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Mount Kilimanjaro Facts

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Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain and one of the world’s most iconic peaks.

In this extensive Mount Kilimanjaro facts article we have tried to distill the most interesting and fun facts about this famous mountain and the people who trek it.

We encourage you to use the quicklinks below to help you navigate to the Mount Kilimanjaro facts that are most interesting to you.

Please note: if you are planning to hike Kilimanjaro and want to read some excellent guides and books about the mountain, we recommend either getting Henry Stedman’s comprehensive guidebook called Kilimanjaro: The Trekking Guide to Africa’s Highest Mountain or our very own editor’s guidebook, Mount Kilimanjaro: Trekkers Guide to the Summit. If you looking for something a little more entertaining then we recommend checking out these true life stories from Kilimanjaro trekkers.

Quicklinks:

Mount Kilimanjaro Facts

Geography and Altitude

Mount Kilimanjaro is situated in the Northern part of Tanzania, in the Kilimanjaro National Park. It covers an area of 100 kilometers long and 65 kilometers wide.

tanzania-kilimanjaro

The mountain is a dormant volcano which is comprised of three volcanic cones, Shira, Kibo (on which Uhuru summit stands) and Mawenzi.

Kibo is classified as dormant but not extinct. The last major eruption from Kibo occurred 360,000 years ago. The last volcanic activity happened 200 years ago and resulted in today’s ash pit (visible from Uhuru Peak)

North-East Monsoon

Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free standing mountain in the world. By free-standing, or non-massif, we mean it is not part of a mountain range.

The summit on Mount Kilimanjaro is called Uhuru Peak and stands at 5,895m or 19,341 feet. To put this in perspective, Mount Everest, stands at 8,848 meters (29,029 feet) – just over 2,950 meters higher.

But here’s an interesting Kilimanjaro Fact: Both Everest Base Camp’s – South and North – are below the summit of Kilimanjaro; however, most climbers take upwards of 8-10 days to reach EBC.

On Kilimanjaro trekkers on fast routes reach the summit within 4-5 days. The rapid ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro makes it a difficult and rather dangerous mountain to hike due to the risks of Altitude Sickness.

As the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro makes up one of the Seven Summits (i.e. highest mountains on each of the seven continents). The other mountains on the Seven Summit circuit are:

  • Mount Everest – Asia – First ascent 1953 – 8,848 meters
  • Aconcagua – South America – First ascent 1897 – 6,961 meters
  • Mount McKinley – North America – First ascent 1913 – 6,194 meters
  • Mount Kilimanjaro – Africa – First ascent 1889 – 5,895 meters
  • Mount Elbrus – Europe – First ascent 1874 – 5,642 meters
  • Mount Vinson – Antarctica – First ascent 1966 – 4,892 meters
  • Mount Kosciuszko – Australia – First ascent 1840 – 2,228 meters

Here is a chart that shows the relative heights of the Seven Summits in relation to the 14 highest peaks of the Himalaya.

seven-summits

mount-kilimanjaro-facts-figures

Weather and Climate Change

Weather

Kilimanjaro’s weather is heavily influenced by the interaction of trade winds with the structure of the mountain.

The South-east trade winds travelling over the Indian Ocean carry loads of moisture. When they hit Kilimanjaro, around March, then are forced upwards where they condense, form clouds and precipitation. This means March through to May is the wettest season on Kilimanjaro.

Anti-trade winds from the North-east carry very little moisture but blow strongly. The strength of these winds which last from April through to October keep the South-east trade winds below them, hence these months are usually dry and cloud cover and precipitation is generally restricted to the lower slopes.

The North-east monsoon arrives in November and brings some light rains to the northern slopes of Kilimanjaro.

March, April and November are the wettest months on Kilimanjaro. January-March and June-October are the best months for trekking. Snow fall and cold temperatures are common during December-May.

The chart below shows average snowfall in cm on the summit of Kilimanjaro

snow-kilimanjaro

See here for detailed information on Kilimanjaro weather.

