One of the disadvantages of joining a Kilimanjaro group tour is that you may have to adjust your walking speed to that of others. If you’re a faster climber, you may have to adjust your walking pace to that of the slowest. Conversely, the slowest person may feel pressured to walk faster. Tour operators will handle this differently. Some keep the group together at all times, while others allow faster climbers to go ahead with a guide and slower hikers to stay behind with another guide.
Another disadvantage is that pre-scheduled group tours run on a fixed schedule – which may not always be convenient for you.