Understanding each of Kilimanjaro's several established routes is worthwhile before you pick one, because their characters differ. Machame is the most popular, mainly thanks to its scenery, and it's typically a 6 to 7 day climb: long enough for solid acclimatization, yet not an especially long trip.
Marangu is the only route that puts you in huts rather than tents, which some climbers find more comfortable. Bear in mind that it also has a lower summit success rate, which is generally blamed on its shorter standard length and less gradual acclimatization profile.
Lemosho gives the longest, most gradual ascent of the main routes. That usually means better acclimatization and a correspondingly higher summit success rate, so it's often our default recommendation when the odds of summiting matter more than trip length.
Our full guide to route length and success rates goes deeper, and our Kilimanjaro packages can be browsed by route.
