Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Routes - Climbing Description

Climbing Description

The trek to Uhuru Peak is considered to be a relatively straightforward endeavour; however, ample time must still be provided for proper acclimatization to prevent altitude sickness. The three shortest routes, Marangu, Rongai and Machame are less challenging and are often trekked by individuals with limited mountaineering experience. Some trekkers employ altitude-sickness medication, including acetazolamide but taking at least 7 days is the best way to avoid altitude sickness.

Route travel times range from 5 to 9 days to summit and return to the base of the mountain. Huts with cooking facilities, bathrooms, and electricity are available on the Marangu route, and camps with less facilities are available on many other routes. All huts and many camps have rangers stationed at them with rescue facilities (modified wheelbarrows to transport trekkers stricken with altitude sickness to lower altitudes).

Summit attempts are generally undertaken at night so that trekkers can reach the rim of the crater to view the sunrise so typically clients start walking around midnight. walking overnight also means the ground (loose gravel) is frozen, making the going significantly easier.

Trekkers on the Marangu route first encounter Gilman's Point on the rim of the crater, which is roughly a 1½ hour hike from Uhuru Peak. Trekkers who follow the Southern Circuit will reach the summit via Stella Point which is about an hour from the summit.Both these compare with the Rongai route where the trip from where you reach the rim to the summit can be over 2 hours making for a very long summit day.

Another route is the Western Breach, which includes short sections of scrambling (where hands are required for balance and support). The rock on Kilimanjaro though is highly fragmented and deaths from rockfall from above have happened and as a result this route is not recommended except for experts.

On all the Southern routes and on the Western breach climb it is possible to sleep overnight in the crater.This can be a fantastic experience for those who acclimatised well and has three major advantages. First you can summit during the day avoiding the midnight rush; second you have time to visit the crater and explore the glaciers and finally you can get back to the rim very early the next day to see the sunrise. The Furtwängler Glacier on Kilimanjaro is a remnant of the ice cap that once covered the mountain. These has retreated dramatically over the last century with over 80% glacial retreat. The glacier is named after Walter Furtwängler, who along with Ziegfried Koenig, were the fourth to ascend to the summit of Kilimanjaro in 1912.

At the summit, there is a sign posted by the Tanzanian government. The sign (printed in English only) reads "Congratulations! You are now at Uhuru Peak, Tanzania, 5,895 m. AMSL. Africa's Highest Point. World's Highest Free-Standing Mountain." It used to have a fourth part of the sign which read, "One of World's Largest Volcanos. Welcome.", however that portion of the sign no longer exists. The sign is covered in travel stickers from past trekkers who have left their mark on the top of the peak. Near this famous sign is a box containing a log that many trekkers have signed.