BEST TIME TO TREK KILIMANJARO
Kilimanjaro's climbing routes
There are seven established routes that lead to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. They are: Lemosho, Machame, Marangu, Rongai, Northern Circuit, Shira and Umbwe.
There's also a descent-only route called the Mweka route.
Each of the seven Kilimanjaro routes has its own pros and cons, like cost, how varied the scenery is, and summit success rate. It's therefore a good idea to look at each to help you make a smart choice about which is the best route for you to climb.
The seven ascent routes
Here are the seven established routes leading to the summit of Kilimanjaro.
Lemosho route – The most beautiful Kilimanjaro route, and very popular. It goes up the western slope.
Machame route – The most popular Kilimanjaro route. It goes up the southern slope.
Marangu route – The Marangu is the only route to offer hut accommodation. It ascends the eastern slope.
Rongai route – The Rongai is the only route that approaches the summit from the north.
Shira route – The Shira has the highest starting elevation. It starts on the western slope.
Northern Circuit – The Northern Circuit is the newest and longest Kilimanjaro route. It starts on the west, but then wraps around the north of the mountain.
Umbwe route – The Umbwe is the shortest, steepest and hardest Kilimanjaro route. It goes up the southern slope.
Which is the best Kilimanjaro route?
Answering the questions about which Kilimanjaro route is the 'best' is tricky, because people want different things out of their climb. This makes the choice of which route to climb very much a personal decision.In our opinion, the best Kilimanjaro routes are the Lemosho, Machame and Northern Circuit. We think most operators would agree with us here.
We like these routes because they're beautiful and varied, and don't require you to descend along the same path. They also enjoy high summit success rates, and of course we want all of our climbers to enjoy standing at the summit!
If we had to choose just one Kilimanjaro route, it would be a toss up between the Lemosho and the Northern Circuit, because they're less crowded than the Machame.
Month | Low (F) | Average (F) | High (F) | Humidity (%) | Rain Fall (in) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
January | 64 | 78 | 92 | 58 | 1.4 |
February | 64 | 78 | 92 | 57 | 2.0 |
March | 66 | 78 | 90 | 63 | 4.7 |
April | 67 | 76 | 85 | 73 | 13.8 |
May | 65 | 72 | 79 | 77 | 9.3 |
June | 62 | 70 | 78 | 69 | 1.0 |
July | 60 | 69 | 78 | 69 | 1.0 |
August | 60 | 60 | 80 | 69 | 0.7 |
September | 60 | 71 | 83 | 61 | 0.6 |
October | 62 | 75 | 88 | 57 | 1.0 |
November | 64 | 76 | 86 | 57 | 2.5 |
December | 64 | 77 | 90 | 60 | 2.1 |
- Packing trekking outfit which include a long sleeve shirt, hiking pants, underwear, hiking socks, waterproof and sturdy boots.
- Packing personal items inside a plastic bag before putting them in the bag in case of rain.
- Thermal socks (more than 3 pairs), gloves (preferably mittens), warm head protection, rain coat, sunglasses, sun protection cream.
- Clothes for higher temperatures including shorts, sweaters and T-shirts.
- Water bottle including Camelbak and Nalgene style plastic bottle.
- Choosing a longer route of above 6 days, Northern circuit, Machame and Lemosho routes are highly recommended.
- Drinking lots of water while on the mountain. 5 liters of water is recommended.
- Doctor’s prescription of Diamox to help acclimatize comfortably.
- Taking slow paces in order to avoid exhaustion.
- Avoid consuming alcohol, stimulants and caffeine.
- Using baby wet wipes for bathing.
- Carrying a roll of toilet paper.
- Get a toilet tent in the campsites.
Kilimanjaro is the tallest free standing mountain on earth and the highest mountain in Africa. It stands at 5895 m
above sea level making it unique by providing a challenging and interesting climb.
The mountain is one of a kind since
it passes through five different climatic zones. The trek is challenging though worth it since it provides an accomplished
feeling standing at the roof of Africa.
The following guidelines will help trekkers prepare for the climb for higher summit
success rate.
Mental And Physical Preparation
A clear mind is most crucial for the climb. A good mental preparation will provide higher summit success rate.
This is through listening to what the guides tell you and having a positive mind since you are on vacation.
However physical preparation is not to be set aside. Prior to the climb, it’s important to do physical exercises
including taking long walks with a backpack. Also to do lung exercises to help you breathe normally in reduced levels of oxygen.
Acquire The Right Trekking Gears
It’s important to pack the right clothes which are to be used through different climates on the mountain.
Consider the following before packing:-
Being Aware of AMS
(AMS) Acute Mountain Sickness is a pathological effect on humans caused by high altitude effect resulting in lower oxygen
levels which makes it hard to breathe normally.
It has several symptoms like headache, dizziness, fatigue, loss of
appetite, nausea and rapid heart rate. However being physically fit doesn’t guarantee a hiker not getting AMS since anyone
can have it.
The following are to be done so as to avoid AMS:-
Taking It Slow
On the mountain, it is important to walk slowly since it’s not a race but rather a holiday. Walking slowly will help hikers acclimatize properly and avoid exhaustion.
