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Climb up the roof of Africa.
Snows of Kilimanjaro.
Snows of Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the most impressive sights in Africa and climbing it is one of the all-time great achievements. It’s the largest freestanding mountain in the world and the trek encompasses terrains from jungle to glacier. Reaching the summit and watching the sun rise over the vast African plains truly is the experience of a lifetime.
The name Kilimanjaro is believed to come from Swahili, Kilima meaning 'hill or little mountain' and Njaro meaning 'white or shining'.
Why such a low success rate?
Well, the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro is 5,895 meters (19,341 feet) above sea level; an altitude that is aptly categorised in climbing parlance as extreme. As you might have guessed the body does not cope well at very high altitude, let alone extreme altitude, unless it has had lots of time to acclimatise. And herein lies the answer to the question above. Kilimanjaro’s camp profile makes for what is generally considered a very rapid ascent to extreme altitude.
Thousands of trekkers flock to Kilimanjaro every year with the sole aspiration to stand on the Roof of Africa.
A number of factors have led to Kilimanjaro’s popularity; not least that it is the highest mountain on the African continent and one of the Seven Summits that requires no technical climbing skills.
However, it’s seemingly benign reputation for being a ‘very long hike’ leads many trekkers to underestimate its difficulty and have to leave disappointed and ‘summitless’ from the slopes of Kibo. In fact, statistics from Kilimanjaro National Park show that on certain routes as little as 50% of trekkers actually reach Uhuru Peak, the summit of Kilimanjaro.
Over the years, new routes and camps have helped lengthen and flatten the ascent profile, and provided additional opportunities to acclimatise, but as far as high altitude trekking goes, Kilimanjaro is definitely one of the highest ascents that can be completed in such a short period of time.
However, high altitude and low success rates shouldn’t deter you. With the right level of preparation we believe Kilimanjaro can be safely conquered by all types of trekkers – old and young, fit and unfit, abled and even disabled!
Moonlike landscapes.
Kilimanjaro’s main claim to fame is that it is the highest Mountain in Africa. It is also said to be the tallest free-standing mountain in the world.
Mount Kilimanjaro Routes
Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the tallest freestanding mountain on earth. Crowned with an everlasting snow-cap, this majestic mountain can be found inside the Kilimanjaro National Park of Tanzania.
The best times to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro are the driest months of the year, especially Jan/Feb and Aug/Sep. But any time between January and mid March or between June and October offers reasonable chances of good weather on Kilimanjaro.
The Marangu Route
It's called "Tourist Route" for two reasons. One reason is simply its popularity: it makes this climb route somewhat touristy.The Marangu route is also the only climbing route that uses the same path up and down, which contributes to it being the most crowded climb route on Kilimanjaro.
The Marangu route is a comfortable walking path with a very steady, gradual slope (at least until you reach the last camp). This gave the Marangu route a reputation as an "easy" climb route.
The Machame Route
Machame is a more difficult climb in some respects, but it does have much higher success rates than Marangu, especially if you choose the seven day version. (According to estimates about 60% of the climbers on Machame make it to the summit, and over three quarters reach the crater rim.
The Machame route is not technically difficult. It is more strenuous. The trail is often steeper and it involves many ups and downs, crossing a succession of valleys and ridges.
The Rongai Route
The six day version of the Rongai route (via Mawenzi Tarn) is the route of choice for those looking for an easy climb with excellent success rates, but away from the crowds, with great scenery and a wilderness feel to it. It is slightly more expensive.
The Rongai route is the only climb route that approaches Kilimanjaro from the north. The descent is in the south-east via the Marangu route, so you get to see both sides of the mountain.
The Lemosho Route
Like the Shira route, the Lemosho route approaches Kilimanjaro from the west and then joins the Machame route. Hence everything that has been said about the Machame climb route also applies to the Lemosho route.
The first two days on the Lemosho route take you through beautiful and very remote rainforest, with good chances of seeing wildlife. The start of the trail is also known as the Lemosho Glades.
Lemosho is usually a longer trek, seven or eight days, and there are many variations of it. Which one you take depends on the operator. (A really good operator will also time their departure and stagger their camps in a way that avoids the heaviest traffic on the Machame trail.)
The Shira Route
The Shira route approaches Kilimanjaro from the west and then joins the Machame route. Hence everything that has been said about the Machame climb route also applies to the Shira route. Overall, Shira has excellent success rates if the schedule involves a night at Karanga Valley (making for a short and easy day before the summit day). However, the good success rate is partly due to the operators on this route being higher level than on the more crowded routes.
The Umbwe Route
The Umbwe route is not a technical route, but it is a very direct, very steep, very tough, and in parts very exposed route. The Umbwe route joins the Machame route near the Barranco Camp on the second night. On the other routes Barranco Camp is reached on the third or fourth night. Goes to show how much steeper Umbwe is. This is the most difficult and demanding of all Kilimanjaro climb routes. Don't even think about it unless you have experience climbing mountains.
The roof of Africa.
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