Kilimanjaro Adventures is one of the most incredible adventures in the world. Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the world’s most accessible high summits, a beacon for visitors from around the world. Most climbers reach the crater rim with little more than a walking stick, proper clothing and determination. And those who reach Uhuru Point, the actual summit, or Gillman’s Point on the lip of the crater, will have earned their Kilimanjaro trekking certificates and their memories.
But there is so much more to Kilimanjaro adventures than her summit. The ascent of the slopes is a virtual climatic world tour, from the tropics to the Arctic. Even before you cross the national park boundary (at the 2,700m contour), the cultivated foot slopes give way to lush montane forest, inhabited by elusive elephant, leopard, buffalo, the endangered Abbot’s duiker, and other small antelope and primates. Higher still lies the moorland zone, where a cover of giant heather is studded with otherworldly giant lobelias.
Above 4,000m, a surreal alpine desert supports little life other than a few hardy mosses and lichen. Then, finally, the last vestigial vegetation gives way to a winter wonderland of ice and snow – and the magnificent beauty of the roof of the continent.
10 Things You Should Know before Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Read here
Size: 755 sq km (292 sq miles).
Location: Northern Tanzania, near the town of Moshi.
Getting there
128 km (80 miles) from Arusha. About one hour’s drive from Kilimanjaro airport.
Six usual trekking routes to the summit and other more-demanding mountaineering routes.
Day or overnight hikes on the Shira plateau. Nature trails on the lower reaches.
Trout fishing. Visit the beautiful Chala crater lake on the mountain’s southeastern slopes.
When to go
Clearest and warmest conditions from December to February, but also dry (and colder) from July-September.
Accommodation
Huts and campsites on the mountain. Several hotels and campsites outside the park in the village of Marangu and town of Moshi.
Even if you are not inspired with ambition to conquer Kilimanjaro, we thoroughly recommend a trek for a day or two within the Kilimanjaro National Park. The whole national park provides a haven for trekking in distinct and inspiring scenic areas that range from forests through to open moor land to the frozen reaches of the high plateau.
NOTE:
Climb slowly to increase your acclimatization time and maximize your chances of reaching the summit.
To avoid altitude sickness, allow a minimum of five nights, preferably even more for the climb. Take your time and enjoy the beauty of the mountain.