Walking ascent routes of Mount Kilimanjaro (part 5)

Umbwe Route

This route is the hardest but most spectacular and direct way to reach Uhuru Peak. Extra days can be added to the itinerary to explore or relax along the route or to camp in the Karanga River valley.

Accommodation on the mountain is in tents; you will need a sleeping bag.

Outline Programme

1. Drive to the Umbwe Roadhead at 1800m. The route initially follows a forestry track winding up through the natural rain forest. It then narrows and steepens to climb the ridge between the Lonzo and Umbwe rivers. The first campsite is in the forest by some rock overhangs at 2940m, (5-6 hours walking).
2. Shortly after leaving the camp the forest ends and the path continues along a narrow spectacular ridge. Above, the sheer 1000m of the Breach Wall appears and disappears as the afternoon mists roll up the Great Barranco. From the Umbwe ridge the route descends slightly to the Barranco Hut and our camp in the valley floor at 3900m, (5-6 hours walking).
3. A short scramble to the top of the Great Barranco and then a traverse over scree and ridges to the Karanga Valley (4000m, 3 hours), beneath the icefalls of the Heim, Kersten and Decken Glaciers.
4. After climbing out of the Karanga Valley the trail ascends a ridge to the Barafu Hut, a bleak location with little vegetation at 4600m, (3 hours walking).
5. An early start for the ascent to the rim of the Kibo Crater between the Rebmann and Ratzel Glaciers, (4 hours); the last section before the rim can sometimes be snow-covered and an ice-axe or ski stick is useful for balance. From here a further hour leads to Uhuru Peak, from where there are often fine views of Meru to the west and the jagged peak of Mawenzi to the east. After a short time on the summit you descend to the Barafu Hut for a rest and lunch before continuing on down to camp at Mweka Hut in the giant heather zone on the Mweka route.
6. A 3-4 hour descent through beautiful forest brings you to the Park gate.

Walking ascent routes of Mount Kilimanjaro (part 4)

Rongai Route

After the Marangu Route this is the second easiest route to take to ascend Kilimanjaro. From the summit glaciers, screes, cliffs, afro-alpine moorland then forests lead down to the cultivated foothills. The Rongai route takes you at a gentle pace through these dramatically different zones.

The Rongai Route was formerly used by the Oloitokitok Outard Bound school. Now access from Kenya is virtually impossible and the route involves 4 hour drive from Moshi to Nare Moru town. Shortly beyond lies the Park Gate at about 2150m. The route can be done in 6 days going directly to Kibo Hut from where the final ascent is made or a more beautiful alternative is to do it in 7 days going to Kibo Hut via Mawenzi Tarn Hut. The latter route can be done in 6 days by a very strong group. Accommodation throughout is in tents.

For the ascent to Uhuru Peak from Kibo Hut a very early start is made since the scree is easier to climb when frozen and the views from the crater rim at dawn can be spectacular. Ski sticks are useful when ascending the scree to the summit.

This is a tough walking trip but within the limits of a fit individual used to walking in mountain areas.

Outline Programme Via Mawenzi Tarn 6 day programme - recommended

1. Drive 4 hours to the Rongai Gate. Walk to Simba Camp at 2650m, 2½-3 hrs. The walk is initially through plantations then rain forest and finally bush country.
2. Walk to 2nd Cave at 3450m, 3½ hrs. A gentle day through bush then heathers.
3. Gentle rising traverse through moorland over several ridges to Kikelea Caves, 3600m, 3 hours.
4. Moorland then screes to Mawenzi Tarn Hut, 4330m, 3-3½ hrs.
5. Easy angled screes slopes lead across the Saddle to Kibo Hut, 4700m, 4½-5 hrs.
6. Very early start for the summit on steep scree up to Gillman's Point (5681m) which is on the crater rim. Continue around the rim (which will take about two hours if you are fit) to Uhuru Peak (5895m) the highest point in Africa. Descend to Kibo Hut for tea and biscuits or soup and then down to the thicker air an relative warmth of Horombo hut.
7. Descend to Marangu gate.

