Kilimanjaro doesn't require technical climbing skill, but it does require picking the right route, because summit success rates vary hugely by how many days you spend acclimatising.
Popular routes
- Marangu (5–6 days): hut accommodation, fastest and cheapest, lowest success rate
- Machame (6–7 days): the most popular route, good scenery, solid acclimatisation
- Lemosho (7–8 days): longest approach, best acclimatisation, highest success rates
Budget for $2,000–4,000 depending on route length and operator quality — park fees, guides, porters, and camping equipment make up the bulk of it. As a rule, every extra acclimatisation day roughly doubles your odds of standing on Uhuru Peak.