Mountain Climbing
KILIMANJARO
Mount Kilimanjaro is just iconic!
We have been specializing in Mount Kilimanjaro climbs for over 15 years and our clients have nothing to say apart from positive remarks. There are 6 routes to summit Kilimanjaro with the Marangu Route being the popular one and the Umbwe Route being the most difficult. Depending on the route, you might be trekking to The Kibo Hut or The Barafu Hut base camps.
Mount Kilimanjaro can be climbed most of the year, although it is inadvisable during the rainy season, which is April and May and during the short rains in November.
The summit of Kilimanjaro is definitely a challenge, and there are risks involved, but it can be reached by any reasonably fit person who enjoys hiking, and reaching the summit will be an experience of a lifetime!
The youngest person to make it was 7 years old – the oldest 89 years.
There are seven official trekking routes by which to ascend and descend Kilimanjaro: Lemosho, Nothern circuit, Machame, Marangu, Mweka, Rongai, Shira, and Umbwe.
We offer various tours for Mount Kilimanjaro Climb such as the common and popular Marangu Route, the steeper Machame Route, Umbwe Route, Rongai Route and Lemosho Route.
The Machame Route can be completed in 7-days, the Lemosho Route in 8-days, and the Northern Circuit routes in 8 or 9-days.
Machame Route
The Machame route, also known as the “Whiskey” route, is the most popular route on Kilimanjaro. Machame’s draw is in its scenic beauty. However, the trail is considered difficult, steep and challenging, particularly due to its shorter itinerary. Therefore this route is better suited for more adventurous folks or those with some high altitude, hiking or backpacking experience.
The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the south, beginning with a short drive from Moshi to Machame Gate. The path leads hikers through the rain forest to Shira Plateau. Here, many of Kilimanjaro’s routes converge. Then the route turns east and traverses underneath Kilimanjaro’s Southern Ice Field on a path known as the Southern Circuit before summiting from Barafu. Descent is made via the Mweka route.
Marangu Route
The Marangu route, also known as the “Coca-Cola” route, is the oldest, most well established route on Kilimanjaro. This is the only route which offers sleeping huts in dormitory style accommodations in lieu of camping. There are 60 bunk beds each at Mandara and Kibo Huts, and 120 bunk beds at Horombo Hut. Guests are supplied with mattresses and pillows, but sleeping bags are still required. The huts have communal dining halls and basic washrooms, ranging from flushing toilets and running water at the lower huts to long drop toilets and buckets of water at Kibo Hut. Many favor Marangu because it is considered to be the easiest path on the mountain, given its gradual slope and direct path. However the short time frame of the route makes altitude acclimatization fairly difficult. The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the southeast. Marangu is unfortunately less scenic than the other routes because the ascent and descent are along the same path. It is also the most crowded route for that reason.
Rongai Route
The Rongai route is the only route that approaches Kilimanjaro from the north, close to the Kenyan border. Though gaining popularity amongst climbers, this route still experiences low crowds. Rongai has a more gradual slope than the mountain’s other routes. It is the preferred route for those looking for an alternative to the popular Marangu route, for those who would like a more remote hike, and for those who are climbing during the rainy season (the north side receives less precipitation). Rongai is a moderately difficult route, and is highly recommended, especially for those with less backpacking experience.
Although the scenery is not as varied as the western routes, Rongai makes up for this by passing through true wilderness areas for nearly the entire way. Descent is made via the Marangu route.
Lemosho Route
The Lemosho route is considered the most scenic trail on Kilimanjaro, granting panoramic vistas on various sides of the mountain. As one of the newer routes, Lemosho is a superb choice for your climb. It is our preferred route due to its ideal balance of low crowds, beautiful scenery and a high summit success rate. Dotcom specializes in guiding on the Lemosho route. Most of our clients climb Kilimanjaro using this route and they consistently report that they loved it. Thus, Lemosho is highly recommended.
The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the west, beginning with a long drive from Moshi to Londorossi Gate. From there, the first two days are spent trekking through the rain forest to Shira Ridge. The Lemosho route crosses the entire Shira Plateau from west to east in a pleasant, relatively flat hike. Crowds are low until the route joins the Machame route near Lava Tower. Then the route traverses underneath Kilimanjaro’s Southern Ice Field on a path known as the Southern Circuit before summiting from Barafu. Descent is made via the Mweka route.
Northern Circuit Route
The Northern Circuit route is one of the best routes on Kilimanjaro, offering nearly 360 degrees of beautiful scenery including the quiet, rarely visited northern slopes. As the longest route on Kilimanjaro, the Northern Circuit also has the most acclimatization time and the highest summit success rate. Thus, the Northern Circuit route is highly recommended.
The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the west, beginning with a long drive from Moshi to Londorossi Gate. From there, the first two days are spent trekking through the rainforest to Shira Ridge, before crossing the Shira Plateau. The route then heads north and circles clockwise from Moir Hut to Buffalo Camp to School Hut, before summiting from the east. Descend is made via the Mweka route.
MOUNT MERU
Mount Meru is a dormant stratovolcano located 70 kilometres west of Mount Kilimanjaro in southeast Arusha Region, Tanzania. At a height of 4,562.13 metres, it is visible from Mount Kilimanjaro on a clear day, and is the fifth-highest of the highest mountain peaks of Africa, dependent on definition.
MOUNT OLDOINYO LENGAI
The cone Oldoinyo Lengai (2,878 meters) is an active volcano near Serengeti NP and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. It is the only mountain in the world that emits sodium carbonatite lava. The last major eruption was in 2007. The mountain is close to beautiful Lake Natron in a typical Maasai area.
This mountain can be climbed in a span of a few hours, but is challenging as you keep sliding back through a layer of volcanic ash. You usually start climbing just after midnight to enjoy a beautiful sunrise at the top. Another option is to camp in the crater. This is only possible when the mountain is ‘quiet’.
We can arrange your ascent of the Lengai. It is often done in conjunction with a visit to Lake Natron or a walk in Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
