Mount Kilimanjaro lies on the border of Tanzania and Kenya, just south of the Equator. Kilimanjaro is a giant stratovolcano reaching an elevation of 19,335.6 ft.

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

Although East Africa and nearby Olduvai Gorge is thought to be the cradle of mankind, it is unlikely that early man would have been attracted to the steep and cold slopes of Kilimanjaro at a time when it was probably very active and dangerous. A Wachagga legend talks of Mawenzi receiving fire for its pipe from his younger brother Kibo. The Wachagga who live on the fertile volcanic soils around the base of the mountain probably only came to the area about 300 years ago, thus this legend suggests very recent activity. Another of their legends talks of demons and evil spirits living on the mountain and guarding immense treasures. Stories are told of a king who decided to go to the top; few of his party survived and those who did had damaged arms and legs.

Arab and Chinese traders and historians make mention of a giant mountain lying inland from Mombassa or Zanzibar but few early traders ventured into the interior of the continent. Slave traders passed below it and sometimes raided the villages of the Wachagga but it was not till the middle of the 19th century that a more serious interest was taken in the mountain and attempts were made to scale it.

In 1848 Johann Rebmann a missionary from Gerlingen in Germany while crossing the plains of Tsavo saw Mount Kilimanjaro. His guide talked of baridi (cold), and of tales how a group of porters were sent up the mountain to bring back the silver or other treasures from the summit. They came back only with water. Rebmann's report stimulated great interest in Germany and in the following years several expeditions were organized, first by Baron von Decken then later by Dr. Hans Meyer who finally stood on the highest point on the 5th of October 1889.

In order to hike Kilimanjaro, you must hire a guide service that uses Tanzanian guides and porters.

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Mt. Kilimanjaro Maps
• Route Map
• Kibo Summit Area
• Kilimanjaro National Park

Coordinates:
03°04′33″S, 37°21′12″E

Google Earth - Get a bird’s eye view of Mt. Kilimanjaro . If you have Google Earth installed, you can double-click on the linked Placemark file and it will fly you to Mt. Kilimanjaro. If not, you will need to install Google Earth first (available at http://earth.google.com).

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WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Kilimanjaro has multiple names and interpretations.

One is "The hill of the Njaro", a name referring to a local tribe (the Njaro) on the Tanzanian flanks of the mountain. Other names for this volcano are: Kilima Dscharo, Oldoinyo Oibor (white mountain in Masai), and Kilima Njaro (shining mountain in Swahili).

Kilimanjaro is a triple volcano with the highest and youngest cone named Kibo. Shira to the west and Mawenzi in the east are older cones that make up Kilimanjaro. Kibo has not been active in modern times, but steam and sulfur are still emitted. At the top of Kibo's summit is a 1-1/2 mile wide crater.

Kilimanjaro is the largest of an E-W belt of about 20 volcanoes near the southern end of the East African Rift Valley. Also prominent in this belt are Ngorongoro caldera - a superb wildlife refuge, Ol Donyo Lengi - a carbonitite volcano, and Mount Meru. Hikers interested in taking a longer time to acclimatize for Kilimanjaro can hike Mount Meru with a Park Ranger.

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PHOTOS
S.D. Store Manager Christo's Mt. Kilimanjaro photos.

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Lemosho Route
This is the longest and most remote route to Kilimanjaro. After beautiful forests and moorlands it crosses the Shira Plateau to meet up with the Machame Route. 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 game. The South Circuit is then followed, offering superb views of the Southern Ice fields, past the Barranco Hut then on to Barafu and hence the summit.

Machame Route
Sometimes called the Whisky Route. This is a popular route up steep paths through magnificent forests to gain a ridge leading through the moorland zones to the Shira Plateau. It then traverses beneath the glaciated precipices of the Southern Ice fields to join the Barafu Route to the summit. An extra day could be added to the itinerary, best spent on the Shira Plateau, where you could walk to the Shira Needles.

Marangu Route
This is the easiest route to the summit of Kilimanjaro, sometimes called the Coca-Cola Route. The Marangu route takes you at a gentle pace through forests, moorlands and then across The Saddle, a high-altitude desert separating the main summit, Kibo from craggy Mawenzi. From here an early start is made for the ascent to Uhuru Point (the highest top of Kibo). The path zigzags up steep scree, which is easier to climb when frozen. The views from the crater rim at Gillman's Point at dawn can be spectacular.

Rongai Route
This remote and less frequently used route is the second easiest route to Kilimanjaro. The approach to the mountain is from the less-forested north side and the descent is by the Marangu Route. There are several variations; the one described below is a longer route taking in Mawenzi Tarn. The second day on this variant is quite long and could be broken up into two days walk allowing more time for acclimatization. The ascent to Uhuru Peak is almost the same as for the Marangu Route from the Kibo Hut.