Climate Change

There is scientific consensus that Kilimanjaro’s glaciers have been rapidly receding for the past century, and that human-induced climate is largely to blame.

At one stage the whole mountain summit was covered by an ice cap, probably more than 100 meters deep. However, since 1912 Kilimanjaro has lost 82% of its ice cap and since 1962 it has lost 55% of its remaining glaciers.

If the present rate of recession continues the majority of the glaciers on Kilimanjaro could vanish altogether.

This article on climate change and Kilimanjaro gives a good overview.

Routes

There are six official Kilimanjaro routes. Three routes – Machame, Umbwe, and Marangu – approach from the South, two routes – Shira and Lemosho – from the west and Rongai approaches from the North-East. The Northern Circuit is a seventh route option that approaches from the West using the Lemosho start point, but then circles around the north of Kilimanjaro and follows a summit assault passage via Gilman’s Point.

In total there are three summit assualt passages. The first approaches the summit from the south via Stella Point, the second approaches from the East via Gilman’s Point and the 3rd approach uses the Western Breach, which is more technically challenging.

The Mweka route is used for descent only.

kilimanjaro-map

Kilimanjaro Trekkers

Approx. 35,000 people attempt to climb Kilimanjaro every year

Summit Success Rates

The chances of reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro is highly dependent on the number of days taken to trek the mountain.

The more days the higher the probability of success as your body has more time to adapt and acclimatize.

Here are the success rate figures as published by the Kilimanjaro National Park. These numbers are admittedly quite old and success rates are most likely higher as route configurations have improved and the number of people taking 5 day treks has plateaued.

  • All climbers, all routes 45%
  • All climbers, all 5 day routes 27%
  • All climbers, all 6 day routes 44%
  • All climbers, all 7 days routes 64%
  • All climbers, all 8 day routes 85%

Insight from two reputable tour operators that we work with shows that success rates are over 85% for all the trekkers they take up Mount Kilimanjaro.

Annual Deaths

Many conflicting figures are banded around on the number of people who die on Kilimanjaro each year.

Based on research from a number of reliable sources, we estimate between 3-7 deaths a year. Deaths on the mountain occur due to various reasons including AMS (such as HACE and HAPE), falls, and hypothermia.

Sometimes porters die due to the onset of malaria whilst on the trek.

mount-kilimanjaro-facts-to-know

Amazing Kilimanjaro Records

First Ascent

German geologist, Hans Meyer, Ludwig Purtscheller and a local called Lauwo were the first people to summit Mount Kilimanjaro in October 1889.

However, it is possible that Kilimanjaro’s summit was reached by locals prior to Hans Meyer, but was never recorded.

Fastest Ascent

The fastest ascent and descent of Mount Kilimanjaro is held by Swiss mountain runner, Karl Egloff, who ran to the top the summit and back in 6 hours and 42 minutes in August 2014. This incredible feat beat the previous record which was help by Spanish mountain runner, Kilian Jornet and set in September 2010. At the time, the Spaniard was 22 years old. He reached the summit in a record time of 5 hours, 23 minutes and 50 seconds – beating the previous ascent record from Kazakh mountain runner, Andrew Puchinin, by one minute! He then ran back down for a total round-trip time of 7 hours and 14 minutes, beating the previous round-trip record set by local Tanzanian guide Simon Mtuy of 9 hours and 21 minutes!

Check out this awesome video of Kilian Jornet’s record ascent of Kilimanjaro.

The fastest ascent by a women is held by German born Anne-Marie Flammersfeld, who in July 2015 climbed to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in 8 Hrs 32 Minutes, smashing the previous record held by Becky Shuttleworth by over 3 hours. In total it took Flammersfeld 12 hours 58 minutes to ascend and descend, breaking the record 18 hour 31 minute record set by Debbie Bachmann. Read more about Anne-Marie’s record here.

Youngest and Oldest People to Successfully Summit Kilimanjaro

The youngest person to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro is Keats Boyd, at the tender age of 7 years old. The Los Angeles resident reached the summit on the 21st January 2008 – an incredible achievement made even more impressive as he somehow managed to dodge the minimum age rule for young climbers (i.e. 10 years or older).

