Kilimanjaro National Park
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Also known as the roof top of Africa, Kilimanjaro is not only the highest mountain on the African Continent but also the world’s highest free standing Volcano. It comprises of two dormant volcanoes (Kibo 5,895m a.m.s.l and Mawenzi 5,149m a.m.s.l) and one extinct volcano (Shira 3,962m a.m.s.l) respectively.
The origin of the word is not well known but it said to be a combination of the Swahili word Kilima meaning “Mountain” and the KiChagga word Njaro, loosely translated as “Whiteness” giving the name “White Mountain”.
Its size is 1,712Km2 and was declared as a National Park in 1973, officially opened for tourism in 1977, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987 and Natural Wonder of Africa in 2013. Climbing to the top which is far up into the sky it’s a life time experience that no one can forget.
The main tourist activity of Mountain Kilimanjaro National park is of course Climbing to Kibo peak which takes 5 to 8 days depending on the route. The more days, the higher the possibility to conquer the summit. Six mountain trails can take a climber to the highest point in Africa, each route offering different attractions and challenges. The other activity is mountain cycling; Tourists have a chance to cycle inside the park. There are two routes, one for summit bound visitors (Kilema route) and second one for non-summit visitors (Shira plateau). These routes are equipped with picnic sites and resting points.
The Lemosho Route
The Lemosho route is considered the most scenic trail on Kilimanjaro, granting panoramic vistas on various sides of the mountain. As one of the newer routes, Lemosho is a superb choice for your climb. It is our preferred route due to its ideal balance of low crowds, beautiful scenery and a high summit success rate. Tanzania Horizon Safaris specializes in guiding on the Lemosho route. Most of our clients climb Kilimanjaro using this route and they consistently report that they loved it. Thus, Lemosho is highly recommended.The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the west, beginning with a long drive from Moshi to Londorossi Gate. From there, the first two days are spent trekking through the rain forest to Shira Ridge. The Lemosho route crosses the entire Shira Plateau from west to east in a pleasant, relatively flat hike. Crowds are low until the route joins the Machame route near Lava Tower. Then the route traverses underneath Kilimanjaro's Southern Ice Field on a path known as the Southern Circuit before summiting from Barafu. Descent is made via the Mweka route.
Tanzania Horizon Safaris offers Lemosho as an eight-day group climb or as a seven to eight-day private climb. The seven-day variation combines days five and six, going from Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp without staying at Karanga. A nine-day variation that includes an overnight at Crater Camp is available as a private climb by special request.
The Machame Route
The Machame route, also known as the "Whiskey" route, is the most popular route on Kilimanjaro. Machame’s draw is in its scenic beauty. However, the trail is considered difficult, steep and challenging, particularly due to its shorter itinerary. Therefore, this route is better suited for more adventurous folks or those with some high altitude, hiking or backpacking experience.
The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the south, beginning with a short drive from Moshi to Machame Gate. The path leads hikers through the rain forest to Shira Plateau. Here, many of Kilimanjaro’s routes converge. Then the route turns east and traverses underneath Kilimanjaro's Southern Ice Field on a path known as the Southern Circuit before summiting from Barafu. Descent is made via the Mweka route.
Tanzania Horizon safaris offers Machame as a seven-day group climb or as a six-day private climb. The six-day variation combines days four and five, going from Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp without staying at Karanga.
The Marangu Route
The Marangu route, also known as the "Coca-Cola" route, is the oldest, most well established route on Kilimanjaro. This is the only route which offers sleeping huts in dormitory style accommodations in lieu of camping. There are 60 bunk beds each at Mandara and Kibo Huts, and 120 bunk beds at Horombo Hut. Guests are supplied with mattresses and pillows, but sleeping bags are still required. The huts have communal dining halls and basic washrooms, ranging from flushing toilets and running water at the lower huts to long drop toilets and buckets of water at Kibo Hut.
