Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain and the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. Each year it attracts thousands of climbers and adventurers from all over the world. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is like walking from the tropical to the arctic in just one week. It is a real challenge due to the altitude and the rate of ascent, but also extremely rewarding.
In 1987 UNESCO listed Mount Kilimanjaro as World Heritage Site because of its natural beauty. The variety of vegetation and landscapes is amazing due to the mountains location and immense height. From tropical rainforest with monkeys and birds to the ‘Roof of Africa’ where you see glaciers and an impressive snow-capped summit. On a classic climb you pass through one vegetation zone every day and a half.
The thrill of reaching the top of the Mount Kilimanjaro after days of walking is amazing. At the summit you are rewarded with breathtaking views of the African savannah and Rift Valley. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is absolutely an experience of a life time!
Do you have the dream of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro but wonder if you can make it? Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is certainly a challenge, but you don’t need to be an experienced climber to reach its summit. If you are healthy and fit it is absolutely within reach. We have an experienced and professional team that can bring you to the top safely.
That is why 95% of our guests reach the top of Africa’s highest mountain. There are many things you can do to increase your chances to reach the summit and to make sure you enjoy the trek. One of the things is buying good gear and practice hikes in your home country a few months before your departure. Since altitude sickness is the main reason people fail to reach the top, it’s important to take your time. Give your body time to acclimatize. Check out below which climbing route fits you best.
Once you have decided to climb Kilimanjaro, the main question now is which route you should choose. There are seven different routes to the summit. They all vary in length, difficulty, scenery, traffic, accommodation and other aspects. Based on our experience we advise you to choose one of the first 3 routes.
This is one the most popular climbs due to the diversity and beauty of the route. You walk from green rainforest to the beautiful Shira Plateau and the rock lava slopes. The trail circles around the mountain with spectacular views. Another advantage is the gradual ascend, so people have more time to acclimatize, which increases the success rate. The Machame route, also known as the “Whiskey route” has an average to high success rate, especially if you choose the 7 days itinerary. This route is less expensive than most others but has the disadvantage to be quite busy.
This route is known for its varied and breathtaking scenery. The Lemosho route is also less crowded with climbers than some of Kilimanjaro’s longer established routes. Although Memosho is a more expensive route, it gives climber plenty of time to acclimatize properly. This route is remote and beautiful. High success rate.
The Maranga route is the second most popular route and cheapest one to reach the top of the Kilimanjaro. It is the only route that uses the same trail to ascend and descend and offers hut accommodation (camping is not allowed). This route, nicknamed the “Coca-Cola” route, has a reputation of being one of the easiest paths on the mountain. It certainly is the shortest Kilimanjaro route, yet it gives climbers less time to acclimatize and clarifies the lower success rate. Marangu is unfortunately less scenic than other routes and can be crowded during the peak season.
The Northern Circuit is the longest Kilimanjaro route and also one of the most beautiful and enjoyable ones. The route circles around the mountain and offers great views from all sides of the Kilimanjaro. The summit success rate is very high, as the route is long and gives lots of time to acclimatize. This is a great route for those who want to experience all the beauty Kilimanjaro has to offer and have time and money.
This route is very scenic, but also expensive and difficult. We only advise experienced climbers to choose this route due to the high starting point of the route, which gives the body less time to acclimatize.
This route suits the more experienced climbers. Since the ascent and descent are on opposite sides, climbers can see both sides of Kilimanjaro. At the same time this additional transport, to reach the other side, makes the climb more expensive. Rongai is one of the quieter routes, but also dryer and less scenic.
This route is known as the steepest Kilimanjaro route. Due to its rapid ascend the success rate is much lower. We advise only experienced mountain climbers, who are used to high altitudes, to climb this route.
You can climb Kilimanjaro any time of the year, but the best conditions to climb Africa’s highest peak, are during the months June till mid-March (except November). February is the best month since the temperature is high and the changes or rainfall low. The rainy season starts from mid-March till June and the month November. However there are people who choose to climb Kilimanjaro in April or November since it is quite and less crowded on the trails
Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest free-standing mountain in the world (5,895 metres, 19, 341 ft). Climbing Kilimanjaro is an unforgettable adventure. Of which people say: “You should do that ones in your life!”
