What is the Best Route?

What is the Best Route?, With so many companies offering climb on Kilimanjaro – it’s important to have the facts at hand in order to decide which company is best for you.

Most companies subcontract their Kilimanjaro climbs to local operators – and give up full control on the ground of how their climbs are run; including your safety and meal planning and preparation. We at Karibu Adventures operate our own ground operation and are licensed to lead our own climbs up Kilimanjaro. So we have full control over the minute-to-minute logistics of your climb.

The best route to hike?

If you want the highest chance of summiting the best route to climb Kilimanjaro is the Lemosho route. Rongai and Machame route – excellent acclimatization and an easier summit night.

The easiest route to climb Kilimanjaro?

The Rongai route

The Rongai route is the easiest route up Kilimanjaro. It has a reputation as a remote wilderness trail. Rongai is the only route to approach Kilimanjaro from the north.

The most beautiful route on Kilimanjaro?

Lemosho is considered the most beautiful route on Kilimanjaro and grants panoramic vistas on various sides of the mountain. It is our favorite route because it offers a great balance of low traffic, scenic views and a high summit success rate. Thus, Lemosho comes highly recommended

Which is the toughest route to Kilimanjaro?

Umbwe has a reputation of being the most difficult route on Kilimanjaro. The reason for this is due to its route profile – short, steep, and direct. From an acclimatization standpoint, this route does not provide the necessary time for most climbers to adjust to the low oxygen atmosphere.

There are seven established routes to climb Mount Kilimanjaro

Selecting a route is a tough choice for most. To find the best Kilimanjaro route for you, considerations should be taken for the route’s difficulty, scenery, and popularity. In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of each route and give advice on which trail to use on your trip.

Karibu Adventure favorites Routes

We definitely have our favorites. Of the seven established paths to the top, we highly recommend four routes, the 8 day northern circuit8 day Lemosho trail , 7 day Rongai trail , And last, the 7 day Machame trail. We guide on these exact four routes on our climbs because we think they are good choices for most people.

We consider these routes as the best routes on the mountain based upon the following factors:

  • Scenic beauty
  • Physical difficulty
  • Foot traffic
  • Acclimatization profile

Machame

Machame is considered the most scenic Kilimanjaro climbing route.

 
Difficulty
Medium
 
Distance
62 km / 39 miles
 
Duration
6-7 days
 
Success rate
95%
 

Highlights                                         Considerations
✓ Good acclimatization            – Can get crowded
✓ High success rates                 – Some parts are difficult
✓ Beautiful scenery
✓ Varying landscapes
✓ Variety of terrain

What’s The Difference Between the 6- and 7-Day Machame ?

The Machame is the most popular route on Mount Kilimanjaro.

It can be done as a 6 day or 7 day itinerary. If you’re interested in climbing the Machame, we highly recommend opting for the 7-day variation. Attempting the Machame in 6 days is very low success rate 85%. 

The standard 7-day route is shown here:

So to do the route in 6-days, you need to shave off one day from the standard route. This can be accomplished in a few different way. However, none of these are great choice.

Here are the option:

  • On day four, trek from Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp, without camping at Karanga camp, combining days four and five from the 7-day itinerary.  This is difficult because it can take 8-10 hours to complete this leg, and then you can only sleep a few hours before you prepare for the midnight assault on the summit and descent, which can take another 11-14 hours.  Therefore, you’d be walking for 20 or so hours with only a few hours of sleep in between.

As you can see, none of these are ideal.     how to chose the route for Kilimanjaro

Therefore the 6-day Machame is very low success rate 90%, the 7-day option is the best option If your time its not limit.

Read more about Machame here 6 days climb or 7 days


Marangu 

Difficulty       Distance              Duration          Success rate
low              72 km / 45 miles      5 / 6 days                85%

Highlights
✓ Hut accommodation
✓ Enjoy panoramic views
✓ Varied terrain

Read more on Marangu  5 Days or 6 Days Climb

Considerations
– Shorter acclimatization period
– Low summit success rate
– Less scenic than other routes

 


Rongai 

Difficulty        Distance                  Duration                   Success rate
Low                73 km / 45 miles          6-7 days                        90%
 

Highlights
✓ Only route that approaches from the North
✓ Possible in the rainy season
✓ Usually offers the clearest views of the mountain
✓ Panoramic views
✓ Quieter than the other routes
✓ High chance of seeing wildlife
✓ Seeing wildlife

Read more on trail 6 Days or 7 Days Climb

Considerations
– A little less scenic than the other routes approaching from the west
– Flat climb profile, so doesn’t provide opportunities to climb high and sleep low


Shira 

Difficulty           Distance                Duration       Success rate
Medium            56 km / 35 miles        7-8 days           98%
 

Highlights                                                           Considerations
✓ Beautiful scenery                                      – Slow acclimatization profile start                                                                  – Possible in the wet season
✓ Panoramic views
✓ Varied terrain
✓ Excellent success rates over 85%
✓ less traffic at day one

Read more on Shira trail 6 Days or 7 Days Climb


Lemosho 

 
Difficulty
Medium
 
Distance
70 km / 43 miles
 
Duration
7-8 days
 
Success rate
98%

Highlights
✓ Good acclimatization
✓ High success rate
✓ Beautiful scenery
✓ Varied terrain
✓ Quieter than other routes

Read more on Lemosho trail 7 Days or 8 Days Climb
 
 
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