Choosing the right route for your climb is very important decision. Seven official routes of Mount Kilimanjaro are: Machame, Marangu, Rongai, Umbwe, Shira, Lemosho, Mweka (used only for descent). 

Route travel times range from five to nine days to summit and return to the base. Huts with cooking facilities, bathrooms, and electricity are available on the Marangu route, and camps with fewer facilities are available on other routes. All huts and camps have rangers with rescue facilities. 

Machame Route: Duration: 6 or 7 days. 

The Machame route is also called the "Whiskey Route". This is one of the most popular routes and one of the best routes to take, both in terms of acclimatization and cost. In certain sections, this route is steeper than Marangu and Rongai route and physically more demanding, but is easier overall. It also has much higher success rates than Marangu route, especially if you choose seven day version. The Machame route is absolutely spectacular: Shira Plateau, Lava Tower, Barranco Wall. You start from the west, circle Kibo on the southern side, and then descend on the Mweka route in the south east. Machame is considered the most scenic Kilimanjaro climbing route. It is very crowded and camping only route. 

Marangu Route: Duration: 5 or 6 days. 

The Marangu Route is jokingly referred to as the "Tourist Route" or "Coca-Cola” Route. It is the only climbing route that uses the same path for ascent and descent and the most crowded climb route on Kilimanjaro. This route is very popular and considered as easy and cheap. However, the route is more difficult due to 'not as good acclimatization profile'. Often selected by inexperienced climbers, because of its reputation for being the "easiest" route, attributing to the lower success rate. Camping is not allowed and this is the only route with mountain huts. 

Rongai Route: Duration: 5 or 6 days. 

The Rongai route is the only climb route that approaches Kilimanjaro from the north. The descent is in the south-east via the Marangu route, so you get to see both sides of the mountain. It is the easiest Kilimanjaro route and very quite one. It offers a true wilderness experience on the early stages of the climb and approaches the mountain from the driest side, so you have the best chances of good weather. Main disadvantages of this route are that it has higher cost due to additional travel to reach the other side, is considered somewhat less scenic and very tough final summit from the north. 

Umbwe Route: Duration: 5 or 6 days. 

Of all the routes, Umbwe route is the most difficult and demanding route on Kilimanjaro and at the same time the most spectacular. This route is not used much and is suitable for people with good mountain climbing experience and who are already well adapted to the altitude. This route is very quiet and short. Also, it is very steep and with lower success rate. 

Shira Route: Duration: 5 or 6 days. 

The Shira route approaches Kilimanjaro from the west and then joins the Machame route. It is for people who are confident in their ability to hike in difficult terrain and camp out for extended periods. It has less traffic but it is a more expensive option. This route catapults you to some serious altitude on the first day. It has excellent success rates if the schedule involves a night at Karanga Valley (making for a short and easy day before the summit day). 

Lemosho Route: Duration: 6 to 8 days. 

Like Shira route, Lemosho route approaches Kilimanjaro from the west and then joins the Machame route. It is one of the most beautiful climb route, but expensive. The first two days on the Lemosho route take you through beautiful and very remote rainforest, with good chances of seeing wildlife. It is very scenic route with high success rates and less crowded on the first days. This route is perfect for people who want a superb wilderness experience and for whom cost is not the main consideration.

 
Mweka Route 

Mweka is the route only used for descent. You will follow it if you climb Kilimanjaro on the Machame, Shira, Lemosho or Umbwe route. All the other routes are using Marangu routes for the descent.  

Northern Circuit Route

This route is new and it is the longest. It takes 8 to 11 days to complete. The route circles around the northern slopes of the mountain and approaches the summit via Gilman's Point before descending on the same route as the Machame and Lemosho.