Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing

Mount Kilimanjaro Overview

Advantages and Disadvantage of All Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Routes

There are seven Mount Kilimanjaro routes: six routes up Kilimanjaro and two down. (Yes, that sounds like there are eight routes. But one of the ascent routes can also be used for descent, so there are in fact only seven routes.) Several of these trails meet after a few days climbing and share the same path over the last days. As a result there are only three dedicated routes from the base of Kibo—the main peak—to the Kilimanjaro crater rim. (One of them, the Western Breach route, is a challenging and dangerous route and not used much. Which leaves only two.) The routes to climb Kilimanjaro approach the mountain from different sides and they vary considerably in length, difficulty, traffic levels and other aspects. Below you find an overview of those aspects for all seven Kilimanjaro routes. Follow the links to find a detailed route description for each route or to see a picture guide of it. (Here is a more detailed discussion of how those Kilimanjaro climbing routes compare regarding difficulty ratings, quality of wilderness experience, prices and success rates.)