Mount Kilimanjaro Trek

Why Mount Kilimanjaro is the Best Mountain to Trek in Africa

Mount Kilimanjaro truly is a sight to behold and is tagged as a World Heritage Site. Rising up from the surrounding savannah plains, visible from many miles away there is a free standing massive mountain capped in snow, even though it is only 300 kilometers south of the equator. Mt. Kilimanjaro consists of 3 collapsed volcanic craters, or calderas. At 19,240 ft (5895m) high, it is the tallest mountain in Africa and one of the tallest stand alone mountains in the world. It is the highest mountain in the world where one can trek to the top without any technical climbing required. It is so big, that it has its own weather patterns and passes through 5 different climatic zones and fauna on the way to the top. Thousands of trekkers attempt to summit the mountain each year.

There are no technical skills required to ascend Mt. Kilimanjaro, and for all intents and purposes, it is best described as a “trek” rather than a climb.  The trek is arduous however taking between 5-9 days on average.  Do not underestimate the mountain as many trekkers fail to summit the mountain.  Consider that the demographic with the highest failure rate are young men, likely from not following sage advice and/or from picking the wrong trekking outfit. It is important to be aware of that there are a number of unqualified and/or  unscrupulous trekking outfits, albeit cheap,  who operate on the mountain.

We provide our clients the Preparing For Kilimanjaro booklet with lots of good practical advice and tips on successfully summiting Mount Kilimanjaro. Our  treks include professional guides, cooks, porters, food, water, and camping gear, plus transportation and hotel accommodation. A trek up Mount Kilimanjaro is often combined  with visits to nearby game parks, mountain gorilla sanctuaries , and/or the exotic island of Zanzibar, etc, all which we can also provide.

Contact us today for a  quote on  a Kili Trek Tour .

Gallery

Videos

Routes

There are 5 main routes to trek Mount Kilimanjaro starting at the base that converge into 2 routes for the final ascent. Some routes are more expensive to trek than others and a description of the routes vary as follows below.

Not only do the conditions vary for the different routes, but all the routes can be  trekked in various time frames.  Attempting to trek up the mountain in the least amount of time is usually the cheapest option however the chances of the body succumbing to altitude sickness  is  a  much higher probability in this scenario , which the less scrupulous operators take ample advantage of.

Conversely, attempting to trek up the mountain  in the  maximum number of days will be the most expensive option,  but may be well  beyond the amount of time that is required to properly acclimatize  for the final assault on the summit.

Marangu Route

Marangu route is a medium difficulty trek with good scenery and high traffic  . The Marnagu route is up and down  the south side of the mountain and is  usually  trekked in 5days/4 ights  or 6days/5  Nights. The Marangu route is  the only route with communal huts to provide shelter for their clients thereby eliminating the need for camping gear .Marangu is also the busiest route being both an up and down route, and  being the route closest to Moshi. Marangu route is generally the cheapest route and the route with the greatest failure rate.

The Umbwe Route

The Umbwe route involves tenting  and is a very difficult trek with very good scenery  and with very low traffic. The  Unbwe  route is up and down  the south side of the mountain and is  considered to be a short cut for some. It can be  trekked in 5days/4 nights  or 6days/5  Nights.  The extra exertion required to trek  this route, particularly in the shorter time frame, puts casual trekkers at a much higher risk of failure.

The Marchame Route

The Marchame route  involves tenting and is a higher difficult trek with excellent scenery with high traffic. The Marangu route is up and down the south western part of the mountain  and is usually trekked in 6 days/5 Nights or 7days/6 Nights.  The success rate of Marchame is higher that than of Marangu

The Lemosho Route

The Lemosho route involves tenting, and  is a high difficult route with excellent scenery and medium traffic. The Lemosho route is up and down  the western side of the mountain and is the most expensive route because it is the longest in duration ( 8 days/7 nights or 9 days/8 Nights), and the porters carry your gear higher up than any of the other routes. The Lemosho route is the 3rd most popular route meaning you will be encountering a number of other trekking parties.  The Lemosho route is considered to be the “wettest” route and the hardest route after the Umbwe route. The Lemosho route is the only route that allows trekkers to summit via inside of the crater rather than the outside of the crater. It is also the only route that allows trekkers to attempt the final ascent during the day rather than at night however there are benefits to attempting the final ascent at night. The Lemosho route also allows trekkers to camp on the summit provided they did the final ascent during the day.

