“Which is the best route to climb Kilimanjaro?” is a question we get asked more than any other. And the answer is contingent on your objectives. Our winners are listed below.
There are seven main Mount Kilimanjaro routes that go to the top, Uhuru Peak, one of which begins on the mountain’s northern side and the others on its southern side. You’ll need to choose your route after deciding to climb Kilimanjaro.
- Northern Circuit Route
- Lemosho Route
- Shira Route
- Machame Route (“Whiskey” Route)
- Rongai Route
- Marangu Route (“Coca-Cola” Route)
- Umbwe Route
Overall best Route with the Highest success rate
The Lemosho and Machame routes over 7 or 8 days are the finest routes to climb Kilimanjaro if you want the best chance of summiting — superb acclimatization and an easy summit night make these clear winners. And, because reaching the summit is the most essential goal for most of our climbers, we declare this the greatest path to climb Kilimanjaro.
Most scenic route to climb Kilimanjaro
With breathtaking vistas in all directions, the Lemosho route entering from the west takes the crown for the best views.
Quietest route to climb Kilimanjaro
If staying away from the crowds is your number one priority, the tranquil Rongai route is the ideal option for your Kilimanjaro ascent. However, be aware that the success rate is lower.
Most challenging route to climb Kilimanjaro
Crater camp is the greatest option to climb Kilimanjaro if you really want an adventurous and completely remarkable wilderness experience. Only approximately 1% of climbers get to do this, and all of our climbers who do it love it.
Click here to get a summary of the benefits and drawbacks of each option.
Which route is best to climb Kilimanjaro?
When preparing for your Kilimanjaro climb, there are six criteria to consider when determining the best path to climb Kilimanjaro for you.
- Acclimatization
- Difficulty of the summit night
- How busy the route is
- What are the accommodation options
- Safety
- What is the success rate
Acclimatization on Kilimanjaro
The cardinal rule of altitude climbing is to walk high and sleep low. Following this rule reduces your risk of altitude sickness and increases your chances of reaching the top. The Machame and Lemosho routes are the greatest for acclimatization on Kilimanjaro since they naturally allow you to trek high and sleep low.
Difficulty of the summit night
The Rongai and Marangu routes have the harshest summit nights: they reach the crater rim of Kilimanjaro on the north side, opposite Uhuru Peak, and are more than 2 hours from the summit itself. The Machame and Lemosho routes, which reach the crater at Stellar point less than an hour from the summit, are the ideal methods to climb Kilimanjaro to avoid this. An extra hour on top of a hard day is frequently the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
How busy the route is
The number of climbers on the mountain varies greatly depending on the season and day of the week, but even so, the Rongai path is the finest way to climb Kilimanjaro if you want to have the mountain to yourself. This route begins in the north and sees far fewer climbers than the more well-known southern routes.
Accommodation on the climb
The Marangu Route is the only one that does not need you to camp, so if you despise tents, this is the ideal way to climb Kilimanjaro for you. The huts, however, are rather poor and noisy.
Kilimanjaro Routes Safety
Except for the Arrow Point path, we consider all of the routes to be relatively safe if walked carefully. We do not offer climbs on the Arrow Point route because of the uncontrollable risk of falling rock. This is not the greatest way to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
Which route has the highest Summit Success rate
Because to the higher acclimatization and easier summit night, the 9-day Northern Circuit route is the best route to climb Kilimanjaro in terms of summit success rate, followed by the 8-day Lemosho route and the 7-day Machame route.
We run weekly group climbs throughout the year, with various routes each week. If you’re looking for a certain route, check out the schedule below to see when we’ll be running it.
