Mount Kilimanjaro
KILIMANJARO is the highest mountain in Africa and the tallest
freestanding mountain known to man. It is a mountain where you can
hike for more than 90 kilometers, gain 4 000 meters in altitude,
traverse rain forest, moorland, alpine desert, snow fields and ice
cliffs, all virtually on the equator! A truly unforgettable and
fascinating adventure.
Some History
Kilimanjaro has intrigued modern man for the past century. There's
no denying that the human spirit thrives on exploring and conquering
the unknown. Although it was spoken of in the second century, Mount
Kilimanjaro was only "discovered" by the western world in 1848, when
the German missionary Johannes Rebmann came within sight of the
mountain, explored the area and traversed the lower slopes. He
submitted his findings to the Royal Geographical Society, but his
description of a snowcapped mountain in eastern equatorial Africa
was doubted by these "experts". During the following years there
where a number of unsuccessful attempts by various explorers to
conquer the summit and it was only on the 6 October 1889 that Dr.
Hans Meyer, with Ludwig Purtscheller an experienced alpine
mountaineer, managed to reach the summit successfully. The
expedition consisted of many porters, guides and advisors. It took
the intrepid Meyer almost 6 weeks to reach the summit, 6 times as
long as it takes the average climber today. At the centenary of this
climb in 1989 one of their Tanzanian guides was still enjoying live
at an age of 118 years!!
The Topography
Kilimanjaro rises from plains at approximately 2000 meters, right up
to 5 895 meters. An ancient volcano, it now lies dormant except for
some tell tale signs of fumaroles in the ash pit. Two other peaks,
namely Mawenzi and Shira, flank the main peak of Kibo. These peaks
form spectacular photographic backdrops when viewed from various
vantage points along the routes to the summit.
The different routes to the summit pass through five ecological
zones, being the cultivated lower slopes, Montane forest, heath and
moorland, alpine desert and the ice capped summit.
The lower slopes of the mountain are mainly used for agricultural
purposes.
The climate here is ideal for the production of coffee, an industry
that Tanzania is famous for. Further up, a rain forest belt
encircles the mountain up to about 2 00 meters. As you proceed
higher, you pass through the heath which changes into moorland,
semi-desert at altitude, progressing into total desert and finally
into an alpine region with permanent ice glaciers. The higher slopes
are covered with scree, loose stones resembling gravel, making it
more difficult to negotiate. The main glaciers edging their way down
the slopes of Kibo are Heim, Rebmann, Decken, Arrow and some smaller
ones. These glaciers form the permanent ice cap of the mountain,
although they are, as a result of global warming, believed to
receding each year.
The Climate
Being only 3 degrees south of the equator, Kilimanjaro is influenced
by the passage of the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone. There is a
constant feeling of summer, and there are two rainy seasons to keep
in mind. The highest rainfall occurs from March lasting until about
the end of May. This is monsoon time. Slightly less rain falls
during the short rainy period, which occurs from around October to
November, but can extend into December. Apart from these factors,
climbing Kilimanjaro remains fairly constant throughout the year.
The maximum rainfall occurs in the forest belt, where it can reach
up to 2000 mm per year. At the summit, which can be, describe as a
"high altitude desert", the rainfall reaches less than 100 mm per
year. Rain (and snow at higher altitudes) can however be encountered
at any time of the year.
The average temperatures at the foot of the mountain is 25°-30° C
and on the summit, it can range from minus 10° -20° C. At 3000m the
day temperatures range from 5°-15° C, and at night frost is normally
encountered. Clearly a large variation, making it more interesting
to summit the mountain.
How difficult is the climb-can I do it
About 22,000 climbers set out every year to conquer the Kilimanjaro
peak. Several well-marked hiking routes lead to the summit of the
mountain. To use the word "climber" is not always correct. Although
none of these hikers routes really requires mountaineering skills,
hiking to the "roof of Africa" is physically and mentally demanding
and should not be under estimated. As much as 40% of those who set
out to climb Kilimanjaro turn back before they reach Uhuru peak.
Today, hikers make up the bulk of all those who conquer Kilimanjaro,
and the mountain is in fact one of the highest peaks accessible to
hikers in the world. Of course there are extremely severe climbs
available, including some grade 3+ climbs, but those we leave to the
professional alpine climbers and experienced mountaineers. The
information on this website is primarily concerned with the hiking
routes, which "the average hikers" can follow successfully.
With the adequate preparation any reasonably fit person above the
age of 12 years can reach the summit successfully, in fact the
oldest person to date to reach the summit was a Frenchman Valtee
Daniel at an age of 87!!
Preparation both physically and mentally is the keywords for
success-- this web site contains valuable and comprehensive
information obtained from 9 years of experience and through the
feedback from more than 4300 clients. We believe it will positively
contribute to your chances of successfully conquering Kilimanjaro.