The Rongai Route 

The Rongai route involves tenting, and  is medium difficulty with very good scenery and low traffic. The Rongai route on the north side of the mountain and is the 2nd most expensive route because it is the second longest in duration ( 6 days/5 nights or 7 days/6 nights ) , and  the start of the trek is the farthest away from the town of Moshi . It is probably the driest route as the majority of clouds accumulate more so on the other sides of the mountain. Other benefits include that trekkers can see the summit for the entire time ; and trekkers descend down the southern Marangu route so they experience two sides of the mountain. We feel the Rongai Route offers “first timers” and the more casual trekker the best overall experience in the least amount of  time . On this  route we have a very high success rate of well over 90 % summiting in the 6 days/5 night time frame. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, spending another day on the mountain to marginally increase the summit success rate is not worth it for the vast majority of our clients. There are so usually many other things to see and do in Africa , and one more day and the mountain is often one day less spent somewhere else.

The Rongai Route Details

The Rongai Route   is typically trekked over a period of 6 days/5 nights or 7 days/6 nights’.

A typical itinerary for the Rongai route ( 6 days on mountain)  would look as follows.

First Day: 8- 9am: Transfer by vehicle from the hotel through villages and coffee plantations, to the north side of Mount Kilimanjaro, about a 4-5 hour ride, to the village of Nale Muru.

After signing in and preparing the porters with your packs, food and camping equipment, you will begin the Rongai Route trek on a wide path that winds through fields of maize and potatoes before entering the pine forest. The track then starts to climb gradually through the forest that harbors some wildlife.  The forest begins to thin and after 3-4 hours of trekking some 4 miles ( 6.4 km) , you arrive at the Simba or the first  Cave Camp site on the edge of the moorland zone with extensive views over the Kenyan plains. Elevation at this camp is 9450 ft (2880 m) and daytime temperatures are usually in the high 70’s F (high 20’s C) to mid 80’s (low 30’s C). Porters will carry most of your gear , set up camps and a cook will prepare all your meals. The guides will typically have you climb to a higher elevation but sleep at a lower elevation to help you adjust to the altitude changes.

Second Day: 8-9 am : Trek 4 miles (6.4 km)  for 3-4 hours to second Cave Camp site enjoying superb views of Kibo peak and the eastern ice fields on the crater rim. Elevation at this camp site is 11 320 ft (3450 m) and daytime temperatures are usually in the low 40’s F (lower single digit degrees C) to high 60’s F(low 20’s C ).

Third Day: 8-9am: Trek some 4 hours up a short but steeper incline through grassy slopes providing excellent views along the way. The vegetation zone ends just before reaching the third Cave Camp site.  Spend the afternoon acclimatizing and exploring the area. Elevation at this camp site is 12 700 ft (3 870 m).

Fourth Day: 8-9 am: Hike some 5 hours across the saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo and camp at the bottom of the Kibo crater wall. The remainder of the day is spent resting in preparation for the final ascent at midnight. Elevation of the Kibo Camp site is 15 600 ft (4750 m).

Fifth Day: 12:00 am: By flashlight, you begin the final, and by far the steepest and most demanding part of the trek. You will proceed very slowly in the darkness on a switchback trial through loose volcanic screed to reach the crater rim 8-10 hours later at Gilman’s Point, elevation 18650 ft ( 5685 m ) . Rest here for a short time to enjoy the majestic sunrise over Mawenzi. Those who are still feeling strong can continue for another 3 hours onto Uhuru Peak, elevation 19336 ft (5895 m), passing close to the awesome glaciers and ice cliffs that occupy most of the summit area. Night time temperatures at Uhuru can be as low as zero to minus 15 degrees F (-18 to – 26 degrees C). After picture taking and celebratory pats on the back , commence the 3-4 hour , 6 mile ( 9.6 km ) decent to the Horombo Huts Camp, elevation 12 200 ft (3720 m ). Day time temperatures here range from the low 50’s F (low double digit degrees C) to the high 60’s F (low 20’s degrees C). Here is where you spend final night on mountain.

