Kilimanjaro Routes and best Routes to Climb Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro Routes and  best Routes to Climb Kilimanjaro, Uhuru Peak can be reached using the seven recognized Mount Kilimanjaro routes whereby one begins from the mountain’s northern slope and the others on its southern slope.

The following are the seven major routes of Kilimanjaro:

• Northern Circuit Route
• Shira Route
• Lemosho Route
• Machame Route known as the Whiskey route
• Rongai Route
• Marangu Route also known as the Coca-Cola route
• Umbwe Route

The Lemosho and Machame routes, which take 7 or 8 days to complete, are the finest ways to climb Kilimanjaro if you want the best chance of reaching the summit. They are the best because they allow for better acclimatization and a simpler summit night. And since most of our climbers prioritize reaching the summit, we have determined that this is the best path to climb Kilimanjaro overall.

Below are the details of all the seven route

Machame Route

The Machame is sometimes referred to as the Whiskey route which is the most well travelled route on Kilimanjaro, and it takes six to seven days to complete. The route has a success rate of 95% the trail is an ideal choice for anyone with excess time in their schedules because it provides breathtaking views, a manageable difficulty, and ample time for acclimatization. Since the Machame route is thought to be more difficult compared to the Marangu route, also known as the “Coca-Cola” route, it has been nicknamed as the Whiskey Route. However, Machame route allows camping, therefore hikers will be spending the entire ascent in tents.

A long the Machame route, trekkers pass by a number of well-known Mount Kilimanjaro sites such as Shira Plateau and the renowned Lava Tower.  Hikers are rewarded with the best views on the Kilimanjaro as a result of the route’s winding up and down a number of valleys and hills, which makes the walk a little more difficult

Because it offers distinctive and varied scenery to traverse every day, the Machame path is usually regarded as the most picturesque of all the routes up Mount Kilimanjaro. The trail begins on the mountain’s south flank, travels beneath the Southern Ice Field, and approaches the summit from the Barafu Camp.

OVERVIEW

• Highly recommended for trekking
• It allows walk high and sleep low for easy acclimatizations
• Offers a breathtaking scenery since one pass through 5 diverse climatic zones
• Offers camping experience

Lemosho Route

Of all the trekking routes up Mount Kilimanjaro, the Lemosho Route is considered as the most spectacular route. It is a lovely, comparatively flat trip that traverses the whole Shira Plateau from west to east. Until the path merges with the Machame trail close to Lava Tower, there aren’t many people. It is one of the more recent routes on the mountain and follows a similar course to the Machame route, but it has significant advantages over the latter that are unquestionably worth taking into account, especially for visitors with more time.

The route meanders up one of the isolated parts of Kilimanjaro beginning from the Londorossi Gate on the western sides of the Mountain.

Along the walk, hikers may have the opportunity to see wildlife as they pass through a stunning rain forest. In the trees, one can frequently spot blue monkeys, little lizards, a variety of birds, and black and white colobus monkeys. The trail then veers out onto the Shira Plateau, traversing it from west to east on comparatively level and walkable ground.

Overview

• A great route with a high success rate for climbing Kilimanjaro.
• Better acclimatization is made possible by allowing climbers to walk high, sleep low.
• A remote and breathtaking approach featuring views of the west Kilimanjaro and steep canyons.
• The Shira route is less suitable for acclimatization because it gives a higher starting position.
• Camping that is fully catered.

Marangu Route

The oldest and most well-known hiking path on Mount Kilimanjaro is the Marangu path, sometimes referred to as the “Coca-Cola Route.” It is still very popular mostly because it is the only route on the mountain with hut accommodations for hikers. Trekkers can enjoy the traditional Kilimanjaro climbing experience along this route, which leads to the summit of Uhuru Peak and offers breathtaking vistas and an amazing trekking experience. However, it also contains several distinctive features that make it stand out from the others, giving the Marangu route a personality and atmosphere all its own.

