Tour Guide, Moshi, Tanzania
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What are the best routes to climb Mount Kilimanjaro? |Nyayo Tours.
Routes Overview: Choose Your Now
There are 5 common, different routes used by different climbers to reach the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. However, these routes differ in terms of cost, accommodation and facilities, route scenery and attractions, route traffic, and chances for a successful summit. We, as experienced mountain expertise, have prepared brief information about all routes, its benefits, attractions, and consequences.
5/6 Days Marangu Route
The uniqueness of this route, compared to others, is the accommodation facilities, that; it offers shared Mountain huts, with beds and mattresses, solar power energy and piped taped water. The shortfalls on this route are acclimatization problem; this may result in altitude sickness, which caused by insufficient oxygen as altitude increases.
Attraction: Mountain rain forest with different species of monkeys and other small animals, Kilimanjaro vegetation zones, Maundi crater, Kilimanjaro sceneries, and its panoramic view.
Accommodation: Mountain huts, shared beds and mattresses.
Difficulty level: Easy
Route traffic: Congested during peak seasons.
Summit success rate: Low, below 60%
Consequences: Bad weather on 3rd and 4th point may result in a poor summit rate, mountain high altitude sickness is highly experienced, and overall summit rate is below 60%.
5/6 Days Rongai Route
Rongai Route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the Eastern side, marking a border with Kenya. It’s an easy route even for beginners and aged people. Due to its remoteness, the Rongai Route receives the least traffic compared to the rest of the routes. It joins Marangu route on 3rd day at Kibo hut camp-and descending is through Marangu route.
Attractions: On the first-day trail, wild animal like Antelope, Elephant, Buffalo, and Monkeys can be seen. Trekkers are more likely to get clearly unclouded view of the Mountain. Different vegetation zones, Mount Kilimanjaro sceneries, and its panoramic view.
Difficulty level: Easy
Route traffic: Very low
Accommodation: Mixed tents camping and Mountain huts.
Summit success rate: Average, below 70%
Consequences: Bad weather on 3rd and 4th points when it joins the Marangu route; this may result in high altitude mountain sickness.
6/7 Days Machame Route.
Machame Route is the busiest and most popular route to climb Mount Kilimanjaro compared to the rest of the routes. It is a little bit tough to hike on the first 3-days, as its trail passes through the rocks and steeper hiking for almost halfway. The overall successful summit in this route is 90% and above.
This tour is suitable for a family, couple, private groups or/and open joining groups. It’s easy for a group joining as many groups of climbers us this route every day.
The benefit of this route is that; it offers good acclimatization throughout, hence guaranteed successfully summit.
Attractions: Mountain rain forest with small wild animals, different vegetation zones, Barranco wall, Mount Kilimanjaro sceneries, and its panoramic view.
Difficulty level: Challenging
Accommodation: Tents camping.
Route traffic: Very high, congested during peak seasons.
Summit successful rate: Very high, above 90%
Consequences: Steeper and rock climbing trail, challenging trek.
7/8 Days Lemosho Route
Lemosho is the beautiful route to trek Mt. Kilimanjaro. It approaches the Mountain from the western side, and it’s less populated and easy to climb compared to the rest of the routes. On the first and second days, the hiking trail is gentle passing through the mountain rain forest that makes climbing easier. Some climbers hike even for 6 days, but it’s highly recommended to 7/8 days. The route is good for acclimatization and it’s in favour even for children and old people.
Tour type: Climbing Kilimanjaro can be done as a family, private group, open group joining or sole climber.
Accommodation: Comfort tents camping
Attractions: Small wild animals in the rain forest, different mountain vegetation zones, high elevation points, Mount Kilimanjaro sceneries, and its panoramic view.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Route traffic: Low
Summit successful rate: very high, above 90%
Consequences: Long-distance walking between one camp points to another.
6 Days Umbwe Route.
Umbwe Route is the shortest route to access Kilimanjaro mountain summit but it is high risk due to glacial rock break down. It’s the least-used route, receiving less than 5% of the total climbers per annum. The route joins the Machame Route on the second day following the southern circuit to the summit and descending via the Mweka route.
Attractions: Rain forest, small rivers, glacial falls.
Accommodation: Tents camping
Difficulty level: Challenging
Route traffic: Very low
Summit successful rate: Average
Consequences: Unexpected Ice rock/glacier falls may result in injury or loss of lives.
For the Mount Kilimanjaro climb, here are some tips for a safe and successful summit.
Choose the best route that offers good acclimatization. Oxygen decreases as you climb to a higher elevation, so choose the routes that offer the acclimatization throughout to avoid the possibility of experiencing higher altitude mountain sickness. In this case, Rongai, Lemosho, and Machame routes are highly recommended.
Be well prepared and fully equipped for Kilimanjaro trekking; do not forget to carry all necessary trekking equipment and gears. Remember, the weather in the mountain is not precisely predictable; having with you all-weather gears is the best decision.
Do not carry too much heavy day-pack. Most of your item luggage will be carried by Kilimanjaro porters; you will just carry your light day pack bag, which contains the most necessary personal use for a day only.
Listen carefully to your guide; do not ignore the little advice from your guide. The Kilimanjaro guides have more than 10-years experience; they have a broad working knowledge of Mount Kilimanjaro, so please listen to what they direct you to do.
Eat enough food and drink more water so that your body won’t run out of energy; a long day working requires body energy, so make sure you eat as much as you can. Do not forget to go to bed early so that you will wake up with new energy to continue climbing.
Choose the best time to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Your chance to summit Kilimanjaro peak is highly influenced by external factors like bad weather. So knowing the best time to go for Kilimanjaro trekking will help you to plan your adventure accordingly.
Best time of the year to go for Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing:
June to October: peak of high season, as most of the Kilimanjaro routes and hotels are crowded; it’s a good time to climb.
October to December: Most of the Kilimanjaro routes are less crowded; this season may be associated with low seasonal rainfall so not that much good for climbing.
December to end of February: High season most of the routes and hotels are crowded, a good season for climbing.
March to early of June: Low season, as it’s the peak of the wet season as these months are associated with heavy rainfalls so not ideal for climbing.