Kili Summit

Kilimanjaro Climbs

Kilimanjaro Climbs

Kilimanjaro Climbing Holidays

The iconic Mount Kilimanjaro, 'The Roof of Africa', stands at 19'500 ft and is the tallest mountain on the continent.

Keen on conquering the 19,500ft snow-capped peaks of Kilimanjaro during your Tanzania safari holiday? We arrange private and group ascents and only work with climb operators who agree to our own porter policy.

There are few experiences quite like reaching the peak of a mountain and taking in the view, and the sense of satisfaction from the effort of getting yourself to the top is huge, especially when it is the highest mountain on the African continent.

Named ‘the roof of Africa’ the iconic Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest peak in the world where it’s possible to summit without any technical mountaineering skills. This makes it a popular destination for trekkers and those who wish to tick it off their bucket list.

Yet climbing Kilimanjaro is still a challenging trek and not for the faint of heart. Nevertheless the rewards are worth it, with the ‘push’ to the summit giving the most breathtaking views overlooking the vastness of Africa as dawn breaks. The sense of achievement and memories of the trek will last a lifetime.

At Far & Wild Travel we use only the most reputable climbing companies who take their responsibilities towards client safety, environmental impact, and the working conditions of guides and porters very seriously.

Best time of year to climb Kilimanjaro?

Kilimanjaro can be climbed throughout the year, but the best times are January and February, and from July to October. The mountain has the same weather as the rest of northern Tanzania, which means short rains in November and long rains in April, May and early June.

Best routes for Kilimanjaro trekking?

There are a number of different routes that vary in difficulty and length. It is recommended that routes are no shorter than six days in order to minimise the significant dangers of altitude sickness, which affect even the fittest of people.

Marangu Route

This is the most popular route, and is sometimes called the 'tourist or Coca Cola route'. The Marangu Route is also the cheapest and depending on how many days you take to do the climb, generally regarded as the easiest. However, the final night walk to the summit is about an hour longer on this route. This trail is usually climbed over six days, but can be done in five. The climb is a total of 34 kilometres in each direction and hut accommodation is available at all the stops. Bottled water and soft drinks are available at each of the overnight stops. The main drawback of this route is the heavy volume of other climbers.

Machame Route

Rated by many as the most scenic trail, the Machame Route usually takes six days although many people choose to take a day longer to allow time to acclimatise. The majority of our private and group climbs are on this route. Sections of this trek are steeper and more physically challenging than the Marangu route, but this is compensated by longer periods for acclimatisation. Nights are usually spent in tent accommodation at set camping areas along the route. The downside of this route, and all other routes, is that it is more expensive when compared to the Marangu route.

Mweka Route

This route is the steepest and fastest route to the summit. We do not recommend the Mweka route for ascending the mountain, and apart from the demanding nature of the climb, the camps en route are very basic. It is however, often used as a descent by climbers who have ascended the Shira and Machame routes.

Shira Route

The Shira route is a popular longer climb, and scenically is superb. Although technically speaking it could be climbed in five nights, almost all trips are run with either six or seven nights on the mountain. The route requires access to the national park via the Londorossi Glades Park Gate on the western side of the mountain, and once you reach the Shira hut, the route taken is the same as the Machame route. The descent is usually by the Mweka route.

Umbwe Route

This is a much less utilized route. Those who know it argue this is the most beautiful route to ascend Kilimanjaro, however it is much shorter than the other routes, and much steeper meaning there can be less time to acclimatize. A variation of the Umbwe route can be taken to replicate the route taken by the IMAX team filming the mountain. This route is worth considering, but only with an itinerary that allows good acclimatisation time.

Rongai Route

The Rongai Route is fast gaining in popularity and is considered to be one of the easiest routes up the mountain. It is the only route starting from the north side of the mountain at Rongai, a small village close to the Kenya border. The climbing conditions are drier on the northern side of the mountain and there are spectacular sweeping views over the broad flat Maasai lands. Overnights are spent camping in tents. The summit is reached via the east side of Kibo and the descent is via the Marangu route.

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We personally create each and every holiday down to the very last detail, so we'd love to hear what would make your perfect trip.

