THE BEST ROUTE TO CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO

There are six approved routes for a Kilimanjaro climb with Uhuru Trails By AfricanMecca, each offering different advantages and drawbacks. Regardless of which route you choose, you need not be a rock climber, superlatively fit, supremely well-equipped nor mentally indefatigable to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest and world’s highest freestanding mountain.

Pensioners and children have completed the course whilst celebrities, athletes and billionaires have failed. Determination and positive thinking are no defense against the main cause of failure on a Kilimanjaro trip: climbing too high, too fast. If you are fit enough to enjoy a seven-day challenging walk and drink lots of liquid, you have an excellent chance of reaching Uhuru Peak. But 75% of all climbers will feel effects of altitude 3,000 meters above sea level.

Kilimanjaro rears to almost 6000 meters – just short of 105 meters. On a well-planned trek, 80% will summit. On a rushed one, less than 40% make the grade. The oft-repeated advice, “Pole, pole”, pronounced, “polay, polay”, is Kiswahili for “slowly, slowly”. Go unhurried and enjoy the novelty of the adventure and the wonderful scenery. Don’t waste a moment of this amazing top-of-the-world wilderness experience. Take your time, drink it in deeply and treasure your Tanzanian mountainous vacation achievement for a lifetime.



People who normally live at sea level need to acclimatize themselves to high altitude and low air pressure which can result in swelling of lung and brain tissue causing headaches and breathing problems. As an extreme example, think of diver’s bends, the result of too fast depressurization. With common-sense safety precautions, the problem need not occur at an extreme level. The wisdom is climb high, sleep low. A rest day at the same altitude will not help. You must relieve the cause by seeking a lower overnight camp, just as you get out of a hot sauna or steam room, cool off a little and try again later.

The most enjoyable way to acclimatize is to make a practice trek, perhaps on nearby Mount Meru, which is a fantastic experience in itself and will ensure you get the most enjoyment out of your later Kilimanjaro hiking tour. Whatever your reason for ascending the shining mountain, if you make it to the top or not, nothing can detract from the magnificence of your experience, the exhilaration of alpine air and scenery, the comradeship and the self-confidence you have gained.

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