A trip to Mount Kilimanjaro
A trip to Mount Kilimanjaro : Mount Kilimanjaro is a destination which is found in the northern part of Tanzania which is famous for hiking.
The mountain is the highest mountain in Africa at an altitude of 5,895 meters and Mount Kilimanjaro is also a snowcapped mountain. Mount Kilimanjaro has three volcanic cones which include Shira, Mawenzi and Kibo.
There are different routes which can be used for hiking on Mount Kilimanjaro during Tanzania safaris and they include Machame route, Lemosho route, Marangu route, Rongai route, Umbwe route and also the Shira route.
When hiking on Mount Kilimanjaro, hikes can be as short as 1 day hikes along roués like Lemosho or Marangu route for an experience of hiking on the mountain. For hikes to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro and descending the least number of days for the hikes is 5 days and they can be more depending on the route used for the hike.
The dry season is a good time for hiking on Mount Kilimanjaro during the months of June to October and also in January and February. During the dry season the weather is favorable and the views while hiking on Mount Kilimanjaro are also favorable.
Hikes can also be carried out during the rainy season around March, April and May and also in November. Many hikers however avoid the rainy season when hiking Mount Kilimanjaro which is a time when the trails can be slippery making it difficult to hike.
Uhuru peak
Many tourists during their safaris to Tanzania hike along different routes to get to the Uhuru peak which is considered the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro. Mount Kilimanjaro is also among the seven summits of the world.
The Uhuru peak is found on Kibo and the word Uhuru means “freedom”. When hiking to the Uhuru peak, there are different climatic zones which climbers go through and they include the rainforest zone, the moorland zone, the alpine desert zone, the arctic zone and the bush land zone, A trip to Mount Kilimanjaro .
During hikes on Mount Kilimanjaro, the climbers are accompanied by guides, porters and also cooks or chefs. Mount Kilimanjaro is among the attractions found in the Kilimanjaro national park.
Another point where hikers can stop at during their hikes to the summit is the Gilman’s point which is at an altitude of 5,756 meters. The Gilman’s point is found at the edge of the crater rim and climbers using the Marangu route, Rongai route and the northern route pass the Gilman’s point.
When hiking along a route that goes to the Gilman’s point during the summit attempt on Mount Kilimanjaro, the hike starts around midnight and takes about 6 to 8 hours to get to the summit of the mountain. From the Gilman’s point it takes about 1 hour to get to the Uhuru peak during hikes on Mount Kilimanjaro.
The Stella point is also another of the summit points on Mount Kilimanjaro and climbers using the Machame route, Lemosho route, Umbwe route and the Shira route pass the Stella point. Kilimanjaro national park is managed by Kilimanjaro National Parks Authority (KINAPA).
Some of the facts to know about Mount Kilimanjaro include the following;
- Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest free standing mountain.
- Another fact about Mount Kilimanjaro is that it is a snow capped mountain.
- Mount Kilimanjaro is also among the seven summits of the world.
- There are 6 different routes used to hike to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro at different months of the year.
- Mount Kilimanjaro is found in the northern part of Tanzania and is among the visited destinations during safaris.
How to get to Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro can be accessed by flights to Kilimanjaro international airport or Arusha airport. During safaris to Kilimanjaro national park, tourists can also be driven to the destination from Arusha town or Moshi town which is a starting point for tours to Mount Kilimanjaro.
Kilimanjaro international airport (JRO) is about 40 minutes’ drive away from the destination and the drive from Arusha to Kilimanjaro national park takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Hikes on Mount Kilimanjaro can also be combined with safaris to other destinations found in the northern part of Tanzania like Serengeti national park which is famous for the wildebeest migration and also unforgettable safari experience, the Ngorongoro crater where the big five can be seen during a safari, Tarangire national park which is a short drive from Arusha and also home to numerous wildlife species like elephants and also Lake Manyara national park which is home to tree climbing lions and also birds like flamingos. The northern part of Tanzania is famous for Tanzania wildlife safaris during tours in Tanzania and is the most visited part of the country.
Other activities which are carried out around Kilimanjaro national park include bird watching, wildlife viewing, also sight-seeing and cultural tours with the locals such as the Chagga people who live at the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Visit Tanzania and enjoy an experience of a trip of the lifetime as you hike along the highest mountain in Africa which is Mount Kilimanjaro.