Umbwe Route
This route is the hardest but most spectacular and direct way to reach Uhuru Peak. It follows a forested ridge to the moorlands, and then traverses below the Southern Ice fields to reach the Barafu Route, which is followed to the summit. An early start is made on the summit day to reach Stella Point, on the Crater Rim at dawn. Uhuru Peak lies a further 40 min. along the rim.

Mweka Route
This, the shortest route from a road head to the summit, is now only used in descent.

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Successfully summitting Mount Kilimanjaro does not require technical climbing skills. It does require prior conditioning and proper acclimatization. You should plan spending at least six days (five nights) on the mountain (five days on the Marangu Route if already acclimatized). Remember: Short trips are not a better deal if you are miserable and unable to summit because of altitude sickness!

Fly directly into Kilimanjaro International airport instead of Nairobi. KLM flies in daily from Amsterdam.

Take your minimal hiking setup with you as carry-on luggage. Boots, medication, basic hiking clothes should go in a duffle in the planes overhead (an Eagle Creek medium- sized duffle, such as the ORV gear bag, is perfect). Take a daypack with any other gear you think you may need.

For a credit card- take Visa! American Express and MasterCard are not well accepted at this time. American Dollars are widely accepted.

Learn some Swahili before you go! While most of the people you will encounter speak some English, they will open up to you if you attempt even some basic Swahili.

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Lying just south of the equator, Kilimanjaro is affected by the passage of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, which brings with it the main rainy periods. The highest rainfall occurs between mid-March and early May, and slightly less between the beginning of November and late December. However, rain, and higher up, snow can be encountered at any time of year--even in the driest periods (January, February and September).

Normally the drier seasons are associated with clear, dry weather, which can last for weeks on end. The best weather is generally encountered in the mornings, and convectional rainfall, if any, tends to come in mid-afternoon. After long periods of dry weather some of the higher streams dry up.

WEATHER LINKS
Forecast for Mt. Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro weather and interactive explanation of a rain shadow

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The gear you will need is just about what you would take for late season Sierra backpacking. (See backpacker's checklist) You will experience everything from the tropics to snow. Your guide service will generally provide a tent. A sleeping bag rated between 15 and 0F is recommended. A warm down or synthetic jacket is highly recommended. Well fitting waterproof boots and trekking poles are a must!

For travel to and around Tanzania, use high-quality luggage that can keep you organized, and can withstand rough handling notorious to foreign travel. The Eagle Creek Switchback Max ES 22 wheels easily through airports and hotel lobbies, and instantly converts to a backpack when you need free hands or when you need to negotiate steps, stairs and rough ground.

Another great Eagle Creek piece is the ORV Gear bag. This phenomenal bag converts to a backpack, duffle or shoulder bag and has movable/removable divider panels that allow you to customize your organization method. It also features padded sides and bottom to protect your stuff, and to give it structure so you can pack easier

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GUIDES
It is recommended that you use a U.S. guide service, as well as the required Tanzanian guide. The combo listed below will not cost any more than if you only use a Tanzanian service, and your trip will run much more smoothly.

United States: Sierra Mountaineering International (SMI) — Begin here when planning your trip. SMI provides very experienced Kilimanjaro guide service and also serves as an expert travel agent, motivator and medical advisor.

Tanzania: Zara Tanzanian Adventures –In addition to excellent guide service, Zara also provides Swahili-English translations as well as local connections and knowledge.

Porter Rights
There are several organizations that look to improve the live of the guides and porters of Kilimanjaro. Information can be found at these sites:
The Porter Assistance Project
Mount Kilimanjaro Porters Society

OTHER RESOURCES
Mount Kilimanjaro National Park website
Kilimanjaro Geology

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Medical Aspects of high altitude mountaineering

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Mount Kilimanjaro is a Biosphere reserve and a World Heritage Site. For generations it has been a major source of drinking water, irrigation and power generation.
To find out more about what is being done for the Kilimanjaro region, go to the Kilimanjaro Environmental Conservation Management Trust Fund or
the UNESCO World Heritage Site for Tanzania.

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Hiking, backpacking, and other wilderness activities, are potentially dangerous and unpredictable.  Adventure 16 assumes no liability for injuries associated with the use of information provided on this site. The trails, activities and areas described on this site are to be used for informational purposes only and should not be your sole source of guidance.  Always thoroughly research any outdoor area you plan to visit using various resources--including contacting local ranger stations--to obtain the most up to date information for your destination. Contact your physician if you are unsure about your health or physical abilities.