Plan your trip
Tents at a high camp below the snow-covered summit of Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro, 5,895 m

Climbing Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain, and you can walk to its summit. No ropes or climbing skills are needed; the challenge is altitude, and the way your body adjusts to it.

The routes differ in length, scenery and whether you sleep in tents or huts. Find the one that suits you below.

Routes we climb
9
Days on the mountain
5–9
Uhuru Peak
5,895 m
How you sleep
Tents or huts

Route finder

Which route suits you?

Three questions. The suggestions come from each route’s own day-by-day figures.
How many days can you give the mountain?
Where would you like to sleep?
What matters most?

Suggestions use each route’s own figures. Fitness, past altitude and the time of year matter too; tell us about them and we will advise.

Routes that fit (3)

  1. Best fit

    9-Day Northern Circuit Route

    • Summit night on day 8: 7 nights on the mountain to adjust first.
    • Biggest single-day climb before it: 884 m.
    • About 88 km walked in 9 days, sleeping in tents.
    Price on request

  2. Also fits

    8-Day Lemosho Route

    • Summit night on day 7: 6 nights on the mountain to adjust first.
    • Biggest single-day climb before it: 740 m.
    • About 86 km walked in 8 days, sleeping in tents.
    From US$3,440 per climber

  3. Also fits

    8-Day Shira Route

    • Summit night on day 6: 5 nights on the mountain to adjust first.
    • Biggest single-day climb before it: 820 m.
    • About 56 km walked in 8 days, sleeping in tents.
    Price on request

On the mountain

Where each route goes

Each route starts at its own gate and they meet near the top. Pick a route, or tap its line, to follow it up to the summit and back down.
Map of Kilimanjaro with each route’s camps joined by a line
Positions are approximate.

Altitude

How each route climbs

Longer routes climb more gradually, which gives your body more time to adjust before summit night.
Altitude by day
Altitude of each Kilimanjaro route, camp by camp. Highest point 5,895 m.Day 1: Marangu Gate, 1,800 mDay 1: Mandara Hut, 2,700 mDay 2: Horombo Hut, 3,720 mDay 3: Kibo Hut, 4,700 mDay 4: Uhuru Peak, 5,895 mDay 4: Horombo, 3,720 mDay 5: Marangu Gate, 1,980 m
Show the figures as a table
Altitude of each Kilimanjaro route, camp by camp
RouteDayPlaceAltitude
Marangu RouteDay 1Marangu Gate1,800 m / 5,906 ft
Day 1Mandara Hut2,700 m / 8,858 ft
Day 2Horombo Hut3,720 m / 12,205 ft
Day 3Kibo Hut4,700 m / 15,420 ft
Day 4Uhuru Peak5,895 m / 19,341 ft
Day 4Horombo3,720 m / 12,205 ft
Day 5Marangu Gate1,980 m / 6,496 ft
Umbwe RouteDay 1Umbwe Gate1,600 m / 5,249 ft
Day 1Umbwe Camp2,900 m / 9,514 ft
Day 2Barranco Camp3,976 m / 13,045 ft
Day 3Karanga Camp3,995 m / 13,107 ft
Day 4Barafu Camp4,673 m / 15,331 ft
Day 5Uhuru Peak5,895 m / 19,341 ft
Day 5Mweka3,068 m / 10,066 ft
Day 6Mweka Gate1,640 m / 5,381 ft
Marangu RouteDay 1Marangu Gate1,800 m / 5,906 ft
Day 1Mandara Hut2,700 m / 8,858 ft
Day 2Horombo Hut3,720 m / 12,205 ft
Day 3Zebra Rocks4,020 m / 13,189 ft
Day 3Horombo3,720 m / 12,205 ft
Day 4Kibo Hut4,700 m / 15,420 ft
Day 5Uhuru Peak5,895 m / 19,341 ft
Day 5Horombo3,720 m / 12,205 ft
Day 6Marangu Gate1,980 m / 6,496 ft
Machame RouteDay 1Machame Gate1,640 m / 5,381 ft
Day 1Machame Camp2,850 m / 9,350 ft
Day 2Shira Camp3,810 m / 12,500 ft
Day 3Lava Tower4,630 m / 15,190 ft
Day 3Barranco3,960 m / 12,992 ft
Day 4Barafu4,670 m / 15,322 ft
Day 5Uhuru Peak5,895 m / 19,341 ft
Day 5Mweka3,100 m / 10,171 ft
Day 6Mweka Gate1,640 m / 5,381 ft
Rongai RouteDay 1Rongai Gate1,950 m / 6,398 ft
Day 1Rongai Cave2,835 m / 9,300 ft
Day 2Second Cave3,444 m / 11,300 ft
Day 2Kikelewa Cave3,600 m / 11,811 ft
Day 3Mawenzi Tarn4,316 m / 14,160 ft
Day 4Mawenzi Ridge4,389 m / 14,400 ft
Day 4Mawenzi Tarn4,316 m / 14,160 ft
Day 5Kibo Hut4,703 m / 15,430 ft
Day 6Uhuru Peak5,895 m / 19,341 ft
Day 6Horombo Hut3,734 m / 12,250 ft
Day 7Marangu Gate1,843 m / 6,046 ft
Machame RouteDay 1Machame Gate1,800 m / 5,906 ft
Day 1Machame Camp3,000 m / 9,843 ft
Day 2Shira Camp3,850 m / 12,631 ft
Day 3Lava Tower4,600 m / 15,092 ft
Day 3Barranco3,950 m / 12,959 ft
Day 4Karanga Camp3,995 m / 13,107 ft
Day 5Barafu Camp4,673 m / 15,331 ft
Day 6Uhuru Peak5,895 m / 19,341 ft
Day 6Mweka3,068 m / 10,066 ft
Day 7Mweka Gate1,640 m / 5,381 ft
Shira RouteDay 1Shira Gate3,597 m / 11,800 ft
Day 1Simba Camp3,597 m / 11,800 ft
Day 2Shira 2 Camp3,810 m / 12,500 ft
Day 3Lava Tower4,630 m / 15,190 ft
Day 3Barranco Camp3,976 m / 13,044 ft
Day 4Karanga Camp3,995 m / 13,106 ft
Day 5Barafu Camp4,673 m / 15,331 ft
Day 6Uhuru Peak5,895 m / 19,341 ft
Day 6Mweka Camp3,068 m / 10,065 ft
Day 7Mweka Gate1,640 m / 5,380 ft
Lemosho RouteDay 1Londorossi Gate2,385 m / 7,825 ft
Day 1Mti Mkubwa2,780 m / 9,121 ft
Day 2Shira 1 Camp3,500 m / 11,483 ft
Day 3Shira 2 Camp3,900 m / 12,795 ft
Day 4Lava Tower4,640 m / 15,223 ft
Day 4Barranco3,960 m / 12,992 ft
Day 5Karanga Camp4,035 m / 13,238 ft
Day 6Barafu Camp4,640 m / 15,223 ft
Day 7Uhuru5,895 m / 19,341 ft
Day 7Millennium3,790 m / 12,434 ft
Day 8Mweka Gate1,630 m / 5,348 ft
Northern Circuit RouteDay 1Londorossi Gate2,360 m / 7,742 ft
Day 1Mti Mkubwa2,895 m / 9,498 ft
Day 2Shira 1 Camp3,505 m / 11,500 ft
Day 3Shira 2 Camp3,810 m / 12,500 ft
Day 4Lava Tower4,630 m / 15,190 ft
Day 4Moir Hut4,139 m / 13,580 ft
Day 5Buffalo Camp4,023 m / 13,200 ft
Day 6Third Cave3,871 m / 12,700 ft
Day 7School Hut4,755 m / 15,600 ft
Day 8Uhuru Peak5,895 m / 19,341 ft
Day 8Mweka Camp3,068 m / 10,065 ft
Day 9Mweka Gate1,640 m / 5,380 ft

