Destinations
Mount Kilimanjaro
Africa's highest point, and its most attainable great climb
Size
5,895 m summit; 1,668 km² national park
Best time
January–March and June–October
Getting there
Kilimanjaro International Airport, then 1 hr to Moshi or Arusha
How long to stay
6–9 days on the mountain, plus a rest night either side
The place
Kilimanjaro is 5,895 metres of free-standing volcano rising straight out of the plains, and it can be walked — no ropes, no technical skill, just time, patience and a well-run team. Success comes down to route choice, acclimatisation days and the quality of the crew behind you, which is where we focus.
Choosing a route
Lemosho and the northern circuit give the best acclimatisation profiles and the highest success rates. Machame is scenic and popular. Marangu is the shortest and, counter-intuitively, the hardest to summit. We will steer you toward days, not distance.
Five climate zones in a week
You walk from rainforest through heather and moorland, across an alpine desert saddle, into the arctic zone at the crater rim. Few journeys on earth compress so much landscape into so few days.
Ethical crews
We work only with operators who follow KPAP porter-welfare standards on wages, load limits, meals and gear. It costs a little more and it is not negotiable for us.
Highlights
What people remember
Uhuru Peak
Sunrise on the roof of Africa after a midnight start from Barafu or Kibo.
Barranco Wall
The scramble that everyone remembers, with the Western Breach above.
Shira Plateau
A vast high-altitude plain with uninterrupted views to Mount Meru.
Glaciers
The retreating ice fields of the southern icecap, up close at the crater rim.
Suggested journeys
