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Mighty Kilimanjaro - The Worlds' Most Accessible Summit
By Andrew Muigai
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Snow-capped Kilimanjaro, floating above the clouds
is no doubt one of the most beautiful and impressive sights of the
natural world. Even hard-boiled non-believers, in their unguarded
moments, empathise with the Maasai who call it the "House of God".
The mountain is one of the Seven Top Summits of the world - it has
the highest point on the African continent. Though there are higher
mountains, they form part of mountain ranges, Everest for example.
But Kili, as it is popularly known, is the highest freestanding
mountain in the world. It rises gently from 3,000 feet, reaches
for the heavens and only halts after a 16,000 feet ascent. The diameter
at the base is an amazing 64 kilometres.
Kilimanjaro is located to the northeast of Tanzania, on the border
with Kenya. There is a popular myth of how the mountain came to
be part of Tanzania, which was at one time part of the German Empire.
Queen Victoria is supposed to have granted the mountain to her German
grandson Wilhelm (later Kaiser Wilhelm II) as a birthday gift. It
is also said that the Germans had been grumbling at the blatant
unfairness of missing a snowcapped mountain within their empire
while the Queen had two - the second being Mount Kenya.
Though historians have discredited the myth, it has refused to die
and it is still a source of amusement for many. Unwilling to allow
the truth to stand in the way, some anti-colonial historians fume
with indignation, citing how the boundaries of Eastern Africa were
arbitrarily decided in the capitals of the imperial powers. To most
people in the west, Kilimanjaro has long been associated with Ernest
Hemingway on account of his 1936 short story "The Snows of Kilimanjaro".
In 1952, Hollywood fascinated by the magic of Kili the book evokes,
turned it into a movie with Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner in leading
roles.
Kilimanjaro is young as far as mountains go, and geologists allow
it only 750,000 years. The mountain is made up of three dormant
volcanoes -Kibo (19,340 feet), Shira (13,000 feet) and Mawenzi (16,896
feet). Kibo occasionally belches some steam and sulfur. The highest
point on Kibo is Uhuru Peak, where you see some awesome glaciers
and fantastic views of the country below. Though Kili is only three
degrees south of the equator, the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi are
covered in ice and snow year round. Many learned people in Europe
hotly disputed that a snow-capped mountain could be found at the
equator when the German missionary Johann Rebmann reported it in
1849.
Going up the mountain, you move from tropical to artic conditions.
There are five distinct climatic zones, with each zone taking approximately
3,300 feet. The zones are- the lower slopes, then forest, then moorland,
alpine desert and the summit. The lower slopes are cultivated and
agriculture flourishes. The forest region is dry in the north and
wet towards the southern slopes. The forest carries many tree species
including podocarpus, camphor, fig and olive trees and bamboo. The
only animals to be found here are blue and Colobus monkeys and a
variety of birds including hornbill and turaco. In the moorland
region, you find the giant groundsels and lobelias common in the
high altitude mountain regions of eastern Africa. Further up, vegetation
and animal life are sparse.
Kili is the worlds' most accessible summit. Any reasonably strong
and ambitious person, without using any special mountaineering equipment
can conquer this giant. It is however hard work. Altitude and the
resulting thin air will be the main challenge and not your failing
strength. To avoid succumbing to high altitude sickness, you guides
will constantly advise, you take the mountain slowly, slowly or
"pole pole" as they say in Swahili. You should therefore avoid a
quick ascent and take time to acclimatise to the mountains' oxygen
challenged air. By ignoring such good advice many young males fail
to reach the summit, when older more deliberate climbers make it.
To enjoy the natural beauty and majesty of Kili, you do not even
have to climb it. By using a four-wheel drive vehicle, you can ascend
to the Shira Plateau, which is perched at 12,000 feet. The first
person recorded to have reached the summit is the German climber
Hans Meyer in 1889. Unlike today's climber, he did not have the
benefit a route map and he only made it on the second attempt. Having
been taught a lesson in humility, for the second try, he brought
along an Alpine expert and a local guide. Meyer named the summit
after the Kaiser Wilhelm II, but this was years later revised to
Uhuru or freedom in Swahili. Since the days of Meyer, the icecap
has receded and scientists worry that it will vanish altogether
in 20 to 50 years. So, hurry up and climb Kili while it is still
such a pretty sight.
Today, few climbers use the difficult route pioneered by Meyer.
The climb normally takes five to six days and involves four to five
overnight stay in comfortable mountain huts. The Marangu route,
which was established way back in 1909 is the easiest and most popular
and is used by over 90% of climbers. Experienced climbers prefer
the more scenic and difficult Machame route. Climbers are not entirely
without a sense of humour and they refer to Marangu as the coca
cola route, and Machame as the whiskey route. Other routes are Shira,
Mweka and Umbwe.
