Machame, Lemosho, Marangu or Rongai? Choosing your Kilimanjaro route

Every route reaches the same summit: Uhuru Peak, 5,895 m. The biggest factor in reaching it is not fitness but acclimatisation, giving your body time to adjust to the thinner air. That is why we recommend at least seven days.

The routes compared

Lemosho: our first choice

Starting in the remote western forest, Lemosho crosses the Shira Plateau and joins the southern circuit. With eight days it has an excellent acclimatisation profile, and the first two days are among the quietest on the mountain.

Machame: the most popular

Machame climbs steeply through the rainforest and follows the same southern circuit as Lemosho, with the acclimatisation hike to Lava Tower and the scramble up the Barranco Wall. Choose seven days, not six.

Rongai: from the north

The only route from the northern side. It is drier, which makes it a good choice in the rainy months, and it is quiet. You descend on the Marangu route.

Marangu: the hut route

The only route with dormitory huts and beds. It climbs and descends on the same path. Take the six-day version, with an acclimatisation day at Horombo.

Summit night

On all routes the summit attempt starts around midnight, so that you reach the crater rim at sunrise and have time to descend. Expect temperatures well below freezing and six to eight hours of slow walking to the top.

See the full itineraries, maps and prices on our Kilimanjaro page.