Which Kilimanjaro Climbing itineraries should beginners avoid?

Many tour operators promote the Marangu 5-day and Machame 6-day treks as recommended options to climb Kilimanjaro. It is because these routes are the cheapest to organize, making them easier to sell.

However, these shorter options are challenging for average hikers. Both itineraries omit a crucial acclimatization day in the middle of the journey, essential for adjusting to high altitudes. As a result, these treks typically have the lowest summit success rates and can be risky for beginners due to insufficient acclimatization time.

Behind these trips are often smaller local tour operators. Many of them have substandard safety practices and amateur guides. When poor acclimatization is combined with these factors, these routes are less safe, especially for those new to high-altitude trekking. Risks include altitude sickness, bad equipment, meals, and lack of professional guidance - the list can go on.

See our recommended Kilimanjaro Trekking Packages

·  10 DAYS KILIMANJARO MARANGU CLIMBING ROUTE & ZANZIBAR BEACH HOLIDAY

·  10 DAYS MOUNT KILIMANJARO ADVENTURE & ZANZIBAR HOLIDAY

·  12 DAYS CLIMBING KILIMANJARO & ZANZIBAR BEACH HOLIDAY

·  12 DAYS CLIMBING KILIMANJARO & ZANZIBAR VACATION

·  8 DAYS MOUNT KILIMANJARO LEMOSHO CLIMBING ROUTE

·  9 DAYS MOUNT KILIMANJARO NORTHERN CIRCUIT WITH CRATER OVERNIGHT

·  8 DAYS MOUNT KILIMANJARO LEMOSHO CLIMBING ROUTE

·  9 DAYS MOUNT KILIMANJARO NORTHERN CIRCUIT WITH CRATER OVERNIGHT

·  CLIMBING MOUNT KILIMANJARO & ZANZIBAR BEACH HOLIDAY IN 12 DAYS

·  KILIMANJARO CLIMBING ADVENTURE & ZANZIBAR BEACH HOLIDAY 10 DAYS

·  KILIMANJARO MACHAME CLIMBING ROUTE & ZANZIBAR BEACH HOLIDAY 10 DAYS

·  KILIMANJARO MARANGU CLIMBING ROUTE & ZANZIBAR BEACH HOLIDAY - 8 DAYS

·  LEMOSHO CLIMBING ROUTE & OVERNIGHT IN THE CRATER 9 DAYS MOUNT KILIMANJARO

·  LEMOSHO CLIMBING ROUTE WITH CRATER OVERNIGHT 8 DAYS MOUNT KILIMANJARO

·  MOUNT KILIMANJARO 7 DAYS LEMOSHO CLIMBING ROUTE

·  MOUNT KILIMANJARO 7 DAYS RONGAI CLIMBING ROUTE

·  MOUNT KILIMANJARO 7 DAYS UMBWE CLIMBING ROUTE

·  MOUNT KILIMANJARO 7DAYS MACHAME CLIMBING ROUTE

·  MOUNT KILIMANJARO NORTHERN CIRCUIT 8 DAYS CLIMBING

·  MOUNT KILIMANJARO CLIMBING, SERENGETI PLAIN & NGORONGORO CRATER 12 DAYS

·  MOUNT KILIMANJARO CLIMBING & ZANZIBAR BEACH HOLIDAY IN 14DAYS LUXURY TOUR

We wrote this guide to help climbers prepare for their once-in-a-lifetime Kilimanjaro adventure. All the recommendations above are the results of our 10+ years of Kilimanjaro experience. Over this time we at Moonlight Tours Expedition have organized Mount Kilimanjaro hiking trips for over 3,000 people.