Being the only route up Mount Kilimanjaro that forbids camping, the Marangu path is one of its more intriguing features. Trekkers stay in permanent lodges rather than tents. The Marangu Route is well-liked by hikers with little time for their ascent because it is one of the quickest routes to the top, taking only five days to reach Uhuru Peak.

This has the drawback of offering less time for acclimatization to the higher elevation. As a result, of all the routes up Mount Kilimanjaro, the Marangu route has the highest failure rate. When selecting this option for your Kilimanjaro hike, bear that in mind.

Additionally, the Marangu Route is the only one that takes the same route both up and down. This implies that even though the trail is beautiful, hikers will see the same sights on the way up as they do on the way down. Additionally, Marangu can occasionally become extremely busy due to the two-way traffic.

Overview

• less time for acclimatization due to the shortest route to the top.
• significantly reduced success rate.
• accommodations in the form of dorms, which might be noisy.
• Because the ascent and descent are on the same route, it is less beautiful.

Rongai Route

Along the Tanzania-Kenya border, the Rongai route climbs Mount Kilimanjaro from the northeastern side, maintaining an impression of pristine wilderness.

Kilimanjaro can only be reached from the north via the Rongai route. One of the most isolated and untamed routes on the whole mountain is the Rongai route. Nevertheless, this path has several benefits for hikers, which makes it a very desirable choice for anyone seeking a distinctive experience atop Africa’s highest peak. Hikers can acclimate at a steady pace because to the Rongai route’s gradual ascent up Mount Kilimanjaro. This significantly raises the success rate and making it one of the simpler routes up the mountain.

The possibility of seeing animals, such as Colobus Monkeys, during the first few days of the ascent is another benefit of using the Rongai Route. In order to guarantee that hikers spend a comparable amount of time on the trail each day, the campsites are also thoughtfully spaced out throughout the route. Additionally, because the trail ascends the north side and descends the south side, visitors can experience Kilimanjaro from a variety of angles.

Overview

• The only way to reach the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro is from the north.
• provides a genuine wilderness experience in the early climbing stages.
• Final peak night was quite difficult.
• Lack of opportunity to “walk high, sleep low” results in less natural acclimatization.
• Camping that is fully catered.

Umbwe Route

The Umbwe path is regarded as the most difficult and demanding route on Mount Kilimanjaro and is one of the quickest ways to reach the Southern Glaciers and the Western Breach. The steepness and quick ascent make acclimatization quite challenging.

Trekkers seeking a real climbing challenge should hit the Umbwe Route. It is a peaceful, infrequently travelled trail that may be both extremely challenging and extremely rewarding. If you want to test yourself on Mount Kilimanjaro’s slopes away from the throngs that can be found on the more popular trails, this is the route to take.

It is best suited for seasoned mountain trekkers seeking a challenge, as hikers’ endurance and fitness may be put to the test along the way.

Overview

• Very low success rate, steep, short route.
• Rapid ascent results in poor acclimatization.
• For the first two days, it was really peaceful and isolated.
• Completely equipped camping

Northern Circuit Route

The Northern Circuit Route, approaches Kilimanjaro from the south and has the greatest Kilimanjaro Success Rate (98%). As previously said, it is the newest and longest route on Kilimanjaro and provides the most breathtaking view of the Mountain. It takes 8 to 9 days to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro by this route.

Having a success percentage of about 95% to 98%, the Northern Circuit route has the best success rate of any route on Mount Kilimanjaro because of its duration, much of which stays at the same elevation for better acclimatization.

The hike begins at the Londorossi Gate and climbs the mountain’s western flanks, passing through the rainforest before arriving at the Shira Ridge. From there it climbs to the actual Shira Plateau, then heads north in a clockwise circle starting at Moir Hut and ending at Buffalo Camp and School Hut. Before arriving at the summit from the east, hikers complete a nearly 360-degree roundabout of Kilimanjaro.

Inconclusion

The 9-day Northern Circuit route, the 8-day Lemosho route, and the 7-day Machame route are the greatest routes to climb Kilimanjaro in terms of summit success rate because of the simpler summit night and superior acclimatization provided.