Easiest hiking route for Kilimanjaro hiking

Easiest Hiking Route for Kilimanjaro Hiking
Over 30,000 tourists attempt to climb Mount Kilimanjaro every year, and not all of them successfully reach the summit, with the main challenge being altitude sickness, which can affect just about anyone, no matter the age or how fit you may be. Choosing the right route for hiking Mount Kilimanjaro will highly contribute to a successful summit rate.
Easiest Hiking Route for Kilimanjaro Hiking
There are seven well-established routes for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, including Lemosho route, Rongai route, Marangu route, Machame route, Kilema route, Umbwe route, and Shira route. All these routes offer visitors unique and different experiences. Some are hard to use, while others are easy, depending on the ability to acclimatize, beautiful views, level of difficulty, and the number of days.
We shall look at the easiest route to reach the summit, the easiest to hike, and the best route for acclimatization because all of these contribute to a successful summit rate on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Northern Circuit Route
The northern circuit route is the longest route for hiking Mount Kilimanjaro, giving hikers a chance to acclimatize, therefore having a high success rate. The disadvantage of the Northern circuit is that it’s expensive compared to other routes because the more days you spend on the mountain, the more money you spend.
Lemosho Route
The Lemosho route offers a good success rate when you use an 8-day option. The ascents in Lemosho are short, and sleeping at lower altitudes makes it easy for most travelers to reach the summit. The climb using Lemosho gets hard on the last two days, which may require some level of fitness.
Marangu Route
The Marangu route can be considered one of the easiest routes for hiking Mount Kilimanjaro, especially for people who already live at higher altitudes and are less likely to be affected by altitude sickness. The route takes only 5 days to ascend and descend, compared to other hiking routes that take longer. Another advantage that makes Marangu one of the easiest routes is the comfortable arrangement whereby hikers sleep in comfortable dormitory huts not found on other routes where hikers sleep in tents throughout the hike. If you have not been living at higher altitudes for some years, then the Marangu route is not for you.
Machame Route
The Machame route, also known as the Whisky route, offers the best acclimatization because three of its campsites are located at the same altitude level. It should be noted that acclimatization is a very important aspect of Mount Kilimanjaro. As you climb higher, your body needs to adapt to new oxygen levels at higher altitudes, which can be done by hiking high and sleeping low, which the Machame route offers. However, if you are not physically fit and don’t have past hiking experience, then you shouldn’t use the Machame route because of its level of difficulty. But the views on the route are also superb.
In conclusion, all routes on Mount Kilimanjaro have their own advantages and disadvantages. You need to choose a route wisely in order to have a successful summit rate, considering your level of fitness, ability to acclimatize, and the level of difficulty while hiking.
Rongai Route
The Rongai route is also considered one of the easiest routes for hiking Mount Kilimanjaro as it offers easy acclimatization. Although the hike is not very scenic, it descends via the Marangu route, giving hikers an opportunity to view the mountain from different angles.