About Mt Kilmanjaro

Kilimanjaro , the highest point in Africa at 5,895 meters, is a challenge to climb. Yet unlike the highest peaks on other continents, Kilimanjaro requires no technical climbing skills and any reasonably fit person can make the summit.

There are six different routes taken on the Kilimanjaro climb. The most common one being the Marangu route, which is a walking expedition that can be undertaken without previous mountaineering experience.

Experienced mountain guides and porters will take you slowly up the breathtaking Machame route . This route requires some scrambling as well as altitude walking but is probably the most stunningly scenic route to the top. The Kilimanjaro Mountain is a National Park and consists of a number of unique eco-systems, which change as you gain altitude.The park is 756 square kilometers in area and was gazetted in 1973. The first eco-system is the rainforest with its large trees, hanging moss, lichens and orchids.

You should plan on getting damp if not wet when walking through the forest. Although there is not much game spotted, there are elephant, leopard, forest hogs and numerous birds within this area of the mountain.

From around 2,700 meters upwards, you leave the rain forest and move into the open moorlands with tussocks of grass and the famous Kilimanjaro Lobelia plants along with other alpine type vegetation. The vistas open up from here onwards as well, with stunning views down over the plains and, on a clear day, of the peaks themselves.

As you move ever upwards, the vegetation slowly thins out to heather and short grasses and eventually to bare scree , rocks and snow.

The peak itself, Kibo , is a dormant volcano; it is not yet extinct although it is unlikely you'll experience any activity! A caldera of nearly 2.5 kilometers across and over 180 meters deep, with an ash filled cone inside that evidences the old volcanic activity, forms the snow-bound peak of Kibo .

Kilimanjaro can be climbed at any time of the year, but there are two rainy seasons - Late March to Mid June and October to November. The best Months are January to March and July to October, usually cloudless days. During the day temperature at 4000m tends to be 15°C. When the sun is covered,temperatures drop. At night, temperature falls to -10°C. At the summit, temperatures are about 5°C during the day and drop to between -18°C and -22°C at night.

view the Routes Itinerary

MARANGU ROUTE	UMBWE ROUTE
MACHAME ROUTE	RONGAI ROUTE
MWEKA ROUTE	SHIRA ROUTE