It’s hardly surprising that the world’s tallest freestanding mountain is a bucket list experience, but the relative ease of the climb means that it’s on many people’s list.
As a result, routes are often overcrowded, with around 30,000 climbers attempting to summit each year.
Lemosho, which was once considered one of the ‘quieter’ routes, has actually seen an 1100% increase in Google searches worldwide over the last 12 months.
But Kilimanjaro’s newest circuit does actually offer much fewer crowds thanks to its route, which traverses around the remote and rarely-visited north side of the mountain. Not to mention an almost perfect summit rate, unparalleled 360 views of the mountain, and opportunities to see normally shy wildlife!
The Northern Circuit is the newest of the eight established routes for climbing Kilimanjaro. It offers a quieter and more remote experience, even during peak season, as a result of its extended climb, which take 8 or 9 days to summit.
“Often, people will opt for shorter routes due to a lack of vacation time or not wanting to hike or camp for too many days, but those willing to dedicate more time will reap the rewards”, says Justin Mtui, the founder of Climbing Kilimanjaro and has climbed the mountain over 300 times.
Firstly, the Northern Circuit traverses 360 degrees around the mountain and offers the most spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro’s overall scenery. Trekkers can fully immerse themselves in the natural beauty without the distractions of large groups, and the campsites on this route are much less frequented.
“Many people are looking for a more peaceful and remote climbing experience, which can still be found on the less-traveled routes. On the Northern Circuit, trekkers can fully immerse themselves in the natural beauty of Kilimanjaro without the distractions of large groups.”
Another reason that makes the longest route the most attractive is that its lesser-trodden path affords more opportunities to see mountain wildlife. Shy eland and the occasional buffalo come to lick minerals from the natural caves on the high slopes, something that is not typically seen on the high-footfall routes.
What’s more, the Northern Circuit’s 9-day length allows for a slower and more gradual ascent too, which provides better chances for acclimatization and reduces the risk of altitude sickness compared to other shorter and more direct routes.
“It has the highest success rate of any route up the mountain and Climbing Kilimanjaro personally has a summit success rate of over 98%.”
Climbing Kilimanjaro specializes in arranging private and group climbs and has been operating treks for over 15 years. The company focuses on successfully and safely helping their clients to summit by being on the ground and working with local guides.
The Northern Circuit itinerary begins at the Londorossi Gate and follows the Lemosho route for the first few days, making its way up the western flanks of the mountain, passing through the rainforest and climbing onto the the Shira Ridge.
However, rather than sticking to the south side of Kibo, it then turns to the little-used northern trails instead. This means not only getting to hike across the awe-inspiring Shira Plateau, but also catching a glimpse of Kibo Peak and Uhuru Summit along the way too.
Trekkers will make an almost 360-degree hike around Kilimanjaro before summiting from the east.
More information can be found here > https://www.climbing-kilimanjaro.com/northern-circuit-route/