This route can be ascended omitting 2nd Cave making the second day long and quite demanding.

Walking ascent routes of Mount Kilimanjaro (part 3)

Marangu Route

This is the easiest route to take to ascend Kilimanjaro. It crosses The Saddle, a 5km wide, high-altitude, semi-desert that separates craggy Mawenzi from Kibo - the main summit. From the summit glaciers, screes, cliffs, afro-alpine moorland then forests lead down to the cultivated foothills. The Marangu route takes you at a gentle pace through these dramatically different zones.

For the ascent to Uhuru Peak from Kibo Hut a very early start is made since the scree is easier to climb when frozen and the views from the crater rim at dawn can be spectacular.

Ski sticks are useful when ascending the scree to the summit. Accommodation on the mountain is in comfortable huts you will require a sleeping bag, a mat is provided.

This is a tough walking trip but within the limits of a fit individual used to walking in mountain areas. An extra day for acclimatisation to the altitude can be spent at Horombo. From Horombo there are various walks to enjoy.

Outline Programme

1. Drive to Marangu Gate. Walk through the rain forest to Mandara hut (2743m), about 3 hours.
2. Leave the forest and cross open moor land to Horombo hut (3760m).
3. Rest and acclimatisation day at Horombo Hut. Day walk to Zebra Rocks or to Mawenzi Hut. This day can be missed out making a 5 day itinerary.
4. Walk through moorland then alpine desert to "The Saddle" between the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo. From here you will walk for about an hour to reach Kibo hut (4730m).
5. Very early start for the summit on steep scree up to Gillman's Point (5681m) which is on the crater rim. Continue around the rim (which will take about two hours if you are fit) to Uhuru Peak (5895m) the highest point in Africa. Descend to Kibo Hut for tea and biscuits or soup and then down to the thicker air an relative warmth of Horombo hut.
6. Descend to Marangu gate.

Walking ascent routes of Mount Kilimanjaro (part 2)

Machame route

The Machame route as of 2006 is described here. The route is typically done on a six or seven day hike.

The campsites and gates (with corresponding elevations) are as follows:

* Machame Gate (start of trek) (5718 ft/1738 m)
* Machame (9927 ft/3018 m)
* Shira (12355 ft/3756 m)
* Barranco (13066 ft/3972 m)
* Karanga (optional camp, used by 6-day climbers)
* Barafu (high camp before summit) (15239 ft/4633 m)
* Mweka (descent) (10204 ft/3102 m)
* Mweka Gate (end of trek) (5423 ft/1649 m)

(The given altitudes are sourced from a GPS device and are accurate to a few hundred feet)

One benefit of the Machame route is its quick rise to relatively high elevations (~10,000 ft/~3,040 metres), and a short ascent to the Lava Tower site (~15,000 ft/~4,560 m) before descending back to Barranco Camp (12,700 ft/3,870 m) on the same day. This follows the climber's adage 'climb high, sleep low', and helps altitude acclimatization. The initial steep ascent also helps climbers acclimatise better.

The Machame route starts from Machame Gate and travels upwards through the montane rainforest, characterized by dense vegetation, a muddy trail and short sections of steep climbs. The first campsite, Machame Camp, is right after the dense tree cover in an area with lower but still thick bushlands.

The second day continues through increasingly sparse trees and bushes into moorlands. Picturesque hanging mosses often cover trees and offer an ethereal quality to the landscape. The day finishes with Shira Camp, which is on a small plateau in the high moorlands, and features views of Kibo in the northwest and Mount Meru towards the east. White necked ravens can be seen throughout the day. There is also a set of small caves a short walk from the campsite known as the Shira Caves.

The third day starts in the moorlands and moves into alpine desert, with fewer trees and more rocks. The highest point is the base of the Lava Tower, after which the trail descends into the Barranco Valley. More vegetation is present in this zone, especially the area just before the campsite. This area is called the 'Garden of the Senecias' which features many of the huge senecio plants. Shorter lobelia plants are also present.

