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Best Route To Climb Kilimanjaro

Choosing the Best Route To Climb Kilimanjaro is one of the most important decisions you have to make. But did you know that there is more than one route to Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro? Though summit day is the highlight for most climbers, there are so many remarkable highlights along the way - so selecting the Best Route To Climb Kilimanjaro for you is important!

Wondering for the Best Route to Climb Kilimanjaro? Mount Kilimanjaro of Tanzania is the tallest mountain of Africa with an altitude of 19, 341 ft and famous as the freestanding volcanic highest peak of world.

Be a beginner or an experienced climber, the Best Route to Climb Kilimanjaro is never same for every trekker. Stride carefully and confidently to achieve success on any route you select to climb this great summit.

Mt. Kilimanjaro Climbing Routes - Which is the Best for You?

Not all routes are the same—discover the best one for your summit.

If you’re looking for Best Route to Climb Kilimanjaro, then choosing the route which is the only suitable for you among seven Kilimanjaro Climbing Routes.

The seven common trails are: Machame Route, Marangu Route, Lemosho Route, Rongai Route, Northern Circuit Route, Umbwe Route and Shira Route.

Every year, more than 40, 000 new and experienced hikers try for the summit. Kilimanjaro Success Rate is around 75%. The reasons behind the failure are hiker’s physical fitness, suitable routes, mental preparedness, chronic diseases (if any), desired comfort level, and others.

When talking about Kilimanjaro Routes, the summit success depends upon the acclimatization profiles, climb high and sleep low opportunities, and long paths.

Things to Consider when Choosing a Kilimanjaro Routes

Make the best choice by weighing these important Kilimanjaro route factors.

For the Best Route to Climb Kilimanjaro, you should emphasize on the factors like, fitness, chronic diseases, time, reason for hiking, obstacles for hikers, budget, interested routes specification, activities, and comfort level.

Who is/are climbing?

You should consider on the age of group members such as younger, elder, those having medical diagnosis, experience in hiking, and health condition and fitness level of your trekking group to choose Easiest Route to Climb Kilimanjaro.

What are the obstacles?

The obstacles for Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro can be financial. To climb in a moderate price, you can book flight booking in special offer or earlier time, choosing shortest routes, trekking in low seasons, trekking in a group, using public transportation, and trekking gear on rental.

How do you want to experience the trekking?

Choose the route as per your interested activities like photography, enjoying scenic views, having fun with friends, etc. It also depends upon how much challenge does you want and desired comfort level.

From where do you want to begin for trekking?

As the routes offer scenic views, the starting place of route affects the budget. Western routes are more scenic than southern route like Lemosho route.

Why are you climbing?

Choose accordingly the desires behind your trekking. The desires may besuccess rates, scenic views, or facing less crowds.

When you are going to climb?

Climbing in dry seasons or high reason, you will face more traffic, whereas, in low season or wet season you will face less traffic.

Kilimanjaro Routes Overview & Success Rates

A clear view of each route’s success rate—find your winning path!

Marangu Route:

It approaches from southeast available in low cost and the difficulty level is low. The success rate is 65%. With a distance of 72 km, Marangu Route will take 5 to 6 days for the summit.

Machame Route:

Machame Route approaches from south available in medium budget and the difficulty level is medium. The success rate is 85%. With a distance of 62 km, it will take 6 to 7 days for the summit.

Rongai Route:

Rongai Route is only route that approaches from north, available in a medium budget and the difficulty level is low. The success rate is 85%. With a distance of 73 km, it will take 6 to 7 days for the summit.

Lemosho Route:

Lemosho Route approaches from west available in high budget and the difficulty level is medium. The success rate is 80%. With a distance of 70 km, it takes 7 to 8 days for the summit.

Northern Circuit Route:

Northern Circuit Route approaches from west and available in high budget and the difficulty level is very high. The success rate is 90%. With a distance of 98 km, it takes 9 days for the summit.

Umbwe Route:

It is the steepest route which approaches from south. It is available in a medium budget and known as the most difficult route. The success rate is 75% and takes 5 to 6 days to cover 53 km.

Shira Route:

It is the old version of Lemosho route and approaches from south. It can be available in high budget and difficult level is high. The success rate is very low and also takes 7 to 8 days to cover 56 km.

Machame Route

Duration: 6 to 7 (including acclimatization) days

Distance Covered: 62 kilometers (approx.)

Places Of Halt: Machame Gate, Machame camp, Shira 2 camp, Lava Tower, Barranco camp, Karanga camp, Barafu camp, Uhuru Peak, and Mweka camp.

Pros:

  • Relatively shorter and less expensive than Marangu route.
  • Has greater success rate than Marangu route.

Cons:

  • Steeper trail than Marangu.
  • Extremely crowded.

Marangu Route

Duration: 5 to 6 (including acclimatization) days

Distance Covered: 70 kilometers (approx.)

Places Of Halt: Mandara Hut, Horombo Hut, Mawenzi Ridge, Kibo Hut, and Marangu Gate

Pros:

  • One of the easiest routes.
  • Accommodations in huts rather than tents.

Cons:

  • Lowest success rate as compared to other routes.
  • Camping is prohibited.

Rongai Route

Duration: 6 to 7 (including acclimatization) days

Distance Covered: 74 kilometers (approx.)

