Kilimanjaro Expedition - General Information

Mount Kilimanjaro - from equator to vertical pole

About Tanzania

United Republic of Tanzania covers an area of 945,087 square kilometers and is the largest East African country in the region African Great Lakes formed along Great Rift Valley.
It is bordered by Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; the Comoros Islands and the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to the south; Zambia to the southwest; Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo to the west. The capital is Dodoma and the largest city is Dar es Salaam. Tanzania's borders cross the continent's largest lake - Lake Victoria, the longest lake in the world - Lake Tanganyka and Lake Malawi.
Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world, about 40% live below the poverty line. Life expectancy is around 50 years. It is home to approx. 47,000,000 people, of which 951TPTP3T belong to the Bantu tribes. 351TPTP3T of the people are Muslims, 30% Christians, 35% other traditional indigenous beliefs.
Three official languages are spoken in Tanzania: Swahili, English and Arabic. The national language is Swahili. A few Swahili words and their meanings: karibu = welcome, pole pole = slowly, asante = thank you, uhuru = freedom, machame = salts, mweka = put it on, umbwe = vacuum, lemosho = memory, rongai = move on, marangu = hard, salaam = hello, lala salaam = sleep bye, moshi = smoke.

About Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro is located in Africa, in northern Tanzania, in the Kilimanjaro region, close to the equator, at coordinates 03°04′33″S 37°21′12″E. It is 70 km from East African Rift.
Kilimanjaro is not only the highest mountain in Africa, it's also one of the largest volcanoes on the entire planet, covering an area of around 388,500 hectares. As such, it is among "Volcanic Seven Summits" the highest volcanoes on each of the seven continents.
Mount Kilimanjaro is an inactive volcano and part of the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park. It is highest mountain in Africa - 5,895 m above sea level - and the highest free-standing mountain in the world - 4,900 meters above the base of the plateau. There are three main peaks in the area that trace its origins to three huge volcanic eruptions: Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira.

Climate zones of Mount Kilimanjaro

Mount Kilimanjaro consists of five major ecological climate zones. These are: the Cultivated Zone, the Rainforest Zone, the Swamp Zone, the Alpine Desert Zone and the Arctic Vortex Tundra Zone.
Kilimanjaro's five distinct climatic zones, from the rainforest to the summit's arctic tundra, were compared to walking from the equator to the North Pole.
Each climate zone has its own unique characteristics in terms of both vegetation and fauna.
1. Cultivated Area:
Altitude: 800 - 1800 m
Temperature: day: 21 - 32 C / night: 4 - 15 C
As you leave Arusha or Moshi to head to the park gates to begin your climb, you'll see plenty of evidence of human activity. The more rain-rich southern part of the mountain, with fertile volcanic soil, offers ideal conditions for cultivation.
2. Equatorial Forest Zone:
Altitude: 1.800 - 2.800 m
Temperature: day: 21 - 32 C / night: 4 - 15 C
The entire mountain is surrounded by a tropical, montane rainforest. Dense and moist, this forest is home to diverse species of birds and animals. The trees are covered with "old man's beard", orchids grow on the branches of old trees. Black-and-white Colobus monkeys and baboons live in the treetops.
3. Moorland:
Altitude: 2.800 - 4.000 m
Temperature: day: 10 - 27 C / night: (-1) - 15 C
The forest ends abruptly when you enter the marsh area and suddenly magnificent views open up. The marsh area is characterized by the presence of tufa shrubs and tufock grasses. As we climb, we see "Senecios" and "Giant Lobelias". These plants have developed unique characteristics that allow them to withstand drastic temperature changes. As 'Senecios' ages, its leaves die and remain on the plant, forming a sheath around the trunk. 'Lobelias' close their leaves at night, covering their core to provide warmth. Very few animals live here. Keep an eye out for birds of prey.
4. Alpine Desert:
Altitude: 4000 - 5000 m
Temperature: day: (-12) - 15 C / night: (-12) - 4 C
The sun's intense rays beat down during the day and at night the temperature drops below freezing. There is very little water in this area and only the hardiest plants can live. It's barren and inhospitable. We encounter small hardy plants, very few flowers and the odd tussoky grass. The landscape is dominated by rugged rock formations and panoramic views.
5. Arctic tundra area of the Peak:
Altitude: 5.000 - 5.895 m
Temperature: day: (-12) - 4 C / night: (-26) - (-7) C
Also known as the Arctic zone, this area is dry, freezing cold at night and subject to intense sun during the day. With half the oxygen available than at sea level, the area is dominated by glaciers and large boulders. There are no resident animals or plants except for a few very hardy, slow-growing and probably ancient lichens. It is very cold here, with strong winds and night-time temperatures below freezing. On the way to the summit there is likely to be ice and snow on the ground, even at midday, and the sun's radiation is harsh. Sunscreen is essential for all exposed parts of your body, the dry air will dehydrate you quickly and you'll need warm layers to keep warm.
Kilimanjaro glaciers. Everyone knows the snow cap at the summit of Kilimanjaro. You would think that due to the strong strong equatorial sun, glaciers would not exist at all on Kilimanjaro. In fact, the bright white color of the ice allows it to survive because it reflects most of the heat. On the other hand, the ternary black lava rock on which the glacier rests absorbs heat; so while the surface of the glacier is relatively unaffected by the sun's rays, the heat generated by the sun-baked rocks beneath it causes the ice to melt. Kilimanjaro's retreating glaciers are thought to disappear between 2025 and 2035.

Weather
The best forecast is from August to October and the worst is in April. Temperatures are best from January to March. The month with the least precipitation is July. Most sunny days are in August and December. It's less humid in October and from January to March. Most tourists come up in July, August and December. All things considered, by far the 3 best months to climb Kilimanjaro are August, September and October, and the worst time is April, followed by May.

Route map

(click on objectives for extended version)

Technical box

Difficulty: hard
Duration / distance: 6 days / 61 km
Marking: Machame Route, unmarked
Alt min: 1.650 mdm, at Mweka Gate
Alt max: 5,895 mdm, at Uhuru Peak
Level difference: +5.500 m / -5.000 m
Comments: guided access only