The youngest British person ever to climb Kilimanjaro is Zain Akrim at 9 years of age on the 8th of August, 2015. And the youngest female to climb Kilimanjaro is Roxy Getter, aged 8, who summit in July 2017.

Richard Byerley was ‘officially’ the oldest person to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro. Byerley reached the summit in October 2010 at the ripe old age of 84 years and 71 days. However, his record was incredibly surpassed by Martin Kafer (85) and his wife Esther (84) in October 2012. The Canadian-Swiss couple now hold the record as the oldest man and oldest women to climb Kilimanjaro. Esther’s achievement surpassed the previous oldest woman to reach the summit, Bernice Bunn, who climbed to the Roof of Africa at age 83.

Update: Robert Wheeler has now become the oldest person to climb Mount Kilimanjaro at age 85 and 201 days. He reached the summit on 2nd October 2014. Read about his incredible feat here.

Update: Angela Vorobeva (Russia, b. 4 February 1929) has now become the oldest person and women to reach the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, aged 86 years 267 days, on 29 October 2015.

oldest-person-climb-kilimanjaro

Nonetheless, there is some controversy around who is the oldest person to have reached the summit. Frenchman, Valtee Daniel, reached the summit at the age of 87; however, the climb was not independently verified and did not have sufficient documentation to be verified (i.e. logbook notes, photographs and film).

Incredible Ascents by Disabled People

Wheelchair-bound South African, Bernard Goosen, scaled Mount Kilimanjaro in 2007, taking six days.

Kyle Maynard, who has no arms and legs, crawled unassisted to the top of Kilimanjaro in 2012. Watch this documentary about Kyle and his Kilimanjaro achievement – it’s amazing!!

mount-kilimanjaro-facts-tanzania

Other Interesting Kilimanjaro Facts

Highest Cricket Match

In September 2014, 30 cricket players and official climbed to the top of Kilimanjaro and then descended to Crater Camp to play the highest game of cricket ever recorded. The previous record was held near Everest Base Camp in 2009.

Read about the highest cricket match here.

highest-cricket-match-kilimanjaro

Team Building for Tour de France Cyclists

In October 2014, the Russian-backed Tour de France team, Tinkoff-Saxo, climbed to the top of Kilimanjaro. Cycling stars Alberto Contador and Peter Sagan were part of the team that reached the summit.

Read more about their trek here.

tinkoff-saxo-kilimanjaro

Highest Pizza Delivery

In May 2016, Pizza Hut set an official Guinness World Record by delivering the highest altitude pizza to the top of Kilimanjaro.

Read more about their trek and record here.

Africa’s Tallest Tree Discovered on Kilimanjaro

Measuring an almighty 81.5m in height, Africa’s tallest tree was discovered on Mount Kilimanjaro in 2016. The tree is of the Entandrophragma Excelsum species and could be up to 600 years old!

Read more about the finding here.

Highest Football Match

In June 2017 a group of 30 female footballers from 20 nations played the highest game of soccer on record. The game was played in Kilimanjaro’s volcanic pit and lasted a full 90 minutes. An incredible achievement!

Read more about the amazing record click here.

Golf on Kilimanjaro

A number of trekkers over the past few years have hit golf shots off the summit of Kilimanjaro into the crater. We’re not sure who was the first to play golf on Kilimanjaro, but here is a Youtube video from 2010 that’s quite entertaining.

FAQ

Still have questions about these Kilimanjaro facts, or want to add some more facts to this page? Leave a comment below and we will respond within 24hours.

Leave a Comment:

100 comments
Cindy daugherty says February 12, 2015

What is the altitude at the base. How many vertical feet do you trek to the top? Generally how many hours do you hike per day? Is September an acceptable time to go? Do we carry our own supplies? Do we bring our own gear with us? ie sleeping bags ect.

