Xpress - Kilimanjaro

KILIMANJARO is the highest mountain in Africa and the tallest freestanding mountain known to man. It is a mountain where you can hike for more than 90 kilometers, gain 4 000 meters in altitude, traverse rain forest, moorland, alpine desert, snow fields and ice cliffs, all virtually on the equator! A truly unforgettable and fascinating adventure.

Kilimanjaro has intrigued modern man for the past century. Although it was spoken of in the second century, Mount Kilimanjaro was only "discovered" by the western world in 1848, when the German missionary Johannes Rebmann came within sight of the mountain, explored the area and traversed the lower slopes.

He submitted his findings to the Royal Geographical Society, but his description of a snowcapped mountain in eastern equatorial Africa was doubted by these "experts". During the following years there where a number of unsuccessful attempts by various explorers to conquer the summit and it was only on the 6th October 1889 that Dr. Hans Meyer, with Ludwig Purtscheller an experienced alpine mountaineer, managed to reach the summit successfully. The expedition consisted of many porters, guides and advisors. It took the intrepid Meyer almost 6 weeks to reach the summit, 6 times as long as it takes the average climber today. At the centenary of this climb in 1989 one of their Tanzanian guides was still enjoying life at an age of 118 years!!

Kilimanjaro rises from plains at approximately 2000 meters, right up to 5 895 meters. An ancient volcano, it now lies dormant except for some tell tale signs of fumaroles in the ash pit. Two other peaks, namely Mawenzi and Shira, flank the main peak of Kibo. These peaks form spectacular photographic backdrops when viewed from various vantage points along the routes to the summit.

The different routes to the summit pass through five ecological zones, being the cultivated lower slopes, Montane forest, heath and moorland, alpine desert and the ice capped summit.

The lower slopes of the mountain are mainly used for agricultural purposes.

The climate here is ideal for the production of coffee, an industry that Tanzania is famous for. Further up, a rain forest belt encircles the mountain up to about 200 meters. As you proceed higher, you pass through the heath which changes into moorland, semi-desert at altitude, progressing into total desert and finally into an alpine region with permanent ice glaciers.

The higher slopes are covered with scree, loose stones resembling gravel, making it more difficult to negotiate. The main glaciers edging their way down the slopes of Kibo are Heim, Rebmann, Decken, Arrow and some smaller ones. These glaciers form the permanent ice cap of the mountain, although they are, as a result of global warming, believed to receding each year.

There are various routes to the summit, of which the Marangu, Machame, Shira and Umbwe are most famous. Marangu is also the easiest, much preferred by most tourist, however, the Machame route offers some stunning view.