Many favor Marangu because it is considered to be the easiest path on the mountain, given its gradual slope and direct path. However, the short time frame of the route makes altitude acclimatization fairly difficult. The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the southeast. Marangu is unfortunately less scenic than the other routes because the ascent and descent are along the same path. It is also the most crowded route for that reason.
Tanzania Horizon safaris offers Marangu as five or six-day private climb. The five-day variation does not have an acclimatization day on day three at Horombo Hut.
The Rongai Route
The Rongai route is the only route that approaches Kilimanjaro from the north, close to the Kenyan border. Though gaining popularity amongst climbers, this route still experiences low crowds. Rongai has a more gradual slope than the mountain’s other routes. It is the preferred route for those looking for an alternative to the popular Marangu route, for those who would like a more remote hike, and for those who are climbing during the rainy season (the north side receives less precipitation). Rongai is a moderately difficult route, and is highly recommended, especially for those with less backpacking experience.
M Although the scenery is not as varied as the western routes, Rongai makes up for this by passing through true wilderness areas for nearly the entire way. Descent is made via the Marangu route.
Tanzania Horizon Safaris offers Rongai as a seven-day group climb or a six or seven private climb. The six-day variation does not have an acclimatization day on day four at Mawenzi Tarn.
The Umbwe Route
The Umbwe route has a well-deserved reputation of being the most challenging route on Mount Kilimanjaro. Due to the fast ascent to high altitude, this route does not provide the necessary stages for acclimatization. Although the number of people on this trail is very low, the chances of success are also low. Umbwe is considered to be very difficult, taxing route - one that should only be attempted by strong hikers who are confident in their ability to acclimatize quickly to altitude.
Approaching from the south, the Umbwe route is a short, steep and direct climb. After reaching Barranco Camp, the trail turns east and traverses underneath Kilimanjaro's Southern Ice Field on a path known as the Southern Circuit before summiting from Barafu. Descent is made via the Mweka route.
Tanzania Horizon Safaris offers Umbwe as a six or seven-day private climb. The seven-day variation adds an acclimatization day on day three at Barranco Camp.
The Northern Circuit Route
The Northern Circuit route is one of the best routes on Kilimanjaro, offering nearly 360 degrees of beautiful scenery including the quiet, rarely visited northern slopes. As the longest route on Kilimanjaro, the Northern Circuit also has the most acclimatization time and the highest summit success rate. Thus, the Northern Circuit route is highly recommended.
The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the west, beginning with a long drive from Moshi to Londorossi Gate. From there, the first two days are spent trekking through the rainforest to Shira Ridge, before crossing the Shira Plateau. The route then heads north and circles clockwise from Moir Hut to Buffalo Camp to School Hut, before summiting from the east. Descend is made via the Mweka route.
Tanzania Horizon Safaris offers the Northern Circuit as a nine-day group climb or private climb. A 10-day variation that includes an overnight at Crater Camp is available as a private climb by special request.
More Information about
Mount Kilimanjaro
The Park provides a variety of accommodations ranging from Mountain huts, hostel and 32 public campsites. Booking for huts and hostel is done through licensed local tour operators. After one conquers the summit you can choose to fly from the top of Mount Kilimanjaro by either parachutes or wingsuits but of course at extra cost.
The weather on Kilimanjaro varies by altitude, time of year and time of day and conditions are very unpredictable. Popular times to visit include June–October and December–March when the sky is clear and the mountain top is easily seen. Most people avoid April and May, when there are heavy monsoon rains. However, the climb can be done provided you have proper climbing clothing and equipment.
Climbing Kilimanjaro fits in well with a safari to the rest of Tanzania, and indeed great wildlife areas are so accessible by air or road that it would be a great pity not to plan this into your travels. Arusha, Tarangire, Manyara are all well within a day’s driving of Moshi town, while an air charter can take you to the Serengeti and any other corner of the country.
Mountain Kilimanjaro National park can be reached by air and road. The nearest airport and link to the park is Kilimanjaro international airport in Arusha. Qatar Airways, Turkish Airways, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and KLM all have flights to Kilimanjaro.