Climbing Kilimanjaro is a spectacular hike through five climate zones, from the tropics to the Arctic. The zones are:
Choose Memorable Vacation Africa for an authentic Tanzanian adventure! Based in Arusha, we’re proudly Tanzanian-owned and highly rated by past travelers. Since 2022, we’ve delivered exceptional experiences, from wildlife safaris and Kilimanjaro treks to Zanzibar beach escapes and cultural tours. Let us create your unforgettable journey through Tanzania’s wonders
EXCELLENT Based on 33 reviews Johanna T2024-07-20Verified Unforgettable Moments on Safari! Thank you for this incredible adventure! Capturing the sunrise together with playing cheetahs, experiencing the Great Migration up close in the Serengeti, or having breakfast where three lionesses basked in the first rays of sunlight just ten minutes earlier—these are just a few of the many highlights my father and I enjoyed on our seven-day safari with Memorable Vacation Africa.We can warmly recommend a trip with Memorable Vacation Africa. The team is simply amazing! This was evident right from the organization of our adventure. Evance responded immediately, accommodated all our wishes, and put together a perfect seven-day program. From the moment we arrived in Arusha and were warmly welcomed by Evance with a heartfelt "Karibu Sana," we knew we were in for a special experience. Our safari began the next day in Tarangire Park, also known as the paradise for elephants. Right from the first day, we noticed the excellent quality of Memorable Vacation Africa. Our driver, Steven, with over 20 years of experience, stood out immediately. He is passionate and chose unique routes away from the typical safari trails, providing us with exclusive and intimate wildlife encounters. Steven's knowledge about the animals, culture, flora, and history of Tanzania's national parks truly enriched our experience.Not to forget is the delicious food! Every day, chef Shukuru cooked wonderful dishes for us, serving a variety of delicious meals, from traditional Tanzanian dishes to Italian favorites like pizza and pasta. Lunchtime was often spent at picturesque picnic areas within the national parks, offering stunning views.The campsites where we slept were all fantastic: sometimes completely in nature under a starry sky, sometimes in a village where we even watched the European Championship final together, and once at 2,300 meters altitude with zebras grazing beside our tents. In our opinion, a camping safari is the best way to get the most adventure out of this experience. Warm sleeping bags, collapsible beds with mattresses, and tents were all provided by Memorable Vacation Africa.Overall, after Tarangire Park, we visited three more parks: Lake Manyara, the unique Serengeti, and the Ngorongoro Crater. Each park offered its own unique charm, and having seven days allowed us to thoroughly enjoy and observe the animals in their natural habitats.Evance consistently checked in to ensure everything was perfect, truly dedicated to providing the best safari experience possible.My father and I experienced moments on this safari that we will never forget. Our heartfelt thanks to Evance, Steven, and Shukuru for making our journey an adventure of a lifetime! We highly recommend a safari with Memorable Vacation Africa! Cassandra M2024-06-24Verified Amazing experience The safari was amazing. Evance is the best guide tour ever, you can trust him with your futures travels plans.Thank you!! Franziska W2024-06-19Verified Amazing privat all in Safari We did a 5 day safari with Evance and his team. It was a wonderfull experience and we can highly recommend the trip!Everything was planed through. From picking us up at the airport, driving to 3 different national parks (Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater), sleeping (in tents but on camp beds with warm sleeping backs), food (we had our own cook with us who prepared all meals of the day) to bringing us back on time to the airport.We really had an unforgettable experience. Even when the car broke down the driver could fix the problem on his own so we were good to continue our drive.There would be so much more to say but just make the experience on your own. Enjoy! alessia b2024-01-31Verified AMAZING Hello there! I did a two days Safari, I visited Tarangire and Ngorongoro. I was traveling alone so I didn't know how to arrange a safari on low budget but without people to share the budget with. Then I contacted Evance that with a really kind and polite way tried to find the best solution that would have fit my availability and mu budget. He found a way! Evance found a low budget group for me which I could join and it was just amazing. We spotted all the animals that you're dreaming of, we slept in a lodge really close to Lake Manyara and the view was just incredible. The driver stopped everytime we wanted to take a picture or just observe the environment and the animals. I felt comfortable, the food was amazing,the people I was with were amazing and Evance checked on everything, all the time, trying to understand if I was having my best time and if everything was perfect and actually it was!!! IT WAS PERFECT. I loved every moment and also I'm so grad that I chose memorable vacation because now I have a wonderful friend: Evance. A kind, smart and funny person that has been the best company thhat I could have asked for my travel in Tanzania. THANK YOU EVANCE, see