Mount Kilimanjaro rising above the clouds

Safaris Kilimanjaro

Climb Kilimanjaro

Rise above Africa.

Africa's highest summit, walked rather than climbed. We plan the route, the pace and the days around your fitness, so the mountain is hard in the right ways.

Design My Climb See the Climb, Day by Day

5,895 m: Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa
5 climates: From farmland to an ice-capped summit
No ropes: No technical climbing skill required
3 gateways: Kilimanjaro Airport, Moshi or Arusha

The highest mountain you can walk up.

Kilimanjaro is the tallest free-standing mountain on Earth, and almost any reasonably fit traveller can reach the top. There are no ropes, no crampons and no technical climbing. What you need is fitness, patience and a plan that gives your body time to adjust.

What makes it unlike anything else is the journey through five climates in a single trek: farmland, rainforest, moorland, alpine desert and an ice-capped summit, all in five to nine days on foot. Its glaciers have shrunk dramatically over the past century, so the summit you see today may look very different in a generation.

Five climates in eight days.

This is an 8-day Lemosho climb, drawn to scale. Notice day 4: you go higher than you sleep, then come back down. That small dip is what carries most climbers to the top on day 7. Choose a day to see what it is like.

Swipe the chart sideways to follow the route.

Sleep at
Highest point
Climate zone

Londorossi Gate to Mti Mkubwa. Sleep at 2,750 m, highest point 2,750 m. Drive from Moshi or Arusha to the western gate, then walk your first steady hours through thick, mossy forest. The pace is deliberately slow. It sets the rhythm for the whole climb.

Mti Mkubwa to Shira 1. Sleep at 3,500 m, highest point 3,500 m. The forest thins into heather and open moorland, and the Shira plateau appears. Views widen and the air starts to feel thinner.

Shira 1 to Shira 2. Sleep at 3,840 m, highest point 3,840 m. A short walk across the plateau with a small height gain. It looks easy on paper, and that is the point: it gives your body time to catch up.

Shira 2 to Barranco, via Lava Tower. Sleep at 3,900 m, highest point 4,600 m. You climb to the Lava Tower at 4,600 m, then drop back down to sleep at 3,900 m. Going high and sleeping low is one of the best tools for acclimatisation, and it is why a longer route gives better summit odds.

Barranco to Karanga. Sleep at 3,995 m, highest point About 4,200 m. A morning scramble up the Barranco Wall, using your hands in places, followed by a short afternoon. It is one of the most memorable stretches of the mountain.

Karanga to Barafu. Sleep at 4,673 m, highest point 4,673 m. A short day up to Barafu, the high camp. Eat, drink, rest and try to sleep early. The summit push starts in the middle of the night.

Barafu to Uhuru Peak, then down to Mweka. Sleep at 3,100 m, highest point 5,895 m. You leave around midnight and climb slowly by headlamp on steep, cold scree, reaching the crater rim and then Uhuru Peak around sunrise. After a short stay on top you walk all the way down to Mweka camp. It is one of the longest days of the climb.

Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate. Sleep at Hotel, highest point 3,100 m. A final walk down through rainforest to Mweka Gate at 1,640 m, then a transfer back to your hotel and a hot shower.

Your own itinerary will differ. Route, season and group pace all change the profile, and we keep extra acclimatisation days in every plan rather than treating them as optional.

Your route decides your climb.

The biggest difference between routes is time. Routes that give you more days to adjust reach the summit more often than shorter ones, whatever the scenery. We match the route to you, not the other way round.

RouteLengthWhat it is likeTime to adjust

Lemosho

West · Londorossi Gate

7–8 daysTents

Starts in quiet rainforest on the western side and crosses the open Shira plateau. The early days gain height gently, which is why it works so well over 8 days.

Excellent
Northern Circuit

West start · circles the north

8–9 daysTents

The longest route, looping around the quiet northern slopes before the summit. The extra days and thinner crowds make it the most forgiving on the body.

Excellent
Machame

South · Machame Gate

6–7 daysTents

Known as the Whiskey Route. Scenic and steep, with the Barranco Wall scramble and daily climb-high, sleep-low days. Choose 7 days over 6 if you can.

Very good
Rongai

North · near the Kenyan border

6–7 daysTents

Approaches from the drier, quieter north on a steady gradient. A calm way in for walkers who prefer fewer people and less steep ground early on.

Good
Marangu

Southeast · Marangu Gate

5–6 daysHuts

The only route with huts instead of tents, going up and down the same line. The 5-day schedule is tight, so allow 6 days if you want a fair chance of the summit.

Limited
Umbwe

South · Umbwe Gate

5–6 daysTents

The steepest, most direct line up the mountain. It gains height fast, so we would only suggest it to experienced high-altitude trekkers.

Limited

Not sure which fits? Tell us your dates and how you train, and we will recommend one.

When to go.

Kilimanjaro can be climbed all year, but weather and summit views swing a lot with the seasons.

Jan Best
Feb Best
Mar Workable
Apr Rains
May Rains
Jun Best
Jul Best
Aug Best
Sep Best
Oct Best
Nov Workable
Dec Workable

June – October: Peak climbing season. The most reliably dry window, and it lines up with the northern safari dry season.
January – mid March: Dry and clear with excellent summit views. Expect it to be cold at altitude.
November: Short rains lower down, but often still climbable higher up. A quieter shoulder-season option.
Late March – May: The long rains. Most climbers avoid them: trails turn muddy and visibility drops.

Climb first, then unwind.

A Kilimanjaro climb is easier to enjoy when the rest of the trip is planned around it. We handle the mountain and everything either side.

Route planning
Mountain crew support
Pre-climb briefing
Safari combinations
Post-climb relaxation

Add a safari

Serengeti and Ngorongoro, from the same Arusha base.

Finish on Zanzibar

Rest tired legs beside the Indian Ocean.

Not climbing to the top?Ask about day hikes on the lower slopes, through the rainforest.

Before you decide.

Do I need climbing experience?

No. Kilimanjaro is a trek, not a technical climb. You do not need ropes, crampons or mountaineering skills. You do need to be ready for long walking days, cold nights and one very long summit day.

How fit do I need to be?

Good general fitness. You should be comfortable walking for several hours a day with a daypack, on several days in a row. Hill walks and long back-to-back walks are the most useful preparation.

What about altitude sickness?

Altitude affects everyone, whatever their fitness, and it is the main reason climbers turn back. A slow pace, a longer route and climb-high, sleep-low days all lower the risk. Tell your guides about any symptoms straight away. Speak to your doctor before you book, especially if you have a health condition.

Which route gives the best chance of reaching the summit?

Longer routes. Time to adjust matters more than raw fitness, so 7–9 day routes such as Lemosho and the Northern Circuit do better than the shorter 5-day options.

Can I combine the climb with a safari or Zanzibar?

Yes. The northern circuit parks start from the same Arusha and Moshi area as the mountain, and a few days on Zanzibar make an easy finish for tired legs.

What if I do not want to go to the summit?

You can still experience the mountain. Day hikes on the lower slopes take you through the rainforest without the altitude or the summit night.