Marangu Route is one of the oldest and most preferred routes on Kilimanjaro. It is the easiest path on the mountain due to its gradual slope and direct path. It is the only route on Kilimanjaro as it has hut accommodations for the hikers making it popular among the tourists. Marangu Route is therefore also known as “tourist route".

Machame Route or the “whiskey route” is one of the most popular routes due to its picturesque views and varied landscapes. However, climbing through Machame Route is a bit difficult as compared to Marangu route. Even though the walk on the Machame route is steeper and longer, still the success rate is higher than the Marangu route.

Rongai route is the only route that ascends Kilimanjaro from the northern side of Kilimanjaro, along the border between Tanzania and Kenya. Along this route you can witness a different view of Kilimanjaro which is surrounded by wilderness and wild animals like elephant, buffalo and antelope can be spotted along your trail. Climbers are more likely to get clear, an unclouded sight of the mountain on this route.

Umbwe Route is the steepest, shortest and the most direct route on Mt. Kilimanjaro. It is dubbed as the most challenging route on Kilimanjaro. Umbwe Route is the least crowded route on the mountain. Umbwe due to its steep, constant and straight climb to the top makes the chances of success on this route very low.

The Lemosho route is one of the newer routes on Mount Kilimanjaro. The route begins in the west and rather than simply intersecting Shira Plateau (like Machame), Lemosho crosses it from Shira Ridge to Shira Camp. Climbers encounter low traffic until the route joins the Machame route.

The Northern Circuit route is one of the best routes on Kilimanjaro, offering nearly 360 degrees of beautiful scenery including the quiet, rarely visited northern slopes. As the longest route on Kilimanjaro, the Northern Circuit also has the most acclimatization time and the highest summit success rate. Thus, the Northern Circuit route is highly recommended.

Does Kilimanjaro hold a special fascination for you? Are you planning to realise your dream through the Shira Route? Take a deep breath and read through! We say a deep breath because the Shira route catapults you to an altitude of 3600 meters on the very first day and leaves you gasping for air. That’s your first clue. If you are an amateur or someone not at the peak of your physical prowess- Stay away! Altitude sickness can claim you even before you begin your trek.