Elizabeth Spells

I have just returned from the most amazing trip to Tanzania, booked with Far & Wild. Everything went so smoothly from the first time I spoke with them. The planning was great, the itinerary was perfect for us, and the lodges were amazing. We spent 10 nights with an amazing guide, travelling through Northern Tanzania and even got to see the migration, which was a lifetime ambition of mine. This wasn't our first safari, so we were nervous as to how it would compare, but it was spot on. We're particularly grateful that she suggested a private 'bush lunch' in the Ngorongoro Crater as the public picnic spot was very busy! I will certainly be using them again to book our next trip....we're thinking of a relaxing beach stay next time to get over the excitement of safari!

Sep 17, 2025
Orla Rhodes

Just back from another amazing F&W organised trip to Namibia with the family (8 adults). Having been there before, Alistair tailored our trip to include our favourite locations and added a new one for us, Okonjima Plains camp, which we loved.The quality of accommodation and guiding, activities, food and drinks was exceptional throughout. Although not inexpensive I felt it was good value for the level of luxury we had. Kwessi Dunes, Shipwreck lodge, Ongava, Okonjima with pit stops Windhoek (city tour recommended ), Swakopmund (Sandwich Harbour and Walvis Bay tour) and Grootberg lodge (best sundowner drive )

Jul 31, 2024
Arnhild Schia

We had a wonderful trip to São Tomé and Príncipe - a small island nation in the Gulf of Guinea with paradise (almost empty) beaches and jungle forest. It was all well organised by Far and Wild and we stayed at Omali lodge at Sao Tome, then on Roca Sundy, and Sunday Praia at Principe - a great combination of different types of resorts/hotels. Omali is close to Sao Tome town with its colonial buildings, markets, hustle and bustle. Roca Sunday gives an old plantation experience and Sundy Praia a luxury beach experience. Very friendly (from time to time a bit slow) service, great fresh food, specifically if you like fish/seafood, vegetables and fruits (almost all sourced locally). Nice temperature between 23 and 30 degrees Celsius, nice swimming conditions. We really recommend this for those who want to experience a pristine destination with few other tourists and friendly and welcoming people. The islands also feel (and I believe are) very safe. At Principe, there are no dangerous animals, snakes or whatever, and it was great to be able to hike in the jungle without being very conscious of where to put your hands and feet. Go before everyone else does!

Jul 3, 2024
Henri Papenfus

Back home again, basking in the joys of a superb safari. Every aspect you arranged for us, including linking up with Mack Air and Wild Horizons locally to transport us. The choice of camps, Camp Hwange in Zimbabwe and Muchenenje Safari Lodge in Botswana, was spot on and exactly what we had hoped for - ideally situated, comfortable, in good surroundings, and with excellent wildlife on the doorstep and throughout the wider country. The service staff in each looked after us very well, catering was excellent, and the game guides were professional, knowledgeable and helpful. The weather was, as usual for that part of the world, also good at the time of our visit. Blue skies and stunning sunsets. Warm but not too hot during the day, although quite cold at sunrise when viewing game. The viewing started. You made us happy, and we recommend you to similar safari enthusiasts with confidence.

Jun 28, 2024
AC

Far and Wild went above and beyond to make sure my trip to Zambia was special. I would definitely recommend them and their services to anyone wanting to travel to Africa.

Jun 5, 2024
Tiny

Lovely holiday at the amazing Almanara on Galu beach, a beach like no other. Far and Wild excelled themselves from beginning to end of our holiday in beautiful Kenya.... What a country!,

Jun 5, 2024
Stodge

Wow! These guys are amazing. Can’t recommend them highly enough. Friendly AND efficient! Sorted out our trip (last minute and lots of different family member needs, sorry!) in record time and everything worked like clockwork. Trip of a lifetime to the Masai Mara. Will be back (and use F&W again!)!

Jun 5, 2024
Fiona C

It was a dreamy holiday on the Kenyan Coast - Far and Wild, their efficiency and professionalism allowed us to relax and be the happiest family alive !! We cannot fault them, their care and understanding of what we wanted from a holiday ensured we had the most memorable trip. We will be booking with them again for sure!

Jun 5, 2024

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