The fourth day starts with the ascent of the Barranco Wall, which is considered a scramble in climbing terms. The top of the Wall has attractive vistas of Kibo and the surrounding landscape. The trail continues with many up and down sections across small streams and rivulets, and finally crosses the Karanga River to the Karanga campsite.

The fifth day follows the path up and across a rocky zone, finishing at the high camp Barafu. Very little vegetation can be found on the inhospitable terrain. A field of sedimentary rocks litters the ground like many broken mirrors. (Note - the six day trek omits the Karanga campsite, and climbers continue directly to Barafu on the same day.)

The summit is usually attempted on the very early morning of the 6th day (around midnight). Barafu is also used as a summit campsite for the Umbwe route. Climbers typically take somewhere between five and seven hours to ascend, using headlamps and cold weather gear. Making the ascent on a full moon or shortly thereafter can make the headtorch unnecessary and the night ascent a beautiful experience. The first milestone, geherally reached shortly after dawn, is Stella Point (18,652 ft/5,685 m), which is on the crater rim. Following Stella Point, the trail continues for another 30 mins to the summit - Uhuru Peak.

The descent back to Barafu takes roughly four hours. Some climbers 'scree slide' down the slope, which entails skidding/running down the loose gravel at medium speed. From Barafu, climbers typically take a short break, and continue downwards through the alpine desert and ensuing moorlands to Mweka Camp.

The seventh and final day has trekkers continue through the montane forest to Mweka Gate. Troops of black-and-white colobus monkeys can often be seen in the dense growth.

Walking ascent routes of Mount Kilimanjaro (part 1)

Lemosho Route

This is an unspoilt, remote, less-used and beautiful way up to the Shira Plateau. It can either be used to gain the Western Breach route or followed by the Kibo South Circuit to ascend by the easier Barafu Route. The route is one of the few where groups may be accompanied on the first day by an armed ranger as the forests around the Lemosho Glades are rich in buffalo, elephant and other big game animals.


The standard route takes 7 days on the mountain; however since the route is quite long a party wishing to ascend more slowly can comfortably take 8 days on the mountain by camping at Karanga Valley before going on to Barafu.

Outline Programme

1. Drive from Moshi or Arusha to Londorossi Park Gate (2250m, 2 hours). From here a forest track requiring a 4WD vehicle leads to Lemosho Glades (2100m, 11km, 45 minutes) and a possible campsite (park fees are not paid to camp here). Walk along forest trails to Mti Mkubwa (big tree) campsite, (2750m, 3 hours).
2. The trail gradually steepens and enters the giant heather moorland zone. Several streams are crossed then it gains the Shira Ridge at about 3600m and drops gently down to Shira 1 camp located by a stream on the Shira Plateau (3500m, 5 hours). This campsite could be omitted.
3. A gentle walk across the plateau leads to Shira 2 camp on moorland meadows by a stream (3850m, 1.5 hours). A variety of walks are available on the Plateau making this an excellent acclimatisation day.
4. Continue east towards Kibo passing the junction, then east towards the Lava Tower. Shortly after this, you descend to Barranco hut (3940m, 4 hours).
5. A short scramble to the top of the Great Barranco and then a traverse over scree and ridges to the Karanga Valley (4000m, 3 hours), beneath the icefalls of the Heim, Kersten and Decken Glaciers. After climbing out of the Karanga Valley the trail ascends a ridge to the Barafu Hut, a bleak location with little vegetation at 4600m, (3 hours walking).
6. An early start for the ascent to the rim of the Kibo Crater between the Rebmann and Ratzel Glaciers, (4 hours); the last section before the rim can sometimes be snow-covered and an ice-axe or ski stick is useful for balance. From here a further hour leads to Uhuru Peak, from where there are often fine views of Meru to the west and the jagged peak of Mawenzi to the east. Descend to the Barafu Hut for a rest and lunch before continuing on down to camp at Mweka Hut in the giant heather zone on the forest edge. Those with energy on the summit may wish to descend to the Reutsh Crater and visit the dramatic ice pinnacles of the Eastern Icefields.
7. A 3-4 hour descent through beautiful forest brings you to the Park gate and your waiting transport.