Maintenance Of Personal Hygiene
It’s important to know that you will not shower while on the mountain.
You need to consider:
Personal Hydration
It’s recommended to drink lots of water while on the mountain. This will help giving you strength and reduce fatigue. The amount that is recommended is 5 liters a day.
Summit Preparation
The last day of the climb is very challenging and takes a lot of walking hours hence it’s required to do preparation.
Take time to allow your body to rest prior to the summit. Also drinking lot of water will provide your body with strength
and energy to move on.
Above all, it’s required to sleep very early the day before summit so as to avoid exhaustion.
Climbing Kilimanjaro provides you an amazing feeling especially standing at the roof of Africa. To make it more
adventurous, one may opt for a wildlife safari in the national parks or a beach vacation in Zanzibar.
- Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is the mildest form and it’s very common. The symptoms can feel like a hangover – dizziness, headache, muscle aches, nausea.
- High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) is a buildup of fluid in the lungs that can be very dangerous and even life threatening.
- High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) is the most severe form of altitude sickness and happens when there’s fluid in the brain. Its life threatening and you need to seek medical attention right away.
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fatigue and loss of energy
- Shortness of breath
- Problems with sleep
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of coordination and trouble walking.
- A severe headache that doesn’t get better with medication
- A tightening in your chest.
- Confusion
- Shortness of breath even at rest
- Inability to walk
- A cough that produces a white or pink frothy substance
- Coma.
- Start your journey below 10,000 feet. If you have to fly or drive somewhere that’s higher up, stop at one destination that’s lower for at least a full day before going any higher.
- If you walk, hike, or climb over 10,000 feet, only go up an additional 1,000 feet per day. For every 3,000 feet you climb, rest at least a day at that height.
- “Climb high and sleep low”: If you have to climb over 1,000 feet in a day, make sure you come back down to a lower altitude to sleep.
- Drink 3-4 quarts of water every day and make sure about 70% of your calories are coming from carbs.
- Don’t use tobacco, alcohol, or other medications, such as sleeping pills.
- Know how to identify the first signs of altitude sickness. Immediately move to a lower elevation if you start to develop these symptoms.
ALTITUDE SICKNESS
Sometimes called “mountain sickness,” altitude sickness is a group of symptoms that can strike if you walk or climb to a higher elevation, or altitude, too quickly.
WHY IT HAPPENS?
The pressure of the air that surrounds you is called barometric pressure. When you go to higher altitudes, this pressure drops and there is less oxygen available.
If you live in a place that’s located at a moderately high altitude, you get used to the air pressure. But if you travel to a place at a higher altitude than you’re used to, your body will need time to adjust to the change in pressure.
Any time you go above 8,000 feet, you can be at risk for altitude sickness.
TYPES:
There are three kinds of altitude sickness:
SYMTOMS
You might have:
Symptoms usually come on within 12 to 24 hours of reaching a higher elevation and then get better within a day or two as your body adjusts to the change in altitude.
If you have a more moderate case of altitude sickness, your symptoms might feel more intense and not improve with over-the-counter medications. Instead of feeling better as time goes on, you’ll start to feel worse. You’ll have more shortness of breath and fatigue. You may also have:
If you develop a severe form of altitude sickness like HAPE or HACE, you might have:
WHO GETS TO?
Anyone can develop altitude sickness, no matter how fit, young, or healthy they are -- even Olympic athletes can get it. In fact, being physically active at a high elevation makes you more likely to get it.
Your chance of getting altitude sickness depends on a few other things: how quickly you move to a higher elevation, how high you go up, the altitude where you sleep, and other factors.
Your risk also depends on where you live and the altitude there, your age (young people are more likely to get it), and whether you’ve had altitude sickness before
Having certain illnesses like diabetes or lung disease doesn’t automatically make you more likely to develop altitude sickness. But your genes could play a role in your body’s ability to handle higher elevations.
TREATMENT
If you get a headache and at least one other symptom associated with altitude sickness within a day or two of changing your elevation, you might have altitude sickness. If your symptoms are more severe, you’ll need medical attention.
Your doctor might listen to your chest with a stethoscope or take an X-ray of your chest or an MRI or CT scan of your brain to look for fluid.
Knowing the symptoms of altitude sickness will help you seek treatment early, while the condition is still mild. The most important treatment for any level of altitude sickness is to go down to a lower elevation as soon as possible while remaining safe.
If you have severe altitude sickness, you’ll need to be taken down to a lower elevation right away -- and it must be lower than 4,000 feet. You’ll have to see a doctor as soon as possible and you may need to go to the hospital.
If you have HACE, you might need a steroid called dexamethasone. If you have HAPE, you will need supplemental oxygen and may need medications, as well as moving to a lower altitude.
PREVENTION
The best way you can lower your chance of getting altitude sickness is through acclimatization. That means you let your body slowly get used to the changes in air pressure as you travel to higher elevations.
You’ll want to climb to higher altitudes gradually. Going slowly helps your lungs get more air through deeper breaths and allows more of your red blood cells to carry oxygen to different parts of your body.
Some of the basic guidelines for acclimatization are: