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Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest point in Africa, reaches 5,895 meters (19,340 feet) above sea level, 005.00 south, 036.00 east. It is the tallest free-standing mountain on the Earth land surface, rising about 4,600 meters above the surrounding plain. Kilimanjaro last erupted perhaps more than 100,000 years ago but still exudes volcanic gases.
ACTIVE VOLCANO
The shape of Kilimanjaro is instantly recognisable as a volcano, and were it not for scientific studies indicating its dormancy, Kilimanjaro would seem to all as being extinct. Evidence of its hibernated stirrings can be found by descending into the ash pit inside the main crater. Kilimanjaro is actually the collective description of three separate peaks, together forming Mt. Kilimanjaro. These are, from the west, Shira, Kibo (the highest) and Mawenzi.
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GLACIERS ON TOP
KILI is tall enough to maintain a permanent snow cap despite being just 330 kilometers (210 miles) south of the equator.
IMAGINE
Imagine a place, vast and so peaceful as to render you silent, so majestic as to leave you forever inspired. Such a place is the roof of Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro.
KILIMANJARO CLIMBING
There are several major routes leading to the summit, but ultimately, all of them reach Uhuru Peak. The two most ascending routes are the Machame and the Marangu.
MARANGU ROUTE
Depending on your taste and experience, you may simply want to get to the top of the mountain, regardless of which route. You may also want some degree of comfort, relative to what's available on the mountain. If you want the simplest route to the summit, without the effort of sleeping in a tent every night, you will most definitely choose the Marangu. It is often referred to as the "Coca-Cola" or the "Tourist" route and approaches the mountain on the same route as the descent.
The Marangu route provides sleeping huts at every camp site. These huts are equipped with 12 V electricity generated with solar energy and comfortable beds with mattresses. Meals are had in large dining huts where there's always an atmosphere of excitedness and adventure. The option of doing the Marangu in 6 days is highly recommended. Approaching the mountain from the south east, on a six day option, the huts in order are : Mandara, Horombo, Horombo, Kibo, Horombo and down again. The optional 6th day on this route can be spent acclimatising at the Horombo hut, normally hiking towards the peak of Mawenzi east of Kibo on the extra day. Note that spending more time on the mountain does help tremendously with acclimatisation. The start is at the Marangu park gate.
MACHAME ROUTE
Many hikers attempting Kilimanjaro are keen outdoors people, used to sleeping out under the stars. For those who don't mind sleeping in tents, but actually prefer it, the Machame route offers probably the best choice on the mountain. As a 6 day minimum route, you virtually circle the main peak of Kibo before actually starting out to the summit from Barafu camp. As mentioned before, accommodation on the Machame is strictly in tents and it is essentially a more natural experience.
As opposed to the Marangu route, meals on the Machame are always had on the floor and depending on the weather, either outside or in a mess tent. It is surprising just how enjoyable such a "floor meal" can be given the limited facilities available to porters to make your life more comfortable. Starting out at the Machame Gate, the first camp site is the Machame camp on the upper edge of the rain forest. As this route follows a different ascent route to the descent, it means that every night (and day), there is a different view of Kibo and the surroundings. This makes for more distractions and in some cases an easier route. The Machame by virtue of its design is the more scenic route of the two, but more suited to the adventurous hikers. From Machame camp the next camp site is Shira, followed by Barranco, always skirting the southern slopes of Kibo. The night prior to the summit attempt is spent at Barafu camp (meaning "ice" in Ki-Swahili). After reaching the summit, the descent follows the Mweka route down until you reach Mweka camp and then down to the Mweka park gate.
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