This is a strenuous walking trip but within the limits of a fit individual used to walking in mountain areas. Ski sticks or ice-axe are useful when ascending the scree to the summit.

Planning an ascent in Mount Kilimanjaro

Many companies worldwide offer Kilimanjaro treks. Ultimately all of them rely on Tanzanian operator as only they are officially allowed to make the ascent arrangements and purchase the entry permits. All of them also rely on local guides and porters to accompany groups or individuals. It is strongly advised to make arrangements in advance with an accredited outfitter and to avoid making last-minute arrangements on arrival in Moshi or Arusha where you could be approached by rogue traders.

Records of Mount Kilimanjaro

The youngest person on record to ever reach the summit was Ryan J. Eckert, a 12 year old American boy living in Nigeria. He reached the top at age 12 with his father and older brother on August 16, 2005.

Current conditions

While the volcano appears to be dormant on the inside, events on top of the mountain draw global attention. The top of the mountain has seen a retreat of the most recent covering of glaciers, with the most recent ice cap volume dropping by more than 80% . In 2002, a study led by Ohio State University ice core paleoclimatologist Lonnie Thompson predicted that ice on top of Africa's tallest peak would be gone between 2015 and 2020 . In 2007, a team of Austrian scientists from University of Innsbruck predicted that the plateau ice cap will be gone by 2040, but some ice on the slope will remain longer due to local weather conditions . A comparison of ice core records suggests conditions today are returning to those of 11,000 years ago. A study by Philip Mote of the University of Washington in the United States and Georg Kaser of the University of Innsbruck in Austria concludes that the shrinking of Kilimanjaro's ice cap is not directly due to rising temperature but rather to decreased precipitation. As of January 2006, the Western Breach route has been closed by the Tanzanian government following a rockslide that killed four people at Arrow Glacier Camp.[citation needed] The rockslide is believed to have been caused by frost action in an area that is no longer permanently frozen.

After the Western Breach route was closed in January 2006, many expeditions that had intended to use this route have instead used the Lemosho/Barafu route. As the Western Breach route, this route starts to the west and goes up the Shira Ridge towards Lava Tower. Instead of going up to Arrow Glacier camp and the breach, however, this route goes around the southern edge of Kili towards Barafu Camp. From Barafu Camp, around 15,200 feet (4,633 m) altitude, a nighttime summit is usually attempted. As of December 2007, the Western Breach was re-opened, but it sparsely used by Kilimanjaro outfitters due to its inherent risks.

Description of Mount Kilimanjaro

The highest point is Uhuru Peak on the volcano Kibo, 5,895 metres (19,341 ft). Kibo has a 1.5 mile wide crater on the top of it. As the highest point in Africa, Uhuru Peak is one of the Seven Summits. The summit was first reached by the Marangu army scout, Yohanas Kinyala Lauwo, German Hans Meyer and Austrian Ludwig Purtscheller, on October 6, 1889. Two other peaks are also extinct volcanoes: Mawenzi (5,149 m, 16,890 ft), the third highest peak in Africa (after Mount Kenya) and Shira (3,962 m, 13,000 ft). Yohanas' Notch is named after Lauwo.

An ascent of Mawenzi requires rock climbing and/or snow/ice climbing skills. The climb to Uhuru Peak is considered to be a relatively straightforward endeavour; however, ample time must still be provided for proper acclimatization to prevent altitude sickness. The three shortest routes, Marangu, Rongai and Machame can be climbed by a person of good health and limited mountaineering experience. Many who climb employ altitude-sickness medication and find this to be helpful in preventing the pounding headaches that plague many travellers. Those who travel on the Marangu route usually take four to five days to complete their climb. Huts with cooking facilities, bathrooms, and electricity are available at the end of each day's journey. The huts are Mandara, Horombo and Kibo, located at approximately 2700m.a.sl., 3700m.a.s.l. and 4,500m.a.s.l. respectively. All huts have rangers stationed at them with rescue facilities (modified wheelbarrows to transport climbers stricken with altitude sickness to lower altitudes).