Sixth Day: 8-9 am: After breakfast, you will descend down the Marangu route on the south side of the mountain giving you a unique perspective of experiencing the mountain from two sides. The descent consists of a steady 5-6 hour, 11 mile (17.7 km ) descent through moorland to the Mandara Hut ,elevation 8858 ft ( 2700 m ), and then onto the park gate at Marangu where a vehicle will take you on a short drive back to the hotel in Moshi. In total, the Rongai ascent and the Marangu decent, will comprise a total trek of some 50 miles (81 km ).  At the Marngu gate ,  certificates are issued for reaching Gilman’s Point or  reaching Uhuru Peak. You will then return to the hotel and/or office to return any rentals and prepare for the next phase of your tour.

Differences Trekking Outfits when Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

All trekking outfits are to have a TALA mountaineering certificate in order to take groups up the mountain legally.

The better outfits typically have the best guides, assistant guides , cooks and porters reflective of their experience and training. As part of their training, all guides are taught to recognize and deal with the effects of  altitude sickness. Some of the up market outfits provide Gamow hyperbaric bags and/ or oxygen tanks to treat serious altitude  sickness although rapid descent is often the most efficient remedy under most circumstances. Many of the better outfits also provide access to a Flying Doctor service for rapidly flying medical emergencies to Nairobi.

Some of the trekking outfits advertise that they are members of an organization that treats the porters to a higher standard than others . It has not yet been determined how and to to what extent  this particular organization enforces better treatment of porters any better than operators who are not on the list , but there already exists  a myriad of rules and regulations regarding the treatment of porters on Mount Kilimanjaro. The creation of this organization may be nothing more than a marketing ploy to scare trekkers into using non-Tanzanian operators at much higher prices.  As a matter of principle and good business practice,  Lion Dog African Safaris uses Tanzanian trekking outfits . If  our office were to receive a report that  porters on our treks were being mis-treated, measures would be taken to immediately rectify the situation.  References are provided with the quotes and clients are more than welcome to query on the treatment of porters on our previous treks.

The better outfits provide more nutritious  food which is also a very important factor in determining the success rate of the trekkers. The better outfits also provide better sleeping bags and mats although some trekkers prefer to bring their own.

The better outfits will often have the eating table inside a separate tent whereas others will have their clients eat at tables set outside. Up market outfits may haul portable toilet screens up the mountain for their clients while others use the facilities of the great outdoors and/or the public outhouses situated along the routes.

There are unscrupulous outfits operating on all the  routes who  incessantly pester clients for tips and/or allow  their clients to ascend too quickly where they invariably succumb to altitude sickness forcing these clients to cut their tour short without any refund whatsoever.

Young men in their prime are the least likely demographic to succeed at reaching Uhuru Peak which is counter intuitive however young men are the most likely not to listen to sage advice, advance up the mountain too quickly , be ill prepared and/or make bad choices in choosing trekking outfits. For Kilimanjaro, it is better to be the tortoise than the hare.

Standard Trek versus Upscale Trek

Lion Dog African Safaris generally steer our clients to a standard trek where the guides are qualified Tanzanians and the water drinking source is the mountain streams which the clients purify themselves with no health problems to report thus far. More upscale treks on the other hand, may be guided by non-Tanzanian guides; all staff may have matching coats etc; and provide bottled drinking water, oxygen bottles, hyperbaric gamow bags, and portable toilet screens , all which are hauled up the mountain for the clients’ added privacy ,convenience , and perceived safety. The cost difference between a standard and upscale trek can be quite substantial without any reported difference in enjoyment or success rate in summiting the mountain. However for those trekkers willing to pay extra for any additional goods or services, Lion Dog African Safaris can also accommodate those requests.

