The final comparison in this series is the closest to our hearts, because these two mountains share a horizon. Mount Meru stands barely seventy kilometres from Kilimanjaro, close enough that from Meru's summit ridge at dawn you watch the sun rise directly behind the Roof of Africa, floating on the clouds across the plain.

Two of the most famous walks on earth, one adventure budget, and a decision that keeps coming up at dinner tables everywhere: the Roof of Africa, or the road to Machu Picchu?

There are six main ways up Kilimanjaro, and choosing between them is the single biggest decision of your climb. It shapes what you see, how busy your trail is, where you sleep, and, more than anything, your chance of standing on the summit.