MOUNT KILIMANJARO TREKKING
Over 40,000 people a year seek to climb the world’s highest freestanding mountain–a mountain so popular it has become known as “Everyman’s Everest”? Mount Kilimanjaro stands almost 6000 meters above sea level, but one does not need to be an experienced mountain climber to reach its peak.
Mt. Kilimanjaro is composed of three extinct volcanoes: Kibo 5895 m (19340 ft.), Mawenzi 5149 m (16896 ft.), and Shira 3962 m (13000 ft.). The ascent of Kilimanjaro can be done from six routes: Mweka, Umbwe, Shira, Rongai, Machame, and the Marangu Route which is the easier and the most popular. Depending on which route one wants to use, the climb of Kilimanjaro can take between four nights to six nights on the mountain.
Kilimanjaro is technically the easiest to climb of the Seven Summits . You don’t need ropes or special mountaineering gear, or even any previous mountain climbing experience. The youngest person to reach the summit was six years old, and the eldest (as of 2011), was 83. The two most popular routes are Marangu and Machame. On the Marangu Route, accommodation is in alpine huts while on Machame Route it is camping throughout. While expert guides and porters will accompany you on your climb, unlike Mount Everest, no technical equipment is required.
In order to choose the best route for you, please see our package. There are no routes demanding technical climbing. Price given includes all park fees, staff (guide, cook, porters), food and tents.
KILIMANJARO ROUTES OVERVIEW
| ROUTE | DESCRIPTION | DISTANCE | DAYS |
| Marangu | Popular tourist route, approaches from southeast, easy, gentle gradients, beautiful rain forest section and moorlands, comfortable but basic hut shelter, poor acclimatization profile, descent on same trail. | 72 km | 5-6 days |
| Machame | Most popular route, approaches from south, very scenic route with southern traverse, difficult route but very good for acclimatization, camping. | 62 km | 6-7 days |
| Rongai | Long access drive to trailhead, approaches from north, remote, less frequented, easy, gentle gradients, beautiful alpine desert section, good alternative to Marangu, camping, fair acclimatization profile, camping. | 73 km | 6-7 days |
| Lemosho | Long access drive to trailhead, approaches from west, remote, less frequented, beautiful heath section, very scenic with southern traverse, camping, difficult route but excellent for acclimatization,camping. | 70 km | 7-8 days |
| Shira | Almost same as Lemosho, approaches from west, long access drive to trailhead, trail starts at 11,800 ft, remote, less frequented, beautiful heath section, very scenic with southern traverse, camping, difficult route but excellent for acclimatization if ok at 11,800 ft, camping. | 56 km | 7-8 days |
| Umbwe | Least used trail,
approaches from south, shortest and steepest route, spectacular ridge, scenic with southern traverse, difficult route with poor acclimatization profile, pre-acclimatization is recommended, camping. |
53 km | 5-6 days |
| Northern Circuit | Newest route, very few climbers, approaches from west, very scenic with northern traverse, nearly 360 degree traverse, best route for acclimatization profile, longest route, camping. | 98 km | 9 days |
Machame is the most popular route on the mountain, with an estimated 45% of all climbers using this route. Next is the Marangu route, with an estimated 40% of all climbers opting for this route. Lemosho and Rongai see far less use, but are the preferred routes for the more reputable (expensive) Kilimanjaro outfitters, and are thus growing in popularity. Shira, Umbwe and Northern Circuit barely have any foot traffic.