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Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Safaris.
Mt Kilimanjaro is a triple volcano with
the youngest and central peak of Kibo being about 14km long. Mt
Kilimanjaro volcano is deemed to be a dormant volcano, created
during the formation of the Great Rift Valley. It is situated within
Kilimanjaro National Park, which comprises all of the mountain mass
of Kilimanjaro, above the tree line. The name 'Kilimanjaro' has varying interpretations, from "Mountain
of Greatness", Mountain of Whiteness", "Mountain of Caravans", and
"Small Mountain of Caravans" which are all names derived from the
Swahili, or Chagga dialects.
 In addition, there is a word in
Swahili, “kilima” which means top of the hill.
Kilimanjaro was first documented by Ptolemy in the second century
AD, where he recorded a land with man-eating barbarians and a great
snow mountain. The First recorded successful ascent was in 1889.
Kilimanjaro is one of the easier mountains to climb as its summit
can be reached without the use of ropes and climbing equipment. It
takes on average, 6 days to climb Kilimanjaro and return to the
base, but extra days can be added to take in other sights, or for
acclimatization to the altitude. Kilimanjaro can be ascended via 6
different routes; Machame,
Marangu, Lemosho,
Umbwe, Shira or
Rongai,
each one offering their own unique scenery and sights en-route, and
each varying in difficulty. The easiest and fastest ascent is via Marangu followed by Rongai, but the most scenic, is Machame. To
further aid with acclimatization, many people do a pre-climb of Mt
Meru, Kilimanjaro's sister volcano. Mt Meru can be completed in 3 or
4 days.
Climbing Kilimanjaro is an incredible journey of scenery and
experience. For more information on the different routes to ascend
Kilimanjaro, a map of the region or expected weather, follow the
links below or send us an e-mail with any of your questions.
The warmest months with the clearest trekking days for Kilimanjaro
and Mt Meru, are from mid to late December, January, February,
September and October. The rains often come in April and the start
of May with the possibility of some snow.
 The
Kilimanjaro Machame Route is one of the most scenic of the routes up
to Kilimanjaro, Uhuru Peak. It also affords one the chance of
acclimatization due to the concept of climb high, sleep low. The
ascent is from the western side of Kilimanjaro, with the descent
down the southern face along the Mweka route. One passes through
changing vegetation from a tropical forest, to scrubland, to alpine
desert and onwards to the summit .You will start your trek at
Kilimanjaro Machame Forest and head through the lush forest, hanging
with moss and lichen with its enormous forest canopy, gradually up
the Machame Camp for the first night. Next day, the route heads into
a scrubland with giant Lobelia and daisy bushes up toward Shira Camp
before heading into the alpine desert towards Lava Tower and back
down to Barranco. From here the terrain remains like an alpine
desert, with glaciers reaching down the mountain like long fingers,
to about 4800m. You will hit the snow line at about 5700m, maybe
higher.
Kilimanjaro Climbing Routes.
The Kilimanjaro Marangu Route is a popular route up
Kilimanjaro as it is not only the quickest route but also the most
direct and often deemed, easier route. On the Marangu Route
accommodation is in huts. The ascent is via the eastern face of the
mountain and covers about 80km. The descent is via the same route as
the ascent.
The Kilimanjaro Rongai Route up Kilimanjaro is also seldom
traveled, beginning on the Kenyan side of the mountain. The drive to
the starting point is long, albeit scenic. Park rules require that
the descent route is via the Marangu route.
Umbwe Route on Kilimanjaro is one of the shortest and less
used of all the routes. Although it is not a technical climb, it is
a lot steeper and recommended for very fit hikers.
Lemosho Route is often considered one of the more scenic in
terms of game viewing. This is not as much the case as it was
several years back when game was more abundant, although there is
still the chance to see game on the first 2 days. These two days are
also a lot quieter on the route, until it joins in with the standard
trail from Machame and Shira routes.
The Shira route, approaches Kilimanjaro’s summit from the
west and crosses the caldera of Shira Volcano before heading beneath
the southern ice fields of Kibo. The route is seldom used by other
trekkers and so your initial two days on the mountain are less
crowded than on most other routes. The remainder of the route joins
in with the routes from Lemosho and Machame. Your starting altitude
is higher than your end point altitude
When to undertake the climb.
Although the mountain can be climbed throughout the year it is worth
avoiding the two rainy seasons late March to mid-June and October to
beginning of December, when the routes become slippery. Probably the
best time to visit is January/February and from September to
October, when there is usually no cloud.
Preparation on the Climbing or Trekking the Kilimanjaro.
Officially anyone aged from 12 may attempt the climb. However it is
not that easy. The important things to remember are to come prepared
and to take it slowly. If you have the chance, spend an extra
acclimatization day half way up. Being well equipped will also
increase your chances of succeeding in reaching the summit. In
particular, be sure you have a warm sleeping bag (-10°C), insulating
mat, thermal underwear, gloves, wool hat, sunglasses or snow
goggles, sun cream, a large water bottle and a first aid kit.
Altitude sickness is often a problem while climbing Kilimanjaro. If
you know you are susceptible to this you are advised not to attempt
the climb. Symptoms include bad headache, nausea, vomiting and
severe fatigue. This can be avoided by ascending slowly and if at
all possible spending an extra day half way up to acclimatize.
Altitude sickness can be cured simply by descending to a lower
altitude. Some medication (Diamox for example) helps if taken before
the ascent. You can greatly increase your chance of success by using
supplementary oxygen.
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HEAD OFFICE DAR ES SALAAM.
ZANZIBAR HOTEL P.O. BOX 12594.
TEL/FAX: +255 22 2133793, Mobile:
+255 788 221 650
ARUSHA BRANCH OFFICE. KALOLENI
AREA OPPOSITE , PRIMIEM HOUSE.
BOX 14477 ARUSHA, Mobile: +255
713 350 601, TEL. +255 754 398 815
admin@bushroutes.com
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Copyrights 2009.
09 May, 2010 |
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