Which is the best Kilimanjaro route?

Here at Follow Alice, our trek guides have collectively climbed and summited Kilimanjaro well over a thousand times, and have done so using all of the different routes. With that experience in our pocket, we can share our opinion of the best Kilimanjaro routes, confident that it has value!

So in our opinion, the two best Kilimanjaro routes are the Lemosho and the Northern Circuit.

We prefer these two Kilimanjaro ascent routes above all of the others for a few reasons:

At Follow Alice our goal is not to send as many climbers up Kilimanjaro as possible. Instead, we want to have happy clients returning with memories to last a lifetime and a successful summit under their belt. 

So if you ask us which are the two routes we'd most highly recommend, they're the Lemosho and Northern Circuit, which you can look at here:

While the Lemosho and Northern Circuit are the best Kilimanjaro routes in our opinion, we also really like the Machame and Rongai routes.

That said, we like the seven-day Machame and seven-day Rongai routes, not the six-day versions of either as they push the body too far both in terms of endurance and in terms of rapid altitude gain.

The Machame route offers incredible and varied scenery

Yet even with the longer itineraries, we recommend these routes for those with high-altitude trekking experience who know their bodies can adapt well to the rapid elevation gain. We also suggest these routes to those with a limited number of days at their disposal for the adventure. The Rongai is also a really good option for anyone who's keen to avoid the steep Barranco Wall but doesn't have the time, money or inclination to tackle the nine-day Northern Circuit route.

To learn more about the various routes on offer, please read The seven different Kilimanjaro routes – pros and cons of each.

– Chris Sichalwe, Follow Alice Tanzania Director

One can argue that the answer to the question "Which is the best Kilimanjaro route?" depends in part on your fitness and trekking experience. It also depends on what you most want to get out of a Kilimanjaro climb.

Identifying what you're hoping to find or experience on your climb will help to inform your choice of route. For instance, are you interested in:

With all of this in mind, here are nine questions to ask yourself when trying to decide which is the best Kilimanjaro route for you ...

The Northern Circuit offers your very best chance of summiting Kilimanjaro. In fact, the Northern Circuit has the highest 'summit success rate' (over 90%) of all routes, meaning almost all of the trekkers using this trail make it to the top! For this reason, you might argue that the Northern Circuit is the easiest Kilimanjaro route.

The eight-day Lemosho route also has a high summit success rate, second only to that of the Northern Circuit. The Machame, Rongai and Shira routes have middling summit success rates, with the longer itineraries of course having higher rates than the shorter ones.

The Umbwe and Marangu routes both have low summit success rates (under 50%), meaning very few trekkers on these trails actually manage to reach the top of Kilimanjaro.

Why is this?

The routes with high summit success rates are those that have good 'acclimatisation profiles', which means they don't require you to ascend the mountain too quickly. Routes that take you up the mountain too quickly tend to be too physically taxing or cause trekkers to develop serious altitude sickness, and this means many don't manage to reach Uhuru Peak.

Unless you're a seasoned high-altitude trekker who knows your body can cope with rapid increases in altitude, you want to take at least six days over the ascent, in our opinion. That means choosing a climb that's at least seven days in total (as you start the descent on summit day, which is also your penultimate day on the mountain).

Routes also have good acclimatisation profiles when they incorporate a chance to drop down in elevation for a while during the ascent. This might mean climbing to a new altitude high during the day and then sleeping at a lower one. Or it might mean trekking down and sleeping at a lower altitude than the previous night even though you're still in the ascent phrase of the trek. Either way, it's about dropping down into a more oxygen-rich environment for a spell, as this is a great way to help your body to adapt really well to the increasing altitude.

The Lemosho, Northern Circuit and Machame are the only routes that have this feature in their acclimatisation profiles, so it's unsurprising that they also then boast the highest summit success rates.

– Robert Jensen

The routes that ascend the southern and western slopes offer the best scenery, in our opinion. So that's all of the routes except for the Marangu and Rongai. The Marangu route has the least varied scenery as you trek down the same path that you use for the ascent, while all of the other routes use a different route for the descent.

In terms of seeing different plants, flowers and animals – we recommend any of the routes except for the Shira. The Shira is the only route that starts above the rainforest, and so you miss out on this beautiful ecosystem. The rainforest is the most important vegetation band to hike if you're keen to spot some of the wonderful animals of Kilimanjaro.

Our client George took this great snap on his Lemosho climb

As we discuss in Where to see the best sunrises and sunsets on Kilimanjaro, we think the Lemosho, Shira and Machame are the best routes in terms of having the most campsites offering incredible morning and evening views.