Just like most things in life, you get what you pay for in a trekking outfit.

Contact us today for a  quote on  a Kili Trek Tour .

Gallery

Videos

Routes

There are 5 main routes to trek Mount Kilimanjaro starting at the base that converge into 2 routes for the final ascent. Some routes are more expensive to trek than others and a description of the routes vary as follows below.

Not only do the conditions vary for the different routes, but all the routes can be  trekked in various time frames.  Attempting to trek up the mountain in the least amount of time is usually the cheapest option however the chances of the body succumbing to altitude sickness  is  a  much higher probability in this scenario , which the less scrupulous operators take ample advantage of.

Conversely, attempting to trek up the mountain  in the  maximum number of days will be the most expensive option,  but may be well  beyond the amount of time that is required to properly acclimatize  for the final assault on the summit.

Marangu Route

Marangu route is a medium difficulty trek with good scenery and high traffic  . The Marnagu route is up and down  the south side of the mountain and is  usually  trekked in 5days/4 ights  or 6days/5  Nights. The Marangu route is  the only route with communal huts to provide shelter for their clients thereby eliminating the need for camping gear .Marangu is also the busiest route being both an up and down route, and  being the route closest to Moshi. Marangu route is generally the cheapest route and the route with the greatest failure rate.

The Umbwe Route

The Umbwe route involves tenting  and is a very difficult trek with very good scenery  and with very low traffic. The  Unbwe  route is up and down  the south side of the mountain and is  considered to be a short cut for some. It can be  trekked in 5days/4 nights  or 6days/5  Nights.  The extra exertion required to trek  this route, particularly in the shorter time frame, puts casual trekkers at a much higher risk of failure.

The Marchame Route

The Marchame route  involves tenting and is a higher difficult trek with excellent scenery with high traffic. The Marangu route is up and down the south western part of the mountain  and is usually trekked in 6 days/5 Nights or 7days/6 Nights.  The success rate of Marchame is higher that than of Marangu

The Lemosho Route

The Lemosho route involves tenting, and  is a high difficult route with excellent scenery and medium traffic. The Lemosho route is up and down  the western side of the mountain and is the most expensive route because it is the longest in duration ( 8 days/7 nights or 9 days/8 Nights), and the porters carry your gear higher up than any of the other routes. The Lemosho route is the 3rd most popular route meaning you will be encountering a number of other trekking parties.  The Lemosho route is considered to be the “wettest” route and the hardest route after the Umbwe route. The Lemosho route is the only route that allows trekkers to summit via inside of the crater rather than the outside of the crater. It is also the only route that allows trekkers to attempt the final ascent during the day rather than at night however there are benefits to attempting the final ascent at night. The Lemosho route also allows trekkers to camp on the summit provided they did the final ascent during the day.

The Rongai Route 

The Rongai route involves tenting, and  is medium difficulty with very good scenery and low traffic. The Rongai route on the north side of the mountain and is the 2nd most expensive route because it is the second longest in duration ( 6 days/5 nights or 7 days/6 nights ) , and  the start of the trek is the farthest away from the town of Moshi . It is probably the driest route as the majority of clouds accumulate more so on the other sides of the mountain. Other benefits include that trekkers can see the summit for the entire time ; and trekkers descend down the southern Marangu route so they experience two sides of the mountain. We feel the Rongai Route offers “first timers” and the more casual trekker the best overall experience in the least amount of  time . On this  route we have a very high success rate of well over 90 % summiting in the 6 days/5 night time frame. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, spending another day on the mountain to marginally increase the summit success rate is not worth it for the vast majority of our clients. There are so usually many other things to see and do in Africa , and one more day and the mountain is often one day less spent somewhere else.

The Rongai Route Details

The Rongai Route   is typically trekked over a period of 6 days/5 nights or 7 days/6 nights’.

A typical itinerary for the Rongai route ( 6 days on mountain)  would look as follows.

