Lemosho, Machame and the Northern Circuit are the 3 best routes on Mount Kilimanjaro in terms of overall performance and hiking experience. Because altitude sickness is the leading cause of Kilimanjaro summit failures, trekking routes that provide excellent acclimatization opportunities will not only improve your chances of reaching the summit, but will also make for a much better hiking experience. The following post will highlight individual route success rates, hiking difficulties and the overall benefits of trekking each trail. If you’re pressed for time and want to quickly read through the article, there are snippets in between paragraphs that summarize and drive home key points. That said, let’s have a look at why these 3 routes perform better than other trails on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Things to also know:
The key to a successful summit on Kilimanjaro is to properly employ acclimatization systems during your hike. Doing so often leads to a high level of performance and a reduced likelihood of experiencing AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). See, on Kilimanjaro, there are 2 systems that prevent altitude sickness:
- Pole Pole (Slow-Slow in English) is the first method used to prevent AMS. This method requires you to be on the mountain long enough for your body to acclimate to various altitudes. A hiking duration of 7 to 9 days is widely considered to be a good range for this system to come into effect.
- The second method, Trek-High & Sleep-Low, calls for trails to have gradual inclines in order for hikers to trek to higher elevations and sleep at lower altitudes. This will condition your body to anticipate elevation changes while helping you adjust during your sleep. This is why the faster your body can anticipate elevation changes, the better and much easier it can adjust to higher altitudes.
Long and gradual routes like Lemosho, Machame and the Northern Circuit are perfect for acclimatization systems to be utilized. What distinguishes these three routes from other trails on Mount Kilimanjaro is the extra day you spend acclimating at 4,630m. The full-day spent acclimatizing at Lava Tower will condition your body to anticipate higher elevation gains when you approach the summit at Uhuru Peak. This is because it’s much easier for your body to adjust up to 5,895m when you’ve already acclimatized at 4,630m during your hike.
A good way to narrow down a suitable route for your Kilimanjaro hike is to factor your age in conjunction with your hiking experience. If you are over the age of 40 and have no prior experience hiking above 3,000 meters, the Northern Circuit route is probably your best bet. This is because older audiences who have never been to high altitudes often require more time for their bodies to adjust to high elevations compared to other demographics on the mountain. Of course, this is not a one-size-fits-all situation, so it’s best to consult with your tour operator to get a good sense of what route is suitable for your hike.
Table Of Success Rates On Kilimanjaro Routes
With about 50,000 hikers that attempt to climb Kilimanjaro every year, the overall Kilimanjaro summit success rate for the 7 established Kilimanjaro routes is averaged at 60%. Though this is the case, Kilimanjaro hikes have been effortless over recent years thanks to the rise of information on the internet. Better-informed hikers have learned to avoid shorter, risky trails in favor of long and gradual routes. This has resulted in better performance on Kilimanjaro as shown in the table below.
Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Routes | Kilimanjaro Success Ratings | Number Of Hiking Days |
Marangu Trekking Route | 42% Success Rate | 5 Days |
Marangu Trekking Route | 56% Success Rate | 6 Days |
Umbwe Trekking Route | 60% Success Rate | 6 Days |
Rongai Trekking Route | 80% Success Rate | 7 Days |
Machame Trekking Route | 85% Success Rate | 7 Days |
Lemosho Trekking Route | 85% Success Rate | 7 Days |
Lemosho Trekking Route | 92% Success Rate | 8 Days |
Northern Circuit Trekking Route | 95% Success rate | 9 Days |
Related topics to understand:
Table Of Kilimanjaro Routes Difficulty
Except for the Western Breach route, which requires helmets due to loose rocks, climbing Kilimanjaro is not difficult and requires no technical skills or technical equipment. It is simply a lengthy trek along long and gradual trails. The major physical challenge most hikers face during their Kilimanjaro hike is the risk of fatigue. This is why longer routes on Kilimanjaro are deemed more difficult to hike than other trails on the mountain as shown in the table below.
Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Routes | Kilimanjaro Climbing Difficulty | Number Of Hiking Days |
Marangu Trekking Route | Very Easy | 5 Days |
Marangu Trekking Route | Very Easy | 6 Days |
Umbwe Trekking Route | Very Hard | 6 Days |
Rongai Trekking Route | Easy | 7 Days |
Machame Trekking Route | Medium | 7 Days |
Lemosho Trekking Route | Hard | 7 Days |
Lemosho Trekking Route | Hard | 8 Days |
Northern Circuit Trekking Route | Hard | 9 Days |
Identify & Compare Routes On The Kilimanjaro Mountain Map
The Kilimanjaro mountain map below shows Lemosho, Machame, Rongai, Marangu, Umbwe, Shira and the Northern Circuit as the 7 established routes on Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. The Marangu, Machame, and Umbwe routes approach Kilimanjaro from the south, whereas the Northern Circuit, Lemosho and Shira routes approach the mountain from the west. The Rongai route, which has low precipitation during the rainy period, is the only Kilimanjaro route that has access to the mountain from the north.
It’s worth noting that the Mweka route is mostly used for descents, while the Shira route, which runs parallel to the Lemosho route, is often used for evacuations. Except for the Marangu route, all routes on Kilimanjaro are referred to as “camping routes”. Trekkers rest in sleeping tents rather than sleeping huts.
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