How Long Does it Take to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro?
Travelers planning to climb Mount Kilimanjaro frequently ask how long does it take to climb Mount Kilimanjaro? It takes five to nine days in order to reach the Mount Kilimanjaro Summit and then descend to the finishing point. The more days spent on Mount Kilimanjaro the more likely you will successfully summit, as you will become more acclimatised to the altitude and will be less fatigued. Trekkers who spend only 5 days have the lowest Summit success rate. Trekkers who spend 8 or 9 days have a much better chance of summiting.
Factors affecting how long it takes to climb Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro is a “walk-up” mountain, meaning there is no technical climbing involved. How long it takes to reach the summit is largely dictated by how well you are able to acclimatize to the lack of oxygen at altitude.
Acclimatization
The main reason why climbers fail to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro is simply that they have not acclimatized to the altitude.
How badly do you want to get to the summit? If you’re serious about completing the climb, the main factor standing in your way is acclimatization.
The good news is that going slow and taking your time, allows your body to gradually adapt to the lack of oxygen.
The more days you spend on the mountain acclimatizing, the better your chances of reaching the top. Trekkers who spend only 5 days on Kilimanjaro have the lowest success rate, while those who spend 8 or 9 days have a much better chance of standing on the Roof of Africa.
How long does it take to climb Mount Kilimanjaro on each route?
There are a total of six different routes you can use to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. The shortest possible way to the summit is by the Marangu or the Umbwe Route. These routes can be completed in 5 days (but we don’t recommend it for most hikers). The longer treks, Lemosho, Machame, Rongai or Northern Circuit route take 6-10 days. The main reason you’d want to take a longer route is to give your body time to acclimatize to the altitude, but there are other considerations as well. Unless you are very fit, covering the same amount of ground in a shorter time-frame can increase your chances of fatigue and injury – and compromise your enjoyment of the environment.
Climbing Kilimanjaro recommends Trekkers who have a flexible schedule to consider a longer route or build-in one or two acclimatization days and have an easier time reaching the summit. Each route is varied in the duration on the mountain, the types of accommodation, the level of difficulty, the type of scenery, and other factors.
The table below lists each route, sorted by the number of days usually taken on each route.
Route | Number of Days | Route Length |
|---|---|---|
| Marangu Route | 5 | 64 kilometres (40 mi) |
| Umbwe Route | 6 | 37 kilometres (23 mi) |
| Rongai Route | 6 or 7 | 65 kilometres (23 mi) |
| Machame Route | 6 or 7 | 49 kilometres (30 mi) |
| Lemosho Route | 7,8 or 9 | 66 kilometres (35 mi) |
| Northern Circuit | 8 or 9 | 66 kilometres (35 mi) |
You can climb Kilimanjaro in 5 or 6 days but is it worth the risk?
You can definitely climb Kilimanjaro in five or six days. Most clients we’ve spoken to are attracted to the shorter routes for these reasons:
- Cost savings
- Lack of vacation time
- Don’t want to hike for so many days
In all Climbing Kilimanjaro combined years of experience as mountain guides and trek organizers, we encourage a longer, steadier climb as it’s safer, and increases our clients’ summit success rate dramatically.
Additionally, giving yourself time to enjoy the unique mountain environment, with adequate rest and recovery, will make for a much more enjoyable experience.