Exploring Mount Kilimanjaro’s Climbing Routes

Mount Kilimanjaro offers adventurers six established routes for summiting its majestic peak: Marangu, Machame, Lemosho, Shira, Rongai, and Umbwe. While the Marangu, Machame, and Umbwe routes approach from the mountain’s southern side, the Lemosho and Shira routes traverse its western slopes. The Rongai route, on the other hand, leads from the north, near Kenya. Notably, all routes except Marangu and Rongai descend via the Mweka route.

Conquering Mount Kilimanjaro through the Marangu Route

The Marangu Route, affectionately known as the Coca-Cola route, stands out for its popularity. This fame stems from its shorter duration and the availability of permanent sleep huts at the campsites.

The ascent to the summit from Kibo Hut is characterized by steep terrain that passes through Gilman’s Point to reach Uhuru Peak. This route, although shorter with a steeper incline, offers less time for acclimatization, potentially resulting in a lower summit success rate. Additionally, it’s the only route where both the ascent and descent paths are shared, leading to increased traffic.

Marangu Route Highlights and Specifications

Duration: 5 or 6 days
Difficulty: Medium
Scenery: Stunning
Traffic: High

Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, our team will warmly welcome you. You’ll then be transferred to the luxurious Kilimanjaro Wonders Hotel (4 stars) for a comfortable overnight stay. Your head guide will later meet you to provide a comprehensive briefing, conduct a gear check, and assist you in renting any necessary equipment.

Day 1: From Marangu Gate to Mandara Huts

Your adventure begins at the Marangu Gate, the starting point for the Marangu Route. This day’s trek takes you through the lush rainforest, a serene and captivating environment filled with unique flora and fauna. As you make your way towards Mandara Huts, you’ll appreciate the dense vegetation and the enchanting ambiance of the forest. The huts offer a comfortable resting place for your first night on Kilimanjaro, setting the stage for the days to come.

Day 2: Mandara Huts to Horombo Huts

After a restful night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast, emerge from the rainforest onto an ascending path that leads through heathland. Keep an eye out for the impressive giant lobelias and groundsels. Continue the ascent to open moorlands, where small shrubs dominate the landscape. Pause for lunch while soaking in breathtaking views of Mawenzi. By late afternoon, you’ll reach the Horombo Huts, situated beneath the awe-inspiring Kibo Summit viewpoint. As temperatures drop, the sense of adventure intensifies.

Day 3: Horombo Huts to Kibo Huts

Following breakfast, proceed through dwindling heathland, which transitions into a moon-like expanse as you enter the sweeping saddle connecting Mawenzi and Kibo. While stopping for lunch, take a moment to envision the summit climb up Kibo that lies ahead in just a few hours.

Day 4: From Kibo Huts to the Summit and Back to Horombo Huts

Excitement fills the air as you begin the most mentally and physically challenging part of the journey, starting between midnight and 2 a.m. Ascending to the summit involves a switchback formation, requiring resilience and focus. The ascent takes you through heavy scree and possibly snow, leading to Gillman’s Point on the crater rim. Here, a breathtaking sunrise awaits during a short rest. Faster hikers may even catch the sunrise from the summit. As you continue towards Uhuru Peak, be prepared for snow along the remaining hour of ascent.

Congratulations on reaching Uhuru Peak, the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the entire African continent! Capture the moment with photos, celebrate, and perhaps shed a few tears of joy. Afterward, begin the descent to Mweka Camp, pausing at Barafu for lunch and a brief rest. Gaiters and trekking poles are essential for navigating challenging gravel and volcanic ash terrain. An evening of well-deserved rest awaits at Mweka Camp.

Day 5: From Horombo Huts to Marangu Gate, and Beyond

Following breakfast and a heartfelt appreciation ceremony with your crew, bid farewell as you continue the descent. Stop at Mandara Huts for lunch and remember to tip your guides, cooks, and porters. Returning to Marangu Park Gate, receive your summit certificates. As the weather warms, the terrain becomes wet, muddy, and steep—gaiters and trekking poles are highly recommended. A vehicle will meet you at the gate for the journey back to your Moshi hotel (approximately 45 minutes). Rejoice in a long-awaited hot shower, dinner, and celebrations!

Certified Ethical Climbing:

We believe that the tourism industry carries a responsibility to safeguard the world’s natural habitats, cultural heritage sites, and communities. Our commitment to environmental sustainability and social responsibility is unwavering.

As proud partners in responsible travel, we actively support the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP), an initiative of the International Mountain Explorers Connection (IMEC). KPAP raises awareness about fair treatment for porters on Kilimanjaro and guides climbing companies in implementing ethical procedures. Our climbing expeditions undergo audits to ensure that crew members receive proper salaries, tips, food, equipment, and comfortable sleeping conditions. The positive feedback from our clients is a testament to our dedication—check out our TripAdvisor profile to hear their voices.

Climbing FAQ

More than 30,000 hikers visit the famous mountain, known as the roof of Africa, each year, drawn not just by its height but also by the panorama it offers. While scaling Mount Kilimanjaro is not for the faint of heart, many trekking aficionados have it on their bucket list to reach the mountain’s snow-capped summit.

The dry season, which lasts from June to October and December to March, offers beautiful scenery, a clear view, and a high success rate for summit attempts.

In our opinion. The Machame Route comes in second, followed by the Lemosho Route, while the Rongai Route comes in third.

The gateway to both Kilimanjaro and the safari is Kilimanjaro International Airport. From there, you’ll be driven an hour to Moshi town or an hour to Arusha City for the night. Drive to the gates of the Kilimanjaro mountain park the following day.

You need all of the equipment from the Kilimanjaro Climb Gear List as well as layered clothing because the summit is extremely cold.

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