While we cannot guarantee that climbers will summit their chosen peak (this is largely dependent on the climber) we can assure you that our teams know how best to exploit climbers strengths and fortify them at times of weakness, and will offer them the greatest summit opportunity possible.

Selecting a route is a tough choice for most. To find the best Kilimanjaro route for you, considerations should be taken for the route’s scenery, difficulty, foot traffic and its altitude acclimatization characteristics.

On the basis of information available in guide books and on the internet, the standard Lemosho route (approaching Kibo from the west) is arguably the most logical choice for a varied, stimulating and safe ascent of Kilimanjaro. However, our most popular scheduled routes would currently be the 7 Day B2C Rongai routes (our new B2C 8 day variation on the Lemosho Route is now challenging for a place in with these other routes) followed by the 6 & 7 Day Machame routes.

On the Machame Route, most climbers opt for the 7 day route in order to err on the side of caution with respect to being well rested and adequately acclimatized prior to their assault, however timings on the 6 day route are still safe and most people with active lifestyles and who are younger than around 45 years of age, and not carrying significant excess body mass, will usually manage very well on the 6 day Machame Route.

Our own 7 Day B2C Rongai Route variations have been conceived specifically to address some of the weakness inherent in the other routes. All western and southern routes including Machame, standard Lemosho, Shira and Umbwe suffer somewhat from two blights; there is a slightly disappointing bottleneck effect caused by the convergence of all these routes at Barranco and the fact of there being only one way of passing over the steep Breach Wall; and perhaps more significantly, they all have a series of steep and unnecessary undulations (ie wasted height gain) en route to the high camp. These undulations occur after the principle climb high, sleep low feature (Lava Tower, 4642m) has already been achieved and therefore contribute nothing to acclimatization, only serving to deplete a climber’s precious reserves that ought rather to be conserved for the summit bid.

Our new B2C Rongai Routes are proving incredibly successful and enjoy the lowest crowds (virtually none until the last camp), arguably the greatest likelihood of wildlife confrontation (because of low volumes of climbers passing through), by far the greatest climb high, sleep low differential (up to nearly 300m more than on the standard Lemosho and Machame) and therefore the safest and most thorough
acclimatization; and perhaps most significantly of all, the gentlest and most logical approach to high camp that ensures climbers arrive in position to assault the summit in as fresh condition as possible.

As with the Rongai Route above, we have also configured our own unique Lemosho Route, which also enjoys low crowds when compared to the standard Shira, Lemosho, Machame and Umbwe routes. This route approaches the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro from the west before switching to the north, and circling Kibo to the north before arriving at high camp.

While we are happy to arrange climbs on the Marangu Route, we do not recommend this route (especially the 5 day variation) because there is an obvious absence of exploitable topography en route to high camp and inadequate use of the climb high, sleep low principle is afforded. This results in a low success rate, with some 40% of all route users failing to pass beyond Gilman’s Point, and some 20% failing to reach even Gilman’s point. In addition to this, the use of huts on the Marangu Route necessitates crowded living quarters at camps with a) queuing and delays being necessary in the morning due to limited eating space in the crowded mess halls, b) compromised sanitation caused by crowding.

Where climbers are keen to use the Marangu Route, we will recommend a 6 day B2C Marangu itinerary where after overnighting at Horombo Huts on Day 2, on Day 3 we will arrange an acclimatization excursion from Horombo Huts up to the Camel’s Back feature where we will have a picnic lunch before completing a circuit back to Horombo for the night to ensure maximum acclimatization can be gained. We will also spend the pre-summit night (end of Day 4) at School Hut camp rather than Kibo Huts due to the poor route configuration from Kibo Huts to Gillman’s point and the overcrowding that occurs at Kibo Huts.

The Shira Route is another variation on the Machame Route running parallel and to the north of the Lemosho Route, and intersecting Machame at Shira Camp. This route is essentially the vehicle evacuation route for sick and wounded climbers who have to give up before crossing the Breach Wall east of Barranco Camp. It is possible to drive a vehicle to 3,760m to within 30 minutes of the day two camp. We do not recommend this route as walking along a road for two days detracts from the wilderness experience.

The Umbwe Route is generally regarded to be one of the hardest routes when you climb Mount Kilimanjaro but has spectacular scenery including a number of caves that can be viewed en route.

While we are very happy to lead climbers up the admittedly very exciting Western Breach assault, we do however maintain that it remains an option to which climbers should understand that they are willingly exposing themselves to a level of objective risk that we feel is significantly elevated with respect to the alternative assault options on Kilimanjaro.

As long as climbers are fully aware of the potential risk that still exists, we are happy to schedule a climb on this route.

If you want to include a night at Crater Camp, that would be from our Excel Series. The Excel Series is a very exciting series that spends the night with a small lightweight support team in the crater at 5729m after summiting Kilimanjaro. The following morning we launch excursions to a number of fascinating and rarely seen features within the crater from the Reusch Ash Pit at the crater’s centre, to the rapidly retreating edges of the northern and eastern ice fields, where health and strength permit. This is a truly unique opportunity. Support levels are typically: 1:8, 2:12, 3:15, 4:17, 5:20, 6:23, 7:26, 8:29.

We like to make very clear at the outset that with regards to the dangers associated with high altitude, there is a small but significant risk of developing severe AMS or pulmonary or cerebral oedema, amongst those overnighting in the crater. In order to best minimise this risk we summit first prior to sleeping in the crater, thereby ensuring that we observe an imperative principle of acclimatisation, ‘climb high, sleep low’, at this critical altitude. You should also be aware that amongst those requesting to spend a night in the crater; around 20% change their minds while on the mountain after consulting with the guide and agreeing that they have failed to obtain a sufficiently safe level of acclimatisation for this option. You would need to be aware of all of these considerations before moving ahead with a crater excursion request.

I certainly would not want to dissuade you from a climb that included a crater excursion as this is arguably the greatest experience to be had on Kilimanjaro; I only wish for you to be properly informed of some of the implications of this option. We would be happy to arrange a climb for you from our Excel Series via the Western Breach. I would suggest our 8 day Lemosho route.

If pushed as to my own personal preference for you, I recommend any of the unique B2C Rongai or b2c Lemosho Routes, as these have been configured to make maximum use of the available topography with regards to acclimatization and preparation prior to assaulting the summit, and also have the gentlest approach to high camp before the summit assault. As a third choice I would opt for the Machame Route.