Places Of Halt: Rongai Gate, Rongai Cave, Second Cave, Kikelewa Cave, Mawenzi Tarn, Mawenzi Ridge, Kibo Hut, Uhuru Peak, Horombo Hut, Marangu Gate.

Pros:

  • Most unchallenging, and uncrowded route for climbing Kilimanjaro.
  • Since, ascent and descent are from opposite sides, the trekkers get to see both sides of the mountain.

Cons:

  • More expensive than other routes as additional distance is covered.
  • Not as picturesque as other routes due to its wilderness.

Marangu Route

Duration: 5 to 6 (including acclimatization) days

Distance Covered: 70 kilometers (approx.)

Places Of Halt: Mandara Hut, Horombo Hut, Mawenzi Ridge, Kibo Hut, and Marangu Gate

Pros:

  • One of the easiest routes.
  • Accommodations in huts rather than tents.

Cons:

  • Lowest success rate as compared to other routes.
  • Camping is prohibited.

Rongai Route

Duration: 6 to 7 (including acclimatization) days

Distance Covered: 74 kilometers (approx.)

Places Of Halt: Rongai Gate, Rongai Cave, Second Cave, Kikelewa Cave, Mawenzi Tarn, Mawenzi Ridge, Kibo Hut, Uhuru Peak, Horombo Hut, Marangu Gate.

Pros:

  • Most unchallenging, and uncrowded route for climbing Kilimanjaro.
  • Since, ascent and descent are from opposite sides, the trekkers get to see both sides of the mountain.

Cons:

  • More expensive than other routes as additional distance is covered.
  • Not as picturesque as other routes due to its wilderness.

Lemosho Route

Duration: 6 to 8 (including acclimatization) days

Distance Covered: 70 kilometers (approx.)

Places Of Halt: Londorossi Gate, Mti Mkubwa, Shira 1 Camp, Moir Hut, Lava Tower, Barranco Camp, Karanga Camp, Barafu Camp, Uhuru Peak, Mweka Camp, and Mweka Gate.

Pros:

  • Lesser crowded than other routes during early days.
  • Allows time for acclimatization.

Cons:

  • Since, this route requires extra days, therefore, it is a bit expensive.
  • Becomes crowded during later days, when it joins Machame and Shira trail.

Kilimanjaro Route Comparison

Check out the differences between Kilimanjaro routes and pick your ideal path.

Due to “climb high and sleep low” and scenic views of Machame route, around 50% of hikers choose Machame route. It also offers high acclimatization and has a path full of many “ups and downs”.

With annual visitors of 45%, Marangu Route is famous for hut accommodations. The acclimatization profile is very low.

If you have planned for Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in wet season, you can go for the driest and only northern circuit route, Rongai route.

On Kilimanjaro Route Comparison according to the scenic representation of nature, you will find Northern Circuit Route offers the most spectacular incredible scenic view of Kilimanjaro than Lemosho Route and Rongai Route.

If you have a question “Which Kilimanjaro Route Has the Highest Success Rate?”, then the answer would be Northern circuit route as a direct and most scenic route with highest Success Rate.

For more information about Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, visit our Preparing To Climb Mount Kilimanjaro Page. Don’t hesitate to ask us when choosing the best route and planning to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

  Northern Circuit Lemosho Machame Rongai Marangu
Days 9 6-8 6-7 6-7 5-6
Distance (miles) 60 42 38 45 43
Difficulty/steepness moderate moderate moderate easier easier
Lodging camping camping camping camping dorm/hut
Crowds very low medium high low high
Scenery excellent excellent excellent very good good
Acclimitization best excellent very good fair poor
Cost high medium - high medium medium low
Success Rate highest high medium - high medium lowest

Our Recommendations for Kilimanjaro Routes

Follow our expert suggestions to choose the perfect Kilimanjaro route.

The answer is Northern circuit route followed by Lemosho route for the question “What Is the Best Route to Climb Kilimanjaro? If you can’t understand what we want to suggest for the Best Way to Climb Kilimanjaro, let us give you some tips about choosing the routes.

  • Choose long routes for better acclimatization. E.g. Northern Circuit and Lemosho Route.
  • Choose dry seasons for the hiking. You can choose in between from January to mid March and July to October.
  • Find the best Climb Kilimanjaro Guide. You can choose us as Jerry Tanzania Tours is one of the best trekking tour operators and also experienced one.
  • Take ‘fitness’ thing seriously. Practice some aerobic exercises, breathing, stretching, and resistance training exercises.
  • Bring the right gears and best quality gears. The gears include clothing gears, camping gears and hiking gears.

For more information about Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, visit our Preparing To Climb Mount Kilimanjaro Page.Don’t hesitate to ask us when choosing the best route and planning to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

Best Route To Climb Kilimanjaro FAQs

Route confusion? We've got the answers for your Kilimanjaro climb!

The Lemosho Route has one of the highest success rates for reaching the summit, with about 90% success. This route offers more days for acclimatization, reducing the risk of altitude sickness and providing more time to enjoy the beautiful scenery while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

The Rongai Route is considered the most scenic, as it offers stunning views of both the Kenyan side and the Kilimanjaro summit. This route is also less crowded, making it ideal for trekkers seeking a more serene and picturesque experience while ascending the mountain.

The Machame Route is often considered the best for beginners. It offers great scenery and a steady acclimatization process, improving the chances of reaching the summit. The route is longer, allowing climbers to adapt to the altitude, making it a popular choice for first-time climbers on a Kilimanjaro trek.

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