First Day: 8- 9am: Transfer by vehicle from the hotel through villages and coffee plantations, to the north side of Mount Kilimanjaro, about a 4-5 hour ride, to the village of Nale Muru.

After signing in and preparing the porters with your packs, food and camping equipment, you will begin the Rongai Route trek on a wide path that winds through fields of maize and potatoes before entering the pine forest. The track then starts to climb gradually through the forest that harbors some wildlife.  The forest begins to thin and after 3-4 hours of trekking some 4 miles ( 6.4 km) , you arrive at the Simba or the first  Cave Camp site on the edge of the moorland zone with extensive views over the Kenyan plains. Elevation at this camp is 9450 ft (2880 m) and daytime temperatures are usually in the high 70’s F (high 20’s C) to mid 80’s (low 30’s C). Porters will carry most of your gear , set up camps and a cook will prepare all your meals. The guides will typically have you climb to a higher elevation but sleep at a lower elevation to help you adjust to the altitude changes.

Second Day: 8-9 am : Trek 4 miles (6.4 km)  for 3-4 hours to second Cave Camp site enjoying superb views of Kibo peak and the eastern ice fields on the crater rim. Elevation at this camp site is 11 320 ft (3450 m) and daytime temperatures are usually in the low 40’s F (lower single digit degrees C) to high 60’s F(low 20’s C ).

Third Day: 8-9am: Trek some 4 hours up a short but steeper incline through grassy slopes providing excellent views along the way. The vegetation zone ends just before reaching the third Cave Camp site.  Spend the afternoon acclimatizing and exploring the area. Elevation at this camp site is 12 700 ft (3 870 m).

Fourth Day: 8-9 am: Hike some 5 hours across the saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo and camp at the bottom of the Kibo crater wall. The remainder of the day is spent resting in preparation for the final ascent at midnight. Elevation of the Kibo Camp site is 15 600 ft (4750 m).

Fifth Day: 12:00 am: By flashlight, you begin the final, and by far the steepest and most demanding part of the trek. You will proceed very slowly in the darkness on a switchback trial through loose volcanic screed to reach the crater rim 8-10 hours later at Gilman’s Point, elevation 18650 ft ( 5685 m ) . Rest here for a short time to enjoy the majestic sunrise over Mawenzi. Those who are still feeling strong can continue for another 3 hours onto Uhuru Peak, elevation 19336 ft (5895 m), passing close to the awesome glaciers and ice cliffs that occupy most of the summit area. Night time temperatures at Uhuru can be as low as zero to minus 15 degrees F (-18 to – 26 degrees C). After picture taking and celebratory pats on the back , commence the 3-4 hour , 6 mile ( 9.6 km ) decent to the Horombo Huts Camp, elevation 12 200 ft (3720 m ). Day time temperatures here range from the low 50’s F (low double digit degrees C) to the high 60’s F (low 20’s degrees C). Here is where you spend final night on mountain.

Sixth Day: 8-9 am: After breakfast, you will descend down the Marangu route on the south side of the mountain giving you a unique perspective of experiencing the mountain from two sides. The descent consists of a steady 5-6 hour, 11 mile (17.7 km ) descent through moorland to the Mandara Hut ,elevation 8858 ft ( 2700 m ), and then onto the park gate at Marangu where a vehicle will take you on a short drive back to the hotel in Moshi. In total, the Rongai ascent and the Marangu decent, will comprise a total trek of some 50 miles (81 km ).  At the Marngu gate ,  certificates are issued for reaching Gilman’s Point or  reaching Uhuru Peak. You will then return to the hotel and/or office to return any rentals and prepare for the next phase of your tour.

Differences Trekking Outfits when Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

All trekking outfits are to have a TALA mountaineering certificate in order to take groups up the mountain legally.

The better outfits typically have the best guides, assistant guides , cooks and porters reflective of their experience and training. As part of their training, all guides are taught to recognize and deal with the effects of  altitude sickness. Some of the up market outfits provide Gamow hyperbaric bags and/ or oxygen tanks to treat serious altitude  sickness although rapid descent is often the most efficient remedy under most circumstances. Many of the better outfits also provide access to a Flying Doctor service for rapidly flying medical emergencies to Nairobi.

