kilimanjaro routes

Are you climbing Kilimanjaro but don’t know which route to pick? As the popularity of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro continues to increase, potential climbers are often uncertain as to which route to take. This site will explain the differences between the routes and help you decide which is the best for you. There are seven major routes used to climb Kilimanjaro. They are: Marangu Route (aka Coca-Cola Route or Tourist Route) Machame Route (aka Whiskey Route) Umbwe Route Rongai Route Shira Route (aka Shira Plateau Route) Lemosho Route Northern Circuit Route There are two routes used for descent. They are: Mweka Route Marangu Route The descentRead More →

The Lemosho Route is a newer route on Mount Kilimanjaro that approaches from the west. It is a difficult and long route, but one that is favored by most reputable Kilimanjaro outfitters due to its smaller crowds, scenic variety and high success rates. Below is a map of the Lemosho route on Kilimanjaro. A vehicle is used to bring climbers to the gate, where the trail begins in the rainforest. Lemosho trekkers have a longer distance to cover in the rainforest ecosystem than other routes, and as a result climbers do not exit the rainforest until the end of day two. This schedule means that the Lemosho Route is a longerRead More →

machame route

The Machame Route is known as the “Whiskey Route” in comparison to Marangu’s “Coca Cola Route”. This is because Machame is a more difficult route, and does not have sleeping huts for accomodation. Machame is the second most popular route on the mountain. Below is a map of the Machame route on Kilimanjaro. The trek begins in the south-west area of the mountain at Machame Gate. The route takes six days minimum to complete, although seven days is recommended. The descent is down Mweka, on the south-east side of the mountain. Because of the ascent in the west and descent down the north, Machame offers great vistas of Kilimanjaro. Additionally, Machame visits stunningRead More →

marangu route

The Marangu Route is also known as the “Tourist Route” and the “Coca-Cola Route.” This is because Marangu is the most popular route on the mountain, and thus is considered “touristy”, and because the route is the only one that offers sleeping huts, which serve beverages like Coca-Cola, on the way. Below is a map of the Marangu route on Kilimanjaro. Marangu is the easiest route on Mount Kilimanjaro. It’s ascension profile is very gradual and steady, allowing for painless trekking for most of the way. However, due to its reputation as an easy route, Marangu is often selected by unprepared, unexperienced climbers. Correspondingly, onlyRead More →

Northern Circuit Route

The Northern Circuit Route is the newest route on Kilimanjaro. This is a unique itinerary in that it is the only route that visits the northern slopes, while traversing around nearly the entire mountain. The Northern Circuit is also the longest route on the mountain, in distance and time, making it a difficult route. However, it has the best acclimatization profile which makes it the route with the highest success rate as well. Below is a map of the Northern Circuit route on Kilimanjaro. The Northern Circuit route is a 9 day route. The path begins west of the peak, on the same trail asRead More →

The Rongai Route is the only route that appraoches Kilimanjaro from the north, near the Kenyan border. Rongai’s ascent profile is very similar to that of Marangu. The climb to the top is gradual and steady. However, unlike Marangu, this route has low crowds and passes through remote wilderness areas. It is probably the only route where seeing wildlife in the first days is possible. Below is a map of the Rongai route on Kilimanjaro. The route takes six days minimum to complete, although seven days is recommended. The descent is down Mweka, on the south-east side of the mountain. Because the starting point isRead More →

shira route

The Shira Route is a difficult route that begins in the west, at Shira Gate. What is unque about Shira is that the first section of the trail is not hiked, but rather driven. Therefore, climbers using Shira will miss out on hiking up one of Kilimanjaro’s ecological zones, the rain forest. Below is a map of the Shira route on Kilimanjaro. An off road vehicle transports climbers to the Shira gate, located at 11,500 feet, where the hike begins to Simba Camp. This is a sizable altitude gain for someone who slept at Moshi or Arusha on their previous night. Complications from altitude canRead More →

umbwe route

The Umbwe Route is the least used, least crowded route on the mountain. For good reason, it is also the most difficult route on the mountain. Umbwe is a steep, constant, straight climb to the top. Below is a map of the Umbwe route on Kilimanjaro. Umbwe is mostly avoided because the ascent profile does not give climbers much time to adjust to the altitude. The success rate is very low. The route takes six days minimum to complete, although seven days is recommended. The descent is down Mweka, on the south-east side of the mountain. Umbwe is not as scenically varied as Machame, LemoshoRead More →

THE #1 GUIDE SERVICE ON MOUNT KILIMANJARO With Ultimate Kilimanjaro, you get high quality service without the inflated cost. Our goal is to work with you to create the ideal itinerary based on your needs, abilities and desires. We can help you plan every aspect of your climb, providing everything you need for a successful summit and enjoyable experience. Won’t you join us on the Roof of Africa? Proven Expertise. With more than 15 years of experience, Ultimate Kilimanjaro has a proven expertise on Mount Kilimanjaro. We lead over 150 climbs per year, with more than 1,000 adventurers climbing with us annually. Literally thousands ofRead More →