Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Tours | Kilimanjaro Treks and Hikes 2022/23
Achieve a dream of climbing up the highest and most famous summit in Africa. Mount Kilimanjaro stands 5895 meters above sea level, climbers do not need to be experienced in mountaineering to reach Uhuru peak. To climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, you need to be in a fit and healthy state with good all-around conditions, strong willpower, and a little bit of luck.
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest and free-standing mountain in Africa is on the bucket list of most adventure enthusiasts who are truly ready to experience the unique wilderness, its views, and distinctive vegetation away from the hustle and bustle of civilization as you ascend to the roof of Africa.
Even though Climbing this Mountain is tusking on the body but it’s a reward as the experience of reaching the Uhuru peak is indescribable. And with Wild Excursions & Safaris, Kilimanjaro Climbing Packages will help you realize your dream of reaching “the roof of Africa” with our experienced climbing guide team.
How To Plan on Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb
When planning to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, there are several considerations you need to work out before arranging a trip.
In this article, we will discuss these factors and provide some insight into booking your expedition with us.
- Pick a Time to Visit
- Choose a Climb Duration
- Select a Kilimanjaro Route
- Group Climb or Private Climb?
- Assemble Your Teammates
Pick a Time to Visit
While many parts of the world have four seasons – spring, summer, fall, and winter, Mount Kilimanjaro does not. Instead, the peak experiences wet and dry seasons.
The best time to climb Kilimanjaro is during the two dry seasons.
- 🌤️Short Dry Season: from the middle of December through mid-March
- 🌧️Long Rainy Season: from the end of March to early June
- 🌤️Long Dry Season: from mid-June to the end of October
- 🌧️Short Rainy Season: from the beginning of November to the beginning of December
Within the two dry seasons, there is not much variability between the months. So you can visit anytime during the dry seasons and expect relatively nice weather. Note that the summit conditions are almost always cold and windy and that it can rain at any time, especially on the lower slopes.
We discourage most people from climbing during the two rainy seasons though there are exceptions. Hardy, experienced backpackers may enjoy the solitude of coming during the quiet off-season in return for some precipitation. Sometimes, climbing during the rainy season is the only chance people have to visit. If that’s the case, go for it. Finally, it’s entirely possible that it doesn’t rain at all during your climb, or rains only after you’ve already made it to camp.
The routes up Kilimanjaro range between five to ten days.
The length of your expedition has a large, positive impact on the success rate. The biggest obstacle in climbing Kilimanjaro is its extremely high altitude. If you have trouble acclimatizing to the low oxygen in the atmosphere during your trip, you could develop symptoms of acute mountain sickness that can cause you to abandon your climb.
So for that reason, we recommend itineraries that are 8 or 9 days in duration. Most of our clients opt for 8 and 9-day routes with great success. This added time gives your body the best chance of sufficient acclimatization – to perform well and feel good. If you choose to do a shorter route, you should be confident in your ability to acclimatize while trekking at a high altitude.
Ultimately, we want everyone to have a fulfilling trip – to make it to the summit and return home safely.
Select a Kilimanjaro Route
There are seven established routes to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Although they all go to the same destination, Uhuru Point, there are considerable differences between them. Some routes are shorter and steeper while others are longer and more gradual.
As discussed above, the duration of your trip is quite significant. So in the interest of client safety and enjoyment, we always advise our clients to use the longer routes.
Our top picks are:
- 👍 8-day Lemosho Route
- 👍 9-day Northern Circuit
We highly recommend using one of these routes for your climb. We consider these to be the best Kilimanjaro routes not only because of their high success rates, but also because they have beautiful views, scenic variety, and fewer hikers.
Our secondary picks are:
- 👍7-day Rongai Route
- 👍 7-day Machame Route
These are very good routes, though success rates are a little lower because of the shorter duration.
Most of our group climbs utilize the 8-day Lemosho route and 9-day Northern Circuit. However, we do schedule a limited number of group climbs on the 7-day Rongai route as well as the 7-day Machame route.
Group Climb or Private Climb?
We offer group climbs and private climbs.
Group climbs are open climbs that are scheduled to depart on specific dates and routes. They are for anyone who would like to share their experience with others. People who book our group climbs are typically solo travelers, couples, or friends who want to engage with friendly, like-minded people from around the world.
The composition of our group climbs usually includes a majority of Americans, plus a number of international participants from English-speaking countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. The ratio of males to females is generally about 1:1.
Note that all of our group climbs take place during Tanzania’s dry seasons.
Private climbs are closed groups that consist only of members of your party. You have the flexibility to choose whatever date and route you like. People who book our private climbs are typically those whose dates or route choices do not match our group climb schedules, those who want to climb with a limited-sized group, or those who want to spend time solely with their fellow teammates.
We can organize private climbs on any route, for any length, on any date, and for any size group, subject to staff availability.
The cost for a Kilimanjaro climb ranges from high to low. We can confidently state this – there is no such thing as a high-quality, yet budget-priced operator. The cost of running a professional climbing company cannot be supported by low prices, even when executed efficiently on a large scale.
Assemble Your Teammates
If you’re reading this, then it’s safe to assume that you are interested in climbing Kilimanjaro. Who else might want to join you on this once-in-a-lifetime trip?
Usually, a “trip leader” gathers all the relevant information from us. Our recommendation is for the trip leader, or a small group of committed individuals, to make the main decisions and iron out the details. Then, once an itinerary is set, reach out to others who might be interested in participating. This way, there aren’t too many cooks in the kitchen.
Close friends and family members almost always make fantastic teammates. However, you might be surprised by who else might want to come. So talk about your trip. Post about it on social media. Sometimes the people you least expect are the ones who have been yearning for an epic outdoor adventure.
Mt. Kilimanjaro Planning Checklist
- When are you climbing?
- How many days are you taking?
- Which route are you using?
- Are you joining a group climb or arranging a private climb?
- Who is going on the trip?