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Mt Kilimanjaro rises imposingly from the rolling plains
of East Africa over three vertical miles below. The
highest mountain in Africa and the tallest freestanding
mountain in the world, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is
the ultimate experience for every mountaineer and trekker
in the world.
The beauty of Mt. Kilimanjaro is that it can be enjoyed
by everyone. Located at the north/eastern tip of Tanzania,
its 5,895m Peak is the highest place on earth reachable
without technical climbing equipment. With nine separate
routes to reach the summit, the snow capped Uhuru Peak
glimmering in the sun is within achievable reach for
climbers, hikers and adventurous people of all abilities.
If you are looking for the more extreme experience,
an intensely challenging climb, and sleeping in caves
then the Umbwe route is for you. However for those with
a little more love for their bed there is the Maragu
route, a direct line to the summit lined with huts and
shops, you can even buy a beer to sip while watching
the breathtaking sunset.
It is a giant stratovolcano, currently not active,
with fumaroles that emit gas in the crater on the main
summit of Kibo. Imagine traversing from cultivated lower
slopes, through tropical Rain Forest, across the Savannah,
up Alpine Dessert and reaching the Ice capped summit.
Home to an enormous diversity of wildlife, from buffalo’s
to jackals, even a frozen leopard in the highest slopes.
Standing on the ‘Roof of Africa’, watching
dawn break over our world, is what can only be described
as a truly awe-inspiring experience.
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Climate
With exception of the two rainy seasons, from April
to June and in November, Mt Kilimanjaro provides an
exciting Mecca of weather almost all year round. From
30°C to -25°C at night you will need to be prepared
for all eventualities
Mid-December, Jan, Feb and March are the warmest months,
almost clear of clouds. April and early May could get
heavy rain or snow, but is good if you want a quiet
clear mountain. By late June, July and through August
it can be very cold at night but the sky is clear above
3000 metres so there are great views. Through September
and October it gets steadily warmer. October is particularly
good if you want little or no rain, mild weather and
few people on the mountain. November to mid-December
is the short rains season. Possibly afternoon thunderstorms
but tends to clear in evening with good views at night
and mornings. There can be heavy snow towards the summit.
Which is snow capped all year round. The weather on
and around Kilimanjaro is highly changeable and you
should be prepared to experience very changeable weather
at any time of the year.
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When to Climb
 Kilimanjaro can be trekked all year, with advantages
and disadvantages each month. In particular, Christmas
and New Year are usually fully booked and there are
two rainy seasons which are best avoided, April - May
and November.
Best Times to Visit Tanzania:
Northern Tanzania
July through October; December through March
Southern Tanzania
June through October
Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia
July through October; December through March
Western Tanzania
May through October
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Who can climb Kilimanjaro?
Kilimanjaro is the highest peak reachable without any
technical climbing equipment which means that it is
a possibility for anyone to successfully reach the summit.
Having said that it is by no means an walk in the park,
all Kilimanjaro treks are challenging and you will need
a good level of fitness. This is a camping trip and
although it is well equipped bathroom facilities are
limited and you need to be comfortable with not having
a shower. You will need to prepare for very variable
temperatures, from hot to extremely cold.
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Standing on the Roof of Africa
Is truly an unforgettable experience. From the summit
of Kilimanjaro, "The roof of Africa",
you can see 200 miles in all directions. It is so
high that you can even see the curvature of the earth,
something most people will never see.
At the summit, there is a sign posted by the Tanzanian
government. The sign reads "Congratulations!
You are now at Uhuru Peak, Tanzania, 5,895 metres Africa's
Highest Point. World's Highest Free-Standing Mountain.
One of World's Largest Volcano. Welcome." The
sign is covered in travel stickers from past trekkers
who have left their mark on the top of the peak.
Near this famous sign is a box containing a log that
many climbers have signed. Don’t forget to
take your sticker!
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Which route to take?
Marangu Route
The main tourist route
and by far the most popular route and some claim the
easiest route to Uhuru Peak.,
known as the ‘Coca-cola’ route. This is
the only route, which provides comfortable sleeping
huts, equipped with beds and mattresses at every campsite.
Mineral water, soft drinks, beer and chocolates are
also sold at every camp. All the camps on this route
have radio contact with the Park Headquarters. Marangu
is very busy but no longer has the highest traffic
on
the mountain. It does have the disadvantage of being
the only route which goes up and back the same way.
But traffic on Marangu remains high and the effect
of
this traffic is doubled by the two way nature of the
path, so it still seems the most crowded route.
Machame Route
 This is probably the most scenic and most beautiful
route to the summit. The day walks are longer and steeper.
The scenic traverse of the Western Breach offers some
stunning views! Only tented accommodation is available,
which can be less comfortable and will require a good
sleeping bag and hiking mattress. This route is for
climbers who are very confident about their fitness,
not worried about the high traffic levels and happy
to camp out in adverse conditions. It does now have
the highest traffic of all routes on the mountain climbs
and is best avoided in peak times and in the rainy season.
Umbwe Route
This route is one of the shorter but also one of the
more difficult routes to reach Uhuru peak. However it
can be quiet spectacular. Umbwe particularly well known
for its caves. The first night you actually sleep at
the Umbwe Cave Camp with two more caves that can be
visited on route the following day. It is also sometimes
used as a descending route.
Shira Route
The Shira Plateau is one of the most scenic and most
fascinating areas on Kilimanjaro. Depending on the weather
conditions you can drive by 4 wheel drive vehicles,
to within a 1/2 hours walk of Shira Hut (4000m). Even
this drive is very spectacular indeed and offers some
magnificent views of Mt Meru and the Great Rift Valley
in general. Game is often sighted and the road features
some striking vegetation changes ranging from forest,
grassland, heath to moorland. The fast ascend by vehicle
to about 4000m will require additional acclimatisation,
after which it will be possible to ascend Uhuru Peak
either via the Western Breach or via the Barafu hut.
