Kilimanjaro is not only Africa's highest peak, but also the world's tallest free-standing mountain, visible from all sides and dominating the landscape.
Its majestic massif, made up of three interconnected volcanoes, forms the roof of Africa and culminates in glacier-covered Kibo (= Uhuru Peak) at 5,895 m altitude.

Climbing Kilimanjaro in Tanzania
There are 7 routes to its summit, but the best known are MACHAME , LEMOSHO and MARANGU. 

The Machame way is undoubtedly the best-known and most popular route. Easier than its neighbors, most hikers reach the summit. The route begins with a walk through dense rainforest, and as the days go by, the altitude increases considerably.

This route circles the mountain, offering a wide variety of different landscapes.
The Machame route can be completed in 6 or 7 days (the 7th day is an acclimatization day) and requires good physical condition.

The track MARANGU  is the best equipped, you sleep in huts.
This route has the distinction of being physically the least difficult of all, being the shortest in 5 or 6 days, but the gradient is steep.
More difficult for altitude acclimatization, there's more chance of not being able to reach the summit. We recommend adding an extra day to acclimatize to the altitude.

The Lemosho way is one of Kilimanjaro's most beautiful and complete treks. It has a high success rate, as does the MACHAME route. The Lemosho route starts west of Kilimanjaro. Many beautiful views that you won't see on the other routes. Less frequented on the first few days, the route joins the Machame route on day 4. It lasts between 6 and 8 days. It is similar to the Machame route in terms of physical conditions. One or two extra days of acclimatization are recommended, given the long distances involved.

Vegetation stages / Climatic zones
There are seven main routes to the summit, Uhuru Peak, one of which starts on the north side of the mountain, the rest on the Tanzanian south side. The most varied and, in our opinion, most beautiful route is the Machame route.
What makes the ascent of Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru particularly attractive is the crossing of different altitude zones, where temperature, precipitation and soil type vary greatly, influencing the development of vegetation. On Kilimanjaro, temperature differences can reach 50°C between the foot of the mountain (+25°C) and the summit (-25°C).

Mountain forest
The fog and mountain rainforest zone extends from the entrance to the national park up to around 3,000 meters. Annual rainfall here reaches 2,500 mm, and it is often foggy (hence the name fog forest). Due to the high humidity, lush, species-rich vegetation thrives here, with giant trees up to 40 m tall, overgrown with mosses, lichens and various kinds of ferns, as well as lianas and orchids. The undergrowth is often impenetrable. In this species-rich rainforest, it's possible to observe a variety of animals, including black-and-white stump monkeys (colobus monkeys).

Alpine meadow
The moorland and bog landscape stretches from around 3,000 m to over 4,000 m altitude. It alternates between moorland and boggy landscapes. Tree heathers form dense bushes up to three meters high, covered with bearded lichens. These dense grasses protect the soil from erosion and maintain humidity. Giant lobelias are endemic to this region. Vegetation here is adapted to large temperature differences between day and night. While temperatures still reach 25°C during the day, it regularly freezes at night. Most of the humidity here comes from fog.

Frost-protected area 
In this high mountain zone, between 4,000 m and 5,000 m altitude, there is little precipitation (up to 250 mm) and extreme temperature variations between day (strong sunshine) and night (frost). Grasses and immortals form protective cushions, and in the highest parts, only lichens and mosses demonstrate their art of survival.

Snow Zone
The summit region extends from 5,000 m to almost 6,000 m altitude. Due to glaciation, this area is particularly important as a water reservoir for the people living at the foot of Kibo. Precipitation at this altitude is only 100 mm per year, and as the glacier has already lost around 80% of its former size, we can expect it to disappear soon.