It is the only route that climbs Kilimanjaro from the north, and the quietest on the mountain. In this episode of The Vertical Sky Journal, we climb the Rongai route, the gentle, remote and wonderfully peaceful path to the summit.

In this episode:

• Why Rongai is the only ascent from the northern, Kenyan side
• The farmland, the pine forest and the open moorland beneath the spires of Mawenzi
• The acclimatisation day at Mawenzi Tarn and the crossing of the great lunar saddle
• The summit approach via Gilman's Point, and the descent down the Marangu route
• Why its drier northern approach makes it the route we trust most in the wetter months

Quiet, gentle and gloriously remote, Rongai is the peaceful way to the Roof of Africa. Here is what it is really like, and who it suits best.

The Vertical Sky Journal is brought to you by Vertical Sky, an ethical Kilimanjaro climbing company that climbs the mountain the right way, looking after the guides and porters who make every summit possible.

Prefer to read? There is a full written companion to this episode over in our Journal at vertical-sky.com.

It is the quietest route on the whole mountain, and the one with the very best chance of getting you to the top. In this episode of The Vertical Sky Journal, we walk the Northern Circuit, Kilimanjaro's longest and most remote path to the summit.

In this episode:

• Why the Northern Circuit has the highest success rate of any route
• The remote western start, and the swing around the quiet northern slopes
• The big, empty views towards the plains that most climbers never see
• Why more days on the mountain means better acclimatisation
• The honest trade-off: the finest route on the mountain, if you can spare the time

Remote, peaceful and brilliantly paced for the summit, the Northern Circuit is the thinking climber's choice. Here is what it is really like, and who it suits best.

The Vertical Sky Journal is brought to you by Vertical Sky, an ethical Kilimanjaro climbing company that climbs the mountain the right way, looking after the guides and porters who make every summit possible.

Prefer to read? There is a full written companion to this episode over in our Journal at vertical-sky.com.

Here you go, both pieces for the Machame episode, same shape as the Lemosho ones.

Spotify episode description

It is the most popular route on Kilimanjaro, and the most famous. In this episode of The Vertical Sky Journal, we climb the Machame route, known to many as the Whiskey Route, the spirited, scenic and slightly tougher path to the summit.

In this episode:

• Why Machame became the most travelled route on the mountain
• The rainforest, the moorland and the great Southern Glaciers
• The thrilling Barranco Wall, and the climb to Uhuru Peak
• Where the Whiskey Route nickname really comes from
• Why we always recommend the seven-day version over the six

Dramatic, varied and brilliant value, Machame is the people's champion of Kilimanjaro. Here is what it is really like, and who it suits best.

The Vertical Sky Journal is brought to you by Vertical Sky, an ethical Kilimanjaro climbing company that climbs the mountain the right way, looking after the guides and porters who make every summit possible.

Prefer to read? There is a full written companion to this episode over in our Journal at vertical-sky.com.