The final part of the climb, from Kibo hut at 15,500 ft (4,720 m) to the summit, is generally undertaken at night, because the scree is frozen together, making the climb significantly easier. Gilman's Point, on the rim of the crater but about a 1½ hour hike from Uhuru, is attained at 5:00 - 6:00 am; those who have the strength to continue may then hike on to Uhuru in the growing sunlight and rising temperatures. Another route is the Western Breach, which is much more technical in nature. Annually, approximately 15,000 people attempt to climb the mountain, of whom 40% reach the summit.

At the summit, there is a sign posted by the Tanzanian government. The sign (printed in English only) reads "Congratulations! You are now at Uhuru Peak, Tanzania, 5,895 m. AMSL. Africa's Highest Point. World's Highest Free-Standing Mountain. One of World's Largest Volcanos. 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. As of January 2007 this box has either been removed or buried.

Due to the mountain's equatorial location as well as its high elevation, climbers can experience almost every climate type on earth during the journey to the top. It is also known to many for its year round snow-topped summit.

The summit of Kilimanjaro is covered by a GSM mobile phone network, provided by Vodacom. It lost its claim as the highest point in the world with mobile phone service, as China Mobile now provides coverage at the top of Mt. Everest, the highest point in the world.

Name

It is unknown where the name Kilimanjaro comes from, but a number of theories exist. European explorers had adopted it by 1860 and reported that it was its Swahili name, assuming that Kilimanjaro breaks up into Kilima (Swahili for "hill, little mountain") and Njaro, whose supposed origin varies according to the theory—for some it's an ancient Swahili word for white or for shining, while for others it has non-Swahili origin, e.g. Kichagga word jaro meaning caravan. The problem with all these theories is that they can't explain why the diminutive kilima is used instead of the proper word for mountain, mlima. A different approach is to assume that it comes from Kichagga kilemanjaare or kilemajyaro meaning "which defeats the bird/leopard/caravan". However this theory can't explain the fact that the name Kilimanjaro was not used in Kichagga before European exploration in the mid-1800s.

In the 1880s the mountain, called Kilimandscharo in German, became a part of German East Africa after Karl Peters had persuaded local chiefs to sign treaties (a common story that Queen Victoria gave the mountain to Kaiser Wilhelm II is not true). In 1889 Uhuru Peak on Kibo was named Kaiser-Wilhelm-Spitze, which was used in the German Empire until its defeat in 1918, when the territory became British-administered Tanganyika and the name was dropped.


While it is inactive, Kilimanjaro has fumaroles that emit gas in the crater on the main summit of Kibo. Scientists concluded in 2003 that molten magma is just 400 metres (1,300 ft) below the summit crater. Although new activity is not expected, there are fears the volcano may collapse[citation needed], causing a major eruption similar to the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. Several collapses and landslides have occurred on Kibo in the past, one creating the area known as the western breach. Although there is no recorded history of eruptions, local legend speaks of activity around 170 years ago.

Mount Kilimanjaro

Elevation 5,895 metres (19,341 ft)
Location Tanzania
Prominence 5,885 m (19,308 ft) Ranked 4th
Coordinates 03°04′33″S 37°21′12″E / -3.07583, 37.35333Coordinate: 03°04′33″S 37°21′12″E / -3.07583, 37.35333
Type Stratovolcano
Last eruption None in recorded history
First ascent 1889 by Hans Meyer, Ludwig Purtscheller, Yohanas Kinyala Lauwo
Easiest route hike

Kilimanjaro with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is an inactive stratovolcano in north-eastern Tanzania. Depending on definition, Kilimanjaro may be considered as having anywhere from the tallest to the fourth tallest free-standing mountain rise in the world, rising 4,600 m (15,100 ft) from its base, and includes the highest peak in Africa at 5,895 meters (19,340 ft), providing a dramatic view from the surrounding plains.