Marangu is one of the oldest and most popular Kilimanjaro routes. It's sometimes called the Coca-Cola route because you stay in huts and can buy a Coke en route. The Marangu route approaches the summit from the southeast of the mountain. Overall, it's a relatively easy route, having very few steep climbs. That said, The Marangu route's acclimatisation profile is mediocre, as it doesn't allow much time for acclimatisation. Fewer people therefore make it to the top when you look at its summit success rate compared with those of the other routes.

Rongai route – The Rongai is the only route that approaches the summit from the north.

The Rongai route is the only route that approaches the summit from the northern side of the mountain, near the Kenyan border. It's one of the least crowded of the seven Kilimanjaro routes. It's recommended to do the seven-day itinerary (as opposed to the six-day itinerary) as the topography of this trail doesn't afford many opportunities to 'climb high, sleep low'. The seven-day itinerary includes an acclimatisation day at Mawenzi Tarn Camp, which gives your body time to adjust to the higher elevation. Acclimatisation is important in allowing you to reach the summit.

Shira route – The Shira has the highest starting elevation.

Shira Route starts at 3,600 meters and is therefore not ideal for trekkers who have little or no experience of high-altitude trekking. The Shira Route is practically identical to the Lemosho Route. In fact, Shira was the original route before Lemosho was created to improve the route start point. Whereas Lemosho Route starts at the Londorossi Gates in the beautiful Kilimanjaro rainforest, the Shira Route bypasses this and begins further north and higher up at the Shira Gate. On the first day hikers trek from Shira Gate to Simba Camp which is at a very similar altitude, allowing trekkers to acclimatise before joining the Lemosho Route on day two at Shira Camp 2.

Northern Circuit – The Northern Circuit is the newest and longest Kilimanjaro route.

The Northern Circuit route is the longest and newest of the seven established Kilimanjaro routes. It's one of the best routes because of its great acclimatization profile, high summit success rate, stunning views, and comparatively relaxed pace. It's also much less crowded than the other Kilimanjaro routes. Simply put, it's one of the best ways to experience the roof of Africa.

Umbwe route – The Umbwe is the shortest, steepest and hardest Kilimanjaro route.

Umbwe route is one of the shortest routes to the Southern Glaciers and the Western Breach and it’s the hardest and most challenging route on Mount Kilimanjaro. The Umbwe Route is the trail for trekkers looking for a true climbing challenge. It is a quiet, seldom used path that can be very difficult, yet very rewarding at the same time. This is the route to choose if you want to test yourself on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, far from the crowds that are found on the more common trails.

While Umbwe route is a non-technical climb, it does offer steep ascents and requires trekkers to scramble over rocks and tree roots at certain points. It is the hardest and most direct route up the mountain and even features several exposed ridges that are not for the faint of heart. The fitness and stamina of hikers may be tested along the way and it is best for experienced mountain trekkers who are looking for a challenge.

Towering 5895 meters above the surrounding landscape, Kilimanjaro - or 'Kili' – is the highest freestanding mountain in the world. As one of the famed Seven Summits, setting out to climb Kilimanjaro using one of the Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking Hiking Routes has all the makings of a great bucket list adventure. Each Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking Routes has it's own pros and cons. Some are great for scenery, but not so great for acclimatization. Others Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking Hiking Routes offer high summit success rates but are also quite busy at certain times of the year.

Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking Hiking Routes, Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking, Kilimanjaro Climbing, Trekking and Hiking Tours

Selecting a route is a tough choice for most. To find the best Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking Routes for you, considerations should be taken for the route's scenery, difficulty, foot traffic and its altitude acclimatization characteristics. It is estimated that tourists climb Kilimanjaro using the routes in the following percentages: Machame (45%), Marangu (40%), Lemosho (8%), Rongai (5%), Shira (1%), Northern Circuit (0%), Umbwe (0%). In contrast, Ultimate Kilimanjaro clients use Lemosho (77%), Northern (10%), Rongai (6%), Machame (6%) and Marangu (1%). The reason for the difference in route popularity is that we favor the best Kilimanjaro routes - those with the most favorable combination of high success rates, excellent scenery, and low foot traffic.

In our opinion, the best Kilimanjaro routes are the Lemosho, Machame and Northern Circuit routes. We like these routes because they’re beautiful and varied, and don’t require you to descend along the same path. They also enjoy high summit success rates, and of course we want our climbers to enjoy standing at the summit!