Which Kilimanjaro route is right for you?
Seven questions, about a minute. You'll get a route, the number of days we'd choose, a rough cost and the reasons behind the pick.
Updated 18 October 2026 · No sign up, no email
How fit are you right now?
Why we ask: Summit night is 6 to 8 hours uphill in the cold. Fitness doesn't stop altitude sickness, but it makes every day easier.
How the quiz decides
Every answer adds points to one or more routes, and the route with the most points wins. The biggest weight goes on the number of days you have, because time on the mountain is what most affects your chance of reaching Uhuru Peak at 5,895 m.
Altitude experience comes next. If you've never been above 3,500 m, or felt unwell when you did, the quiz leans towards Lemosho and the Northern Circuit, which climb slowly and let you sleep lower than the highest point you reached each day. Fitness, the season, huts or tents and what matters most to you decide between routes that are otherwise close.
The quiz only recommends the five most climbed routes. Umbwe and Shira are left out on purpose: Umbwe is very steep and Shira starts high, so both are poor for acclimatisation unless you're already used to altitude.
The five routes in short
| Route | Days | Sleeping | Crowds | Acclimatisation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lemosho | 7 to 8 | Tents | Quiet, then busy | Very good |
| Machame | 6 to 7 | Tents | Busy | Good |
| Northern Circuit | 8 to 9 | Tents | Very quiet | Best |
| Rongai | 6 to 7 | Tents | Quiet | Good |
| Marangu | 5 to 6 | Huts | Moderate | Fair |
From our Kilimanjaro routes guide.
Can a beginner climb Kilimanjaro?
Yes. You don't need climbing skills or ropes on any of these routes, and porters carry your main bag. The hard parts are the altitude and summit night, when you start around midnight and walk for six to eight hours in the dark and cold to reach the top around sunrise.
What beginners get wrong is choosing too few days. A fit runner on a 6 day route often has a harder time than a slower walker on 8 days. If you're new to altitude, give yourself 8 days, walk slowly (pole pole, as the guides say) and drink plenty of water.
How to train
- Start 3 to 4 months out. Walk two or three times a week, building up to one long day of 5 or 6 hours with a day pack.
- Add hills and stairs. Steady uphill walking is the best training. A stair machine works if you live somewhere flat.
- Do back to back days. Two long walks on consecutive days get you used to walking on tired legs.
- Break in your boots. Wear the boots you'll climb in for every training walk.
What the quiz can't tell you
Nobody can predict who gets altitude sickness: it affects fit and unfit people alike. Choose a good operator who checks your oxygen levels twice a day and carries emergency oxygen, and make sure your insurance covers trekking to 6,000 m and helicopter evacuation. Our guide to choosing an operator has a checklist, and what a climb costs explains why very cheap climbs are a risk.