you when I'll move here , I'll cook for you in my home🤣 Leonie K2024-01-02Verified Great experience I wouldn’t miss out on! My friends and I had a great Safari to Ngorongoro Carter and Serengeti, our guide was very good at spotting all the wildlife and the cook was also amazing! Together they were a really nice and easygoing team and we had a lot of fun with them on the way to the national parks, listening to musicThe contact with Evance beforehand was also easy and he was always and fast to replyWe saw many animals from very close and all of the big 5 except for leopards which are very rare to spotThe camping sites were simple but nice because you felt like in the middle of nature, we even saw baboons around our tentsI can only recommend, it’s one cheapest options but we still had everything we needed! Especially for young people Sabrina H2023-12-30Verified Thank you so much for a truly memorable safari Evance! Evance and Noel were a great team and provided a superb, memorable safari for us! They're super nice, very easy going, knowledgeable, respectful and passionate about their work. We had incredible moments with them on our safari, from being right next to lionesses and their cubs (without off-roading of course - everyone who wants to do a safari should be very aware that this is both prohibited and very harmful to the nationalpark and it's animals) to being the only car near and far surrounded by a majestic group of elephants. Also the food was super delicious and more than enough for everyone in our group. Evance was super considerate and helpful in every way. If you want a truly unique experience with a genuinely passionate guide, book with Evance! Franca x2023-12-11Verified Best safari tour operator out there. We were so lucky to go on Safari with this tour company! Most companies only hire one driver, who is a guide at the same time, but this tour operator hires a driver/guide and one additional guide (Evance), who is also the owner of the company.This is not only good because two guides spot more animals than one, it also ensures your safety and commodity as Evance will do everthing possible to make sure that you have the best experience during his drive. We did two days safari (Tarangire, Ngorongoro), and had the most fun. Game drives were long and considered all our wishes (I love birds and we stopped for all of those that I wanted to see), and even when we were running short on time (you have to leave the parcs by a certain hour), but happened to encounter an elephant herd, our guides would stay as long as somehow possible to enjoy the experience. The food was very tasty as well and we never drove back to a campsite etc to eat but enjoyed lunch on clean and well-maintained picnic sites so we did not lose time.Finally, why I recommend this company is because of its transparency. If you ask him, Evance will show the company's license, and let you know about entrance/car hire/other fees so you will really understand where your money goes.TLDR: Choose this company, you won't regret it. Also, book your safari directly through their website and not through an agent (they will just rip you off without any benefit). Léa D2023-12-10Verified Perfect safari trip - we’ll come back! We had a perfect 2 days safari through Serengeti Nationalpark & Ngorongoro Conservation Area with Evance 😊First of all the communication during our request was really good. Evance answered any kind of question from us very fast & he ensured that we were best informed before the start of our trip. The safari itself was insane!! We saw the Big 5 thanks to Evance and his team and we were so happy all the time. Additionally the food of the chef was always so tasty and he as well ensured that we enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner 😋 Furthermore the equipment, the tents and the beds within the tents (yeah, we did not had to sleep on the ground) were so comfortable and high standard. That’s a big advantage with regard to the other agencies we saw at our campsites. There tents were not that nice and they slept on the ground.So thanks to Memorable Vacation Africa for this unforgettable experience! Next time we’ll extend our trip with them to get even more adventurous safari times 🦁 Franka S2023-12-05Verified Really nice trip with Evance!! We did a 2days safari trip to the ngorongoro crater and the tarangire National park. We slept in a cute lodge and Evance always made sure we were doing well:) I can only recommend to do this trip with him Niklas S2023-11-23Verified 3 Days Safari in Serengeti and NgoroNgoro / IT WAS AMAZING! hey there,i would really recommend the safari tour hosted by Evance. First of all we had a really good deal for the 3 days, second, the comfort was amazing. We slept in beds inside our really strong tents and we were always warm. We had one Chef with us, his name is Hamidu, and I swear to you guys I've never eat a tuna steak perfect like this, really, he cooked the best stuff to every time of the day, at the last evening i asked him to cook together and he learned me a lot.Also our Tourguide Noel was a real gentlemen and he is really smart, he knows everything about the national parks and the stories behind and he's also a really funny guy with who u can make jokes with.so for me it was a perfect safari - we saw all big 5 almost at the first day, because Noel knows so secret places.Thanks a lot to everybody,Nik(jah rastafari hehe)< 3