Shira is a scenic route that takes you through the Shira Plateau,
which you reach by four-wheel drive vehicle. The route gives you
great views of the Rift valley and Mount Meru. Using Mweka, you
reach the summit and return to base in 4 days. But as you may suspect,
it is quite steep and therefore not easy at all. The Umbwe route
is even steeper and quicker and you take only three days up and
down. The route is spectacular, but it is for the fit and experienced
and not casual climbers. In addition, there are technical routes
such as the Western Breach and Lemosho routes.
Regardless of the route you pick, all Kili climbs start at Marangu
Gate. This is where you get your permit and pay entry fees. On the
typical Marangu route climb, you spend four nights up the mountain.
The route is clearly marked right to the summit. You start by trekking
through the forest zone to Mandara Hut (9,000 ft) for the first
night. Onward through moorland, you halt for a second night at Horombo
Hut (12,450 ft). Then through the alpine desert, your third night
finds you at Kibo Hut (15,450 ft). But you really do not sleep there
as you go for the summit just after midnight. You then descend back
to Horombo Hut for your last night after an overall trek of about
77 kilometres. If you want to spend more time up high to acclimatise,
you can overnight twice at Horombo Hut.
On the Machame route, you spend one night more on the mountain.
You overnight at Machame Hut, Shira Hut and Barranco Hut. You connect
to the Mweka route and continue to Barafu Hut. After tackling the
summit, you descend for your last night at Mweka Hut. On the next
day, you rejoin other mortals at the base of the mountain. You are
advised to pick the route that best fits your experience. Most aspire
to reach Uhuru Peak - the highest point on Kibo -and indeed all
Kili. Others are satisfied with Gillman's Point, the slightly lower
peak on Kibo. But Mawenzi, actually lower than the Kibo peaks, is
more jagged and requires mountaineering experience. Many climbers
find scaling Kili, whatever height they reach, a very satisfying
experience.
But do not be too disappointed if you do not reach the summit.
Different estimates indicate that only 15-30% of climbers get to
the top. Climbing Kilimanjaro is for those who are physically fit
and mentally prepared. It is your ability to muster that extra dose
of determination that will count when the going gets tough. In terms
of physical preparation, start by taking hikes uphill with a pack
strapped on your back. This rehearses the climb, minus the altitude
of course. Think also of putting in some aerobic training at the
gym and by jogging. If you are having heart or lung problems, better
not risk the climb. In all cases, it is a good idea to talk to your
personal physician to ensure that you do not bite more than you
can chew.
It is best you buy a Kilimanjaro climbing tour package to take advantage
of those with local knowledge. The typical package will bundle together:
return transfers - Moshi or Arusha to Marangu Gate, park and rescue
fees, services of guides, porters and cooks, accommodation in mountain
huts and all meals on the mountain. In addition, you need to hire
locally or bring along equipment and sleeping bags. Some useful
stuff to gather include - waterproof hiking boots, rain suit, flashlights,
sunglasses, prophylactics for high-altitude sickness, hand gloves
and night shoes. You need a daypack to carry a few essentials, as
the porters carrying your equipment will usually hike their own
way. Some items to carry on your back include bottled water, extra
clothes, camera and sunscreen.
You can climb Kili, any time throughout the year. But it is obviously
less fun during the March to June period when it rains the most.
The second and lighter rains come from late October to early December.
The best time is when it is warm and dry - January, February and
September. July, August, November and December also good, though
cooler. Due to the variation of conditions along the route- from
tropic to arctic - it is convenient to dress in layers you can either
shed or add on.
Generally, in the northern Tanzania region, you can expect temperatures
to average from 15°C in May to August and 22°C over December to
March. At the mountain, temperatures drop by roughly 1 degree Celsius
for every 650 feet ascended.
Many climbing enthusiasts want Christmas and the New Year to find
them up the mountain, and unless you book early, it is difficult
to get a slot. The best way to relax after the trek is by taking
a Tanzania safari in the unrivalled wildlife sanctuaries in the
north of the country or by heading for the beaches of Zanzibar.
I have also written short features on these attractions.
Kilimanjaro is 475 km to the northwest of Dar es Salaam. The base
for climbing Kili are the northern Tanzania towns of Moshi or Arusha.
Kilimanjaro International Airport services the region. But it is
usually cheaper to disembark at Nairobi in Kenya and then to take
a shuttle bus to Arusha.
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Copyright
© Africa Point
Author
Andrew Muigai is editor of AfricaPoint Insider online newsletter.
You can view more info on Tanzania safari and tours at the website.
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