Kilimanjaro is a trek, not a technical climb. You need no ropes or climbing experience, and people of many ages and fitness levels reach the top every year. It is still hard. The difficulty comes from the altitude, the long summit night and the cold, not from the walking itself.
Altitude is the main challenge
Uhuru Peak is 5,895 metres high. At the summit there is roughly half the oxygen available at sea level. Almost everyone feels it: headaches, breathlessness, poor sleep and a loss of appetite are common above 4,000 metres. How well your body adjusts has little to do with fitness. Fit young climbers sometimes struggle more because they walk too fast.
The single biggest factor is time. Longer routes give your body more days to adjust. Read our guide to altitude sickness on Kilimanjaro.
Summit night
The final climb usually starts around midnight from a camp at about 4,600–4,700 metres. You walk slowly in the dark and cold for six to eight hours to the crater rim, then on to Uhuru Peak, and then descend for several more hours. Temperatures at night can fall to -10°C or lower with wind. This is the hardest part of the climb for nearly everyone.
The rest of the walking
Most days involve four to seven hours of walking at a slow pace, with breaks. The trails are mostly well defined. A few sections are steeper, such as the Barranco Wall on the Machame and Lemosho routes, which involves easy scrambling with your hands.
How fit do you need to be?
You should be able to walk for six hours on hilly ground and do it again the next day. Regular hiking, stairs and cardio training in the months before the climb make the trek more enjoyable. See how to train for Kilimanjaro.
How to improve your chances
- Choose seven days or more on the mountain.
- Walk slowly. Guides repeat “pole pole”, slowly slowly, for good reason.
- Drink three to four litres of water a day and keep eating, even without appetite.
- Tell your guide how you feel at every health check.
- Pack properly for the cold. Our Kilimanjaro packing list covers it.
Our eight-day Lemosho Route and nine-day Northern Circuit give the most time to acclimatise.
Frequently asked questions
No. All the main routes are treks. The Barranco Wall needs some easy use of your hands, but no ropes or technical skills.
Summit night: a slow climb of six to eight hours in the dark and cold to 5,895 metres, followed by a long descent.
Yes, with good preparation, a route of seven days or more and a slow pace. Many first-time trekkers reach the summit.
