Umbwe Route

The Umbwe route is one of the shortest but steepest routes to the Southern Glaciers, affording one views of the forests, valleys, magnificent vegetation, and glaciers. However, climbers must be pre-acclimatized prior to attempting this route (especially if one opts to summit via Western Breach) as you gain altitude very quickly over a shorter distance. This, though, does not make the Umbwe Route a technical route up Kilimanjaro—just very physically demanding.

That said, not many climbers opt for this route. As for stats, only a couple of hundred climbers attempt this route a year compared to tens of thousands on the likes of the Machame and Marangu routes. The reward this route offers is not only the physical challenge but also the luxury of trekking in solitude—at least until you meet up with the other trekkers at Barranco Camp. From there, you can opt to follow others around to Barafu or via Western Breach.