Mweka Route
This route can only be use as a descending route for
all the western routes.
Lemosho Route
It is a remote, unspoiled and very beautiful route to
the summit. The forest around the Lemosho Glades is
rich in big game animals such as elephant and buffalo,
which may sometimes require a game ranger to accompany
climbers on the first day. This route is however a long
route which requires 7-days for a comfortable completion,
which also makes it more expensive.
Rongai (Naro Moru) Route
You can start this route from both the Tanzanian side
of the border or from Rongai in Kenya, but all park
fees and arrangements must be made at the Marangu gate.
The route may only be used for ascend and the Marangu
route must be used for descend. There are several big
caves along the route, which are used by the porters
overnight for the first two nights. This lesser known
track may not be quite as spectacular as the western
routes, but it does usually have far lower traffic than
the other routes. It is generally considered to be the
easiest of the quality routes on the mountain. Rongai
has the lowest traffic of any non-specialist five night
routes and passes through a genuinely remote wilderness
are for the first few days.
Western Breach / Arrow Glacier
An alternative final ascend route which can be taken
from all of the western routes, sleeping at magnificent
Arrow Glacier on your summit night. The western Breach
poses a very difficult walk up steep scree with some
rock scrambling occasionally required. Snow cover makes
scree easier but an ice axe is then required. It is
also possible to sleep an extra night inside the Kibo
Crater!
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Visas for Tanzania
You must obtain a visa in advance
to enter the United Republic of Tanzania, particularly
if you
are proceeding to Tanzania from a country where there
is a Tanzanian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate
to issue visas.
Certain visitors, however, who proceed to United Republic
of Tanzania from a country where there is NO Tanzanian
Embassy, High Commission or Consulate to issue a visa,
nor can they easily obtain such a visa from a nearest
Tanzania Visa Office in their region, can proceed to
Tanzania and obtain a visa at one of the four point
of entries in Tanzania. These are:
- Dar-es-Salaam International Airport, i.e. DIA
- Kilimanjaro International Airport, i.e. KIA
- Zanzibar International Airport, i.e. ZIA
- Namanga boarder crossing point, between Tanzania and
Kenya.
British residents require a visa in order to enter
Tanzania. The Visa Section of the Tanzania High Commission
in London is open from 10:00-12:30 Monday- Friday, and
can be contacted by calling 0207 408 4063 for all visa
applications logged at the High Commission in person
and on 0207 408 4078 for all postal visa applicants
or:
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How Much Does it Cost?
International Flights
Flights will cost from £550-850 ($935-$1450) depending
on season and availability (about £650 ($1100)
is most usual).
Internal Flights
Dar es Salaam - Arusha: £120 ($200) one way.
Nairobi - Kilimanjaro: £35 ($60) one way.
Trekking with an organised group will cost you anything
from about £200 to about £1500. Some treks
include flights others don’t check the included
extra’s before necessarily settling for the cheapest.
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People
 The history of human habitation in Tanzania goes back
almost two million years. There is evidence that communities
along the Tanzanian coast were engaging in overseas
trade by the beginning of the first millennium AD. By
900 AD those communities had attracted immigrants from
India as well as from southwest Asia, and direct trade
extended as far as China. When the Portuguese arrived
at the end of the 15th century, they found a major trade
center at Kilwa Kisiwani, which they promptly subjugated
and then sacked. The Portuguese were expelled from the
region in 1698, after Kilwa enlisted the help of Omani
Arabs. The Omani dynasty of the Bu Said replaced the
region's Yarubi leaders in 1741, and they proceeded
to further develop trade. It was during this time that
Zanzibar gained its legendary status as a center for
the ivory and slave trade, becoming in 1841 the capital
city of the sultan of Oman.
In Tanzania's interior, at about the same time, the
cattle-grazing Maasai migrated south from Kenya into
central Tanzania. Soon afterward the great age of European
exploration of the African continent began, and with
it came colonial domination. Tanzania fell under German
control in 1886, but was handed over to Britain after
WWI. Present day Tanzania is the result of a merger
between the mainland (previously Tanganyika) and Zanzibar
in 1964, after both had gained independence. Tanzania
has like many African nations experienced considerable
strife since independence, and its economy is extremely
weak. However, political stability does appear to have
been established in recent years.
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Kit List – Kilimanjaro
You will need three bags with you for the trek:
Day Sack to carry daily items (camera, sun cream, waterproofs
etc)
Kit Bag for the porters to carry your clothes and sleeping
bag e.tc up the mountain. Ideally a soft sports bag
preferably waterproof.
Spare small kit bag to leave any excess clothing at
the hotel.
Equipment:
Hiking Boots – make sure they are well worn in
and must be waterproof.
Lightweight shoes - to wear in the evening, before and
after trek.
Sleeping bag and Inner sheet – 5 degrees or more
"Therm–a-rest" Mattress
Sunscreen – at least factor 15
Water Bottle – at least 2 litre capacity, bring
Purifying tablets
Waterproofs – Trousers, Jacket and Gaiters (Breathable,
Jacket must have a hood )
Sun Hat
Towel ( small)
Pocket Knife
Sunglasses
Torch
Toiletries ( including Lip protection and toilet paper)
Medical Kit
Camera
Rubbish Bags - sufficient to wrap ALL your clothes INSIDE
to protect against he rain - at least 10 of each!
Trail 'munchies' - bring along your favourites - chocolates,
nuts, etc.
Clothes
Cotton Shorts
T- Shirts
Warm Clothes that can be layered ( gloves / hat / fleece
/ thermal underwear/scarf)
Trousers – lightweight for colder days
Useful Links
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