The Rongai and Northern Circuit are the only routes that allow you to see the views to both the north and south of Kilimanjaro. And when you look north towards Kenya, you could well spot some of the big game like elephants and giraffes that live in Amboseli National Park.

Finally, the Rongai and Marangu are the only two routes that bring you close to Mawenzi Peak, which is very beautiful and the second highest peak on Kilimanjaro. So the Rongai is a worthy consideration for anyone keen to enjoy diverse scenery on their trek.

Mawenzi Peak is a gorgeous feature of Kilimanjaro

Are you a seasoned hiker who's done a few multiday treks before? Especially ones at high altitude? Or are you a new(ish) multiday trekker? If you're the latter, there are some routes that would not be suitable for you, namely the Umbwe, Marangu and Shira.

The Umbwe in particular is very steep whilst also being the shortest route, as you head to the summit over just four or five days. Not only does this require really rapid acclimatisation, it's super tough on the legs! You need to possess stellar fitness and endurance to cope with the Umbwe and Marangu.

A section of moorland on the Umbwe route

As to the Shira route, it starts at a far higher altitude than all of the other routes, namely 3,414 m above sea level. That's nearly as high as La Paz, Bolivia! You need to know that you can start at such high elevation and still manage to acclimatise well, otherwise you're setting yourself up for failure.

One of the common mistakes people make with Kilimanjaro is underestimating how tough it is, not just in terms of the effects of the altitude but in also in terms of the physicality of it all. You need to be able to hike for hours a day, multiple days in a row. So if you're new to multiday trekking, we recommend opting for one of the longer routes as these offer gentler, more gradual ascents.

Kilimanjaro trekkers can choose between ascent routes that take between four and nine days. That's a big range. Some routes have enough campsites along the way that there are variations, or different itineraries, on offer. For instance, the Lemosho's ascent route can be covered in six or seven days, while the Northern Circuit's ascent route can be done over eight or nine days.

While the shorter routes and itineraries might seem appealing at first blush, please remember that climbing Kilimanjaro is not a race. Ideally you want to give yourself at least six days for the ascent in order to maximise your chances of making it to the summit.

Longer treks are inevitably more expensive. You must pay your crew for extra days, cover the extra food, pay more daily park fees, and so on.

But while the shorter treks are cheaper, remember that they might compromise your chances of summiting by demanding you walk too far each day, or by causing you to develop altitude sickness.

If you're going to invest in a Kilimanjaro climb (and we absolutely think you should!), then perhaps don't base your decision on trying to save a little extra money. A Kilimanjaro climb is a big expense whether it's done over seven or eight days, so rather invest that little extra if you can to better secure your enjoyment of the experience, as well as your chances of making it to the summit.

All of the Kilimanjaro routes require you to camp, except for the Marangu route. On the Marangu you stay in large, communal huts. And you can actually buy a coke at certain points on the trail, hence the trail being dubbed the Coca-Cola route.

When you trek with a good Kilimanjaro tour operator, camping is the nicer option, in our opinion. It's just important to choose an operator who's going to provide a comfortable and cosy setup; so please read How to find the best Kilimanjaro tour operator when you're ready to choose one.

The mess tent of a Follow Alice camp

You can realistically climb Kilimanjaro at any time of year; the mountain is never 'closed'. But some months are just better than others in terms of weather and trekking conditions.

As you can see in the map below, the peak seasons are the dry ones, when you're less likely to have to contend with rain and a slippery trail in the forest zone. So plan your climb for sometime between December and March or between June and October for the best overall trekking weather.

Try to avoid the rainy seasons on Kilimanjaro

If you do need to trek during one of the rainy seasons, we suggest that you consider the Rongai route, as the northern slope of Kilimanjaro tends to receive less rainfall overall.

That said, there are a handful of other weather factors you might like to consider when choosing the best Kilimanjaro route for you, such as:

These are all things to consider, and you can learn more specifics in Best time to climb Kilimanjaro.

Do you want a quiet and contemplative Kilimanjaro climb, or one where you meet lots of new people?

Camps on the southern slope tend to be the busiest (pic by our client Frederik)

If you want the quietest climb on offer, opt for the Northern Circuit or the Rongai. These trails are the least frequented overall.

The Marangu and Machame are the most popular routes, with the Lemosho coming in at third place. You have a good chance of meeting people from other walking groups on these routes.

You could also consider booking your Kilimanjaro climb during one of the off-peak seasons to ensure an even quieter climb. But that naturally comes with a little more risk of rainfall.

Yet only you know which factors discussed above are the most important in terms of determining which is the best Kilimanjaro route for you! So we hope you've found our advice helpful. And if you'd like to discuss anything further, we're just a phone call or email away! If, however, you've settled on a route and are ready to book, please check out our Kilimanjaro trekking packages.