Some of the trekking outfits advertise that they are members of an organization that treats the porters to a higher standard than others . It has not yet been determined how and to to what extent  this particular organization enforces better treatment of porters any better than operators who are not on the list , but there already exists  a myriad of rules and regulations regarding the treatment of porters on Mount Kilimanjaro. The creation of this organization may be nothing more than a marketing ploy to scare trekkers into using non-Tanzanian operators at much higher prices.  As a matter of principle and good business practice,  Lion Dog African Safaris uses Tanzanian trekking outfits . If  our office were to receive a report that  porters on our treks were being mis-treated, measures would be taken to immediately rectify the situation.  References are provided with the quotes and clients are more than welcome to query on the treatment of porters on our previous treks.

The better outfits provide more nutritious  food which is also a very important factor in determining the success rate of the trekkers. The better outfits also provide better sleeping bags and mats although some trekkers prefer to bring their own.

The better outfits will often have the eating table inside a separate tent whereas others will have their clients eat at tables set outside. Up market outfits may haul portable toilet screens up the mountain for their clients while others use the facilities of the great outdoors and/or the public outhouses situated along the routes.

There are unscrupulous outfits operating on all the  routes who  incessantly pester clients for tips and/or allow  their clients to ascend too quickly where they invariably succumb to altitude sickness forcing these clients to cut their tour short without any refund whatsoever.

Young men in their prime are the least likely demographic to succeed at reaching Uhuru Peak which is counter intuitive however young men are the most likely not to listen to sage advice, advance up the mountain too quickly , be ill prepared and/or make bad choices in choosing trekking outfits. For Kilimanjaro, it is better to be the tortoise than the hare.

Standard Trek versus Upscale Trek

Lion Dog African Safaris generally steer our clients to a standard trek where the guides are qualified Tanzanians and the water drinking source is the mountain streams which the clients purify themselves with no health problems to report thus far. More upscale treks on the other hand, may be guided by non-Tanzanian guides; all staff may have matching coats etc; and provide bottled drinking water, oxygen bottles, hyperbaric gamow bags, and portable toilet screens , all which are hauled up the mountain for the clients’ added privacy ,convenience , and perceived safety. The cost difference between a standard and upscale trek can be quite substantial without any reported difference in enjoyment or success rate in summiting the mountain. However for those trekkers willing to pay extra for any additional goods or services, Lion Dog African Safaris can also accommodate those requests.

Just like most things in life, you get what you pay for in a trekking outfit.

Best Time to Visit Mount Kilimanjaro & Guidebook

The worst time to trek Mount Kilimanjaro is November and December because of the rainey conditions.

The two best seasons to trek Mount Kilimanjaro are January to mid March , and June to October. The former season tends to be colder with a higher chance of snow on the paths but the skies tend to be clearer and the routes less congested. There may be more cloud cover below the tree line in June to October however the skies are generally clear above that level.

If your schedule allows,arrange to have the final ascent coincide with a full moon to illuminate the top of the mountain. The full moon dates, combined with the best weather are bolded and are as follows:

 Mount Kilimanjaro Live Map

The map below will be updated with live progress reports of current Lion Dog African Safari clients attempting to summit the mountain. Our next groups going to Mount Kilimanjaro are:

• June 14-20 , 2013
• Aug 5- 10, 2013
• Sept 15-20, 2013
• Oct 21-26, 2013

Make sure you enter the start date of the of the trek in the “Date and Time Range” field otherwise you will view the paths of previous treks as well. *click image for details

Once the party is on the Mountain you will be able to come back and view the map with live updates to the groups progress.

View Map in Another Window

Download the Kili Tracker Instructions PDF

The Preparing for Mount Kilimanjaro Guidebook

This guidebook is provided free of charge to clients of Lion Dog African Safaris. The topics covered in the  Preparing For Kilimanjaro Guidebook are as follows:

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