Kilimanjaro at a glance
- Elevation
- 5,895 m / 19,341 ft
- Summit of
- Africa
- Location
- Tanzania
- First ascent
- 1889
- Main routes
- 6
- Season
- Jan–Mar, Jun–Oct
- Trip length
- 7–9 days
- Typical cost
- from ~$3,500
Uhuru Peak is officially 5,895 m; recent GPS surveys put it a few metres lower.
Kilimanjaro (5,895 m19,341 ft) is a walk-up via several routes. The challenge is altitude, not technical difficulty, a slow profile dramatically improves summit success.
What Kilimanjaro costs
- With a guided expedition
$2,181–$5,995 for the middle half of the 51 trips we researched.
The full range is $1,302–$10,995.
21 more are priced in other currencies and are not included here.
Each company’s own price, in the currency it quotes, read from its website. Prices change, so check with the company.
- Organising it yourself
About $1,700–$2,000 on the mountain.
A licensed guide and crew are required by law, so this is the cheapest licensed local operator. Park fees alone are about $1,000 to $1,200 for seven days; tips of $200 to $350 come on top.
Our estimate. International flights, gear and insurance are extra.
- Permits and fees
Climbing guide
Table of ContentsThe full contents of the Kilimanjaro guide, linked page by page.Kilimanjaro: OverviewThe highest free-standing mountain in the world, rising almost five kilometres out of the plains of northern Tanzania. A fit hiker can walk to the crater rim, through five ecological zones from rainforest to arctic summit.Kilimanjaro: Permits & costsWhat it costs to climb: the TANAPA park fees, and why prices range from under $2,000 to over $8,000 for what looks like the same mountain.Introduction: the 7 summitsKilimanjaro is the roof of Africa and, for many climbers, the first of the 7 summits, a walk-up giant where the real challenge is altitude.Planning and preparationEverything to settle before you fly: route, days on the mountain, operator, altitude, health, training and kit.Background informationThe mountain behind the climb: its volcanic geology, its five ecological zones, its history and its remarkable wildlife.The Machame routeThe most popular route on the mountain: a scenic southern trek with a good acclimatization profile. Best walked over seven days or more.The Lemosho routeA scenic, quieter start from the remote western side, joining the Machame trail on the Shira Plateau. Many guides’ pick for the best all-round route. Best over eight days or more.The Umbwe routeThe steepest and most direct way up, short, hard and quiet, joining the southern circuit at Barranco. For fit, experienced trekkers, ideally with extra acclimatization days built in.The Marangu routeThe only hut route, sleeping in dormitories, up and down the same trail from the south-east. Comfortable and popular, but its short profile means a lower success rate than the camping routes.The Rongai routeThe only route up the quiet, dry northern side, near the Kenyan border. A gentle, wild approach that crosses to the eastern side to summit, best over seven days with an acclimatization day at Mawenzi Tarn.The Northern CircuitThe longest route on Kilimanjaro and the best for acclimatization, looping almost all the way around the mountain through its quiet northern slopes. The strongest choice for reaching the summit.Tanzania and practicalitiesGetting to Tanzania and around it, the country and its history, and the guides and porters who make your climb possible, including how to tip them fairly.Mount MeruKilimanjaro’s neighbour: a tough, beautiful four-day volcano climb to 4,562 m that is the best possible acclimatization before Kilimanjaro.ReferenceHow this guide was put together, the sources behind it, and a linked A–Z index of everything it covers.Add a safari to your climbYou have flown all the way to northern Tanzania, the same corner of Africa that holds the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and some of the best game-viewing on the planet. If you can spare the days, add a safari.Cycling on and around KilimanjaroKilimanjaro National Park allows mountain bikes on two routes: the Kilema route towards the summit, and a day ride on the Shira Plateau. Below the park, village rides need no permit at all. The rules, the fees, and which ride suits you.Books & filmsThe guidebooks, expedition accounts and films worth your time before Kilimanjaro.Kilimanjaro expedition operatorsEvery company that sells a guided climb of Kilimanjaro: who guides it, what it costs, and how long each has been in business.
Read before you go
Staff Pick
Five Big Mountains: A Regular Guy's Guide to Climbing Orizaba, Elbrus, Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, and VinsonDavid N. Schaeffer · 2010
Five Big Mountains: A Regular Guy's Guide to Climbing Orizaba, Elbrus, Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, and VinsonDavid N. Schaeffer · 2010
