Mount Kilimanjaro safari is part of the exciting adventures to do when visiting the northern part of Tanzania. 

About Mount Kilimanjaro

When visiting Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the activity that visitors take part in the most is hiking the mountain. Mount Kilimanjaro is at an altitude of 5895 meters and is the highest mountain in Africa.  Mount Kilimanjaro is also snowcapped and the highest point on the mountain is also the summit and is called the Uhuru peak. There are different hiking routes used on the mountain during tours in Tanzania and they are 5 in number. 

There are also 3 volcanic cones on Mount Kilimanjaro namely Shira, Kibo and Mawenzi. Kibo is the highest of the volcanic cones on the mountain and is at an altitude of 5,895 meters and is also a dormant volcanic cone. Mawenzi is at an altitude of 5,149 meters and Shira at an altitude of 4,005 meters.  The 5 different climatic zones which visitors go through during their hike on Mount Kilimanjaro include the Bushland zone, the rainforest zone, the moorland zone, the alpine desert zone and the arctic zone.  The biodiversity, flora, and fauna of Kilimanjaro National Park are diverse, and visitors can take in the stunning environment and vistas while on excursions there. To document your success, you can also take pictures while climbing the Mount Kilimanjaro and even at the Uhuru peak.   You are accompanied on hikes up Mount Kilimanjaro by guides, porters, and chefs or cooks who are responsible for your well-being throughout the entire trip. Depending on the trekking route, these excursions of the mountain may last 5 days or longer. 

Hiking routes for Mount Kilimanjaro 

The hiking routes used for hiking Mount Kilimanjaro include Lemosho, Shira, Marangu, Machame and the Umbwe route. 

Lemosho route 

Hiking on Mount Kilimanjaro using the Lemosho route takes about 6 to 8 days and this route is one of the most scenic on the mountain.  The hike starts from Londrossi gate to Mti Mkubwa which takes about 3 to 4 hours. Then the next day from Mti Mkubwa to Shira 2 camp which takes 8 to 10 hours. From Shira 2 camp to the lava tower takes 4 to 6 hours, from Lava tower to Barranco camp takes 2 to 3 hours, Barranco camp to Karanga camp takes about 4 to 5 hours, Karanga camp to Barafu camp takes 3 to 4 hours, Barafu camp to the summit takes 6 to 8 hours, Uhuru peak to Mweka camp takes 4 to 6 hours and the last day hike starts from Mweka camp to Mweka gate which takes 3 to 4 hours. 

Marangu route 

The Marangu route on Mount Kilimanjaro is another route used during hiking tours in Tanzania. Hiking to the Uhuru peak using this route takes about 5 to 6 days. This route is also among the oldest on Mount Kilimanjaro and is the only hiking route where hikers can spend nights in hut accommodations at Mandara hut, Kibo hut and Horombo hut.   The hike on Mount Kilimanjaro using the Marangu route starts from Marangu gate to Mandara hut which takes about 4 to 5 hours, the hike from Mandara hut to Horombo hut takes about 6 to 8 hours, from Horombo hut to Kibo hut also takes 6 to 8 hours.  From Kibo hut to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro takes about 6 to 8 hours and from the summit hikers return to Horombo hut which takes about 4 to 5 hours. The last days hike from Horombo hut to Marangu gate takes about 5 to 7 hours. 

Machame route 

The Machame route on Mount Kilimanjaro takes about 6 to 7 days of hiking during tours in Tanzania.  Hiking on Mount Kilimanjaro via the Machame route starts from Machame gate to Machame camp which takes 5 to 7 hours. From Machame camp to Shira camp takes about 4 to 6 hours, From Shira camp to Lava tower to Barranco camp which takes 6 to 8 hours.  The hike from Barranco camp to Karanga camp takes about 4 to 5 hours. From Karanga camp to Barafu camp to the summit (Uhuru peak) takes 7 to 8 hours and then from the Uhuru peak to Mweka camp takes about 4 to 6 hours.  The hike on the last day using the Machame route starts from Mweka camp to Mweka gate which takes about 3 to 4 hours.  

Shira route 

Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro using the Shira route takes about 7 days and this route is also very scenic.  Shira route is identical to the Lemosho route and the hike on Mount Kilimanjaro using this route starts from Shira gate to Shira 2 camp which takes about 5 to 7 hours. From Shira 2 camp to Lava tower to Baranco camp takes about 7 hours. From Barranco camp to Karanga camp takes about 4 hours.  The hike from Karanga camp to Barafu camp takes about 8 hours. From Barafu camp to Uhuru peak takes about 8 hours and from the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro to Mweka camp takes about 7 to 8 hours. From Mweka camp to Mweka gate takes about 3 hours.   

Umbwe route 

The Umbwe route during hikes on Mount Kilimanjaro takes about 6 to 7 days of hiking to ascend and descend from the mountain.  This route is not very crowded and is also considered to be the least used route during hikes on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The hike using this route starts from Umbwe gate to Umbwe camp which takes about 5 to 7 hours.  From Umbwe camp to Barranco camp takes about 4 to 5 hours. The hike from Barranco camp to Karanga camp takes 4 to 5 hours. The hike from Karanga camp to Barafu camp takes 4 to 5 hours and from Barafu camp to the summit takes about 7 to 8 hours. After getting to the summit the hikers descend to Mweka camp which takes about 4 to 6 hours.  The last day of the hike on Umbwe route starts from Mweka camp to Mweka gate which takes 3 to 4 hours.  Other routes used during hikes on Mount Kilimanjaro include the Rongai route which takes about 7 days of hiking to get to the summit and back. This route is on the border of Kenya and Tanzania where the mountain is located. 

Best time for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro 

Tours in Tanzania which include hiking Mount Kilimanjaro can be carried out at any time of the year.  The best time for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro includes 2 seasons in the year which are part of the dry season that is from June, July, August, September and October and also from January to March. 

How to get to Mount Kilimanjaro 

There are different ways to get to Mount Kilimanjaro during tours in Tanzania and this includes driving and also flight.  Flights to the northern part of Tanzania where Mount Kilimanjaro is located can be booked to Kilimanjaro international airport or Arusha airport.   The closest town that hikers can spend their nights before or after the hike on Mount Kilimanjaro is Moshi town which is about 1 hour and 30 minutes’ drive from Arusha town.