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Known as the "Coca-Cola" route, the Marangu route approaches Kilimanjaro from the southeast. It is the oldest, most well established route.
Many favor the Marangu route because it is considered to be the easiest path on the mountain, given its gradual slope and direct path.
Marangu is the only route which offers sleeping huts in dormitory style accommodations. There are 60 bunk beds each at Mandara and Kibo Huts, and 120 bunk beds at Horombo Hut. |
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Guests are supplied with mattresses and pillows, but sleeping bags are still required. The huts have communal dining halls and basic washrooms, ranging from flushing toilets and running water at the lower huts to long drop toilets and buckets of water at Kibo Hut. Also available for consumption are soft drinks, bottled water, and beer.
The minimum days required for this route is five, although the probability of successfully reaching the top in that time period is quite low. Spending an extra acclimatization day on the mountain is highly recommended.
The Marangu route is a classic trek to the top of Kilimanjaro. However, it has the least scenic variety of all routes (ascent and descent are done on the same path) and is the most crowded for that reason. |
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The Machame route, known as the "Whiskey" route, is now the most popular route on the mountain.
Machame approaches from the southwest and descends using Mweka, rewarding climbers with views of the expansive Shira Plateau, an optional scramble up Lava Tower, a climb up the Great Barranco Wall, and a traverse underneath Kilimanjaro's Southern Icefield. The descent occurs on the Mweka route.
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Climbers sleep in supplied tents at designated campsites, and eat meals either outdoors or inside a large dining tent. Cook prepares all meals and sets up the tents.
The minimum number of days required for this route is six days, although seven days is recommended.
The Machame route is scenically beautiful and varied. Compared to Marangu, the days on Machame are longer and the walks are steeper. It is considered a difficult route, better suited for more adventurous folks, and those with some hiking or backpacking experience. |
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The Rongai route is the only route that approaches Kilimanjaro from the north, close to the Kenyan border.
Though gaining popularity amongst climbers, the Rongai route still experiences low traffic.
Rongai is the preferred route for those looking for an alternative to the crowded Marangu route, for those who would like a more remote hike, and for those who are climbing during the rainy season (the north side receives less precipitation). |
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The minimum number of days required for this route is six days, and seven days are recommended.
Although the scenery is not as varied as the western routes, Rongai makes up for this by passing through true wilderness areas for days before joining the Marangu route at Kibo camp. This route descends down the Marangu route.
Rongai is a moderately difficult route, and is highly recommended, especially for those with less backpacking experience. |
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The Shira route is a path that approaches Kilimanjaro from the west, and is nearly identical to the Lemosho route. In fact, Shira was the original route and Lemosho is the improved variation.
While Lemosho starts at Londorossi Gate and treks through the rain forest to Shira 1 Camp, the Shira route bypasses this walk by using a vehicle to transfer climbers to Shira Gate, located near the Shira Ridge. |
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The first day on the mountain, climbers begin their hike from 11,800 feet (3,600 m) and spend their first night at the same elevation at Simba Camp. Then, the route merges with Lemosho at Shira 2 and follows the southern circuit route, traversing beneath the Southern Icefields before summiting from Barafu. Descent is made on the Mweka route.
Although Shira is a varied and beautiful route, Lemosho is recommended over Shira due to the high altitude of Shira's starting point. It is possible that climbers will experience altitude related symptoms on the first day due to failed acclimatization. Climbers using Shira should be confident of their ability to acclimatize. |
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The Lemosho route is one of the newer routes on the mountain, and a superb choice for your climb.
It is our preferred route due to its ideal balance of low traffic, beautiful scenery and a high summit success rate.
The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the west, beginning with a long drive from Moshi to Londorossi Gate. From there, the first two days are spent trekking through the rainforest to Shira Ridge. |
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Unlike the popular Machame route, which simply intersects the Shira Plateau, the Lemosho route crosses the entirety of the plain from west to east in a pleasant, relatively flat hike. An added bonus is that climbers will encounter low traffic until the route joins the Machame route. Afterwards, Lemosho follows the same route through Lava Tower, Barranco and Barafu, known as the southern circuit. Descent is made via the Mweka route.
The minimum number of days required for this route is six days, although eight days is best.
Lemosho is considered the most scenic route on Kilimanjaro, and grants panoramic vistas on various sides of the mountain. Thus, Lemosho is highly recommended. |
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The Umbwe route has a well-deserved reputation of being the most challenging route on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Approaching from the south, the Umbwe route is a short, steep and direct climb.
After reaching Barranco Camp, the trail follows the southern circuit to the summit. The descent is done via the Mweka route. |
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Umbwe is considered to be very difficult, taxing route - one that should only be attempted by strong hikers who are also confident of their ability to acclimatize to altitude.
Due to the fast ascension to high altitude, this route does not provide the necessary stages for acclimatization. Although the traffic on this route is very low, the chances of success are also low.
The route is offered at a minimum of six days, and seven days is preferred when attempting to climb using Umbwe. However, overall, the Umbwe route is not recommended. |
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