Side by side

The routes compared

Sort by any column, or show only tent or hut routes.
Kilimanjaro routes compared. Column headers sort the table.
Marangu Route5HutsMarangu GateKibo4,700 mDay 468 kmUS$2,640
Umbwe Route6CampingUmbwe GateBarafu4,673 mDay 553 kmUS$3,440
Marangu Route6HutsMarangu GateKibo4,700 mDay 573 kmUS$2,640
Machame Route6CampingMachame GateBarafu4,670 mDay 562 kmUS$3,040
Rongai Route7CampingRongai GateKibo Hut4,703 mDay 679 kmOn request
Machame Route7CampingMachame GateBarafu4,673 mDay 670 kmUS$3,170
Shira Route8CampingShira GateBarafu Camp4,673 mDay 656 kmOn request
Lemosho Route8CampingLondorossi GateBarafu4,640 mDay 786 kmUS$3,440
Northern Circuit Route9CampingLondorossi GateSchool Hut4,755 mDay 888 kmOn request

Distances and altitudes come from each route’s day-by-day plan and are rounded. Prices are per climber, groups of 1–5, sharing a room or tent.

Route by route

Wooden A-frame huts in a clearing among moss-hung forest trees

5 daysHutsSummit night 4

5-Day Marangu Route

Marangu’s classic hut-to-hut climb offers straightforward access and the comfort of National Park huts.

From US$2,640 per climber, groups of 1–5, sharing a room or tent

Climbers on a snowy ridge high on Kilimanjaro under a bright sun

6 daysCampingSummit night 5

6-Day Umbwe Route

Umbwe is the mountain’s steepest and most direct six-day camping route, climbing the rainforest ridge to Barranco before joining the Southern Circuit.

From US$3,440 per climber, groups of 1–5, sharing a room or tent

Wooden A-frame huts in a clearing among moss-hung forest trees

6 daysHutsSummit night 5

6-Day Marangu Route

The six-day Marangu option adds an acclimatization day at Horombo, including a walk toward Zebra Rock, before the climb to Kibo and the summit.

From US$2,640 per climber, groups of 1–5, sharing a room or tent

Kilimanjaro's rock walls and snow rising out of cloud, with giant groundsels in the foreground

6 daysCampingSummit night 5

6-Day Machame Route

Machame’s six-day camping route combines varied scenery with separate ascent and descent trails.

From US$3,040 per climber, groups of 1–5, sharing a room or tent

Climbers on a snowy ridge high on Kilimanjaro under a bright sun

7 daysCampingSummit night 6

7-Day Rongai Route

The only route that approaches Kilimanjaro from the north and is close to the Kenyan border is the Rongai route. Despite growing in popularity among climbers, this route still sees few visitors.

Price on request

Kilimanjaro's rock walls and snow rising out of cloud, with giant groundsels in the foreground

7 daysCampingSummit night 6

7-Day Machame Route

The seven-day Machame route adds Karanga Camp to create a steadier approach to Barafu and summit night.

From US$3,170 per climber, groups of 1–5, sharing a room or tent

8 daysCampingSummit night 6

8-Day Shira Route

A seldom used trail called the Shira Route starts off close to Shira Ridge. It resembles the Lemosho route very closely. In actuality, Lemosho is an improved version of Shira, which was the original route.

Price on request

Tents at a high camp below the snow-covered summit of Kilimanjaro

8 daysCampingSummit night 7

8-Day Lemosho Route

Lemosho’s eight-day camping itinerary approaches from the west, crosses the Shira Plateau and follows the Southern Circuit through Barranco and Karanga.

From US$3,440 per climber, groups of 1–5, sharing a room or tent

9 daysCampingSummit night 8

9-Day Northern Circuit Route

One of the best routes on Kilimanjaro is the Northern Circuit, which offers nearly 360 degrees of breathtaking scenery, including the secluded, infrequently traveled northern slopes.

Price on request

Arusha 3.37° S · 36.68° E

Not sure which route?

Tell us how many days you have, your walking experience and when you want to go. We will suggest a route and send a day-by-day plan.

Plan your tripor call +255 754 373 948

Cookie settings

With your permission we use Google Analytics and our own visit counts to learn which trips help travellers. No advertising cookies.

Current choice: not chosen yet · Read the cookie notice