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    Mark Whitman says February 12, 2015

    Hi Cindy, Thanks for getting in touch – lots of questions. Here are some links and quick answers. 1. If by base you mean the trail heads, most start at approx. 1,800m. If you meant summit base camps, these are around 4,600m. 2. The summit of Kilimanjaro is Uhuru Peak, 19,341 feet above sea level. You trek approx. 14,500 feet from the trail heads to the summit. 3. On average you will be doing between 5-8 hours trekking a day (excl. breaks for lunch). Summit day is a lot longer as you trek up from summit base camp to Uhuru peak and back down to 15,000 feet (12-15 hours trekking). 4. All treks on Kilimanjaro have porters who carry your gear. You will carry a small daypack. 5. Yes – here is what you need to bring with you or hire: https://www.climbkilimanjaroguide.com/kilimanjaro-kit-list/
    All the best!

    Reply
      Hala Ajouz says February 26, 2017

      Hi there
      I would like to add another beating number for the young Lebanese girl who summit mount Kilimanjaro on 24 February 2017
      Thank you

      Reply
Ravi Maharaj says March 2, 2015

Has any Trinidad and Tobago National ever summit Mount Kilimanjaro? I plan on making the expedition in September and was wondering if I would be the first.

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    Mark Whitman says March 4, 2015

    Hi Ravi, unfortunately we don’t know whether anyone from Trinidad and Tobago has summited Kilimanjaro, but I suspect it is quite likely that someone has. Perhaps try Googling it.

    Reply
      Janika says October 29, 2015

      Safia Hosein (2014)
      Trinidad and Tobago
      http://www.ladiestrekking.com/safia-hosein/

      Reply
      IVAN CHARLES says October 29, 2016

      Hello Ravi. I hoped you successfully made the summit at Uhuru Peak. I’m a National of Trinidad & Tobago and climbed to Uhuru Peak on Thursday 29th September 2016. I used the remote 6-Day Rongai/Marangu Route.
      I know at least 3 other T&T Nationals that made the summit via Machame Route.
      Cheers!
      Ivan Charles.

      Reply
Dhanraj Bobby Ramnarine says March 19, 2015

I summited with my daughter in January 2015 and I am pretty certain that we are not the first Trinis.

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    Susan Thomas says June 19, 2015

    Can anybody tell me about the Gilman whose name is given to Gilman’s Point?

    Reply
      Mark Whitman says June 19, 2015

      Hi Susan, great question. It is most likely that Gilman’s or Gillman’s Point was named after Clement Gillman, an engineer and georgrapher who worked in Tanganyika from about 1920 till his death in 1946.

      He climbed the mountain in 1921, eventually reaching the crater rim where Gillman’s Point sits today. It is believed that he didn’t actually reach the summit. He was first person to use boiling point observations on Kilimanjaro to try work out it’s height.

      Reply
Liane says September 16, 2015

Great article. I trekked up late August 2015 but was turned around by my guide just shy of Stella Point as my O2 levels were dangerously low. On the previous 3 days they started hovering in the mid 60s in fact lava tower (15,000) was my first touch of altitude sickness but after a visit to the outhouse I felt 80% better so thought I would level off and make it. We agreed summit night if my O2 dropped into the 50’s it wasn’t up for debate. Several attempts to read my O2 failed over the coarse of 4 hours in the freezing cold. Just before the hour long push to the summit the O2 sensor started working and my reading was 57. I was tired but no nausea or light headedness etc just the obvious shortenss of breath and tingling in my hand and legs (it was cold so I wasn’t connecting that symptom to AS) anyway after I did a whistle loud enough to hail a cab in NY and waved goodbye to my group up ahead we decended. A second reading at camp read 54. Exhausted as everyone is on summit day I slept and tended to my headache but all in all felt recovery would be swift. Can you comment on any experience you’ve had, or know of, where O2 levels were that low. My guide was beside herself I trekked for 3 days with such low levels and can’t even begin to wrap her brain around what was going on in my body with O2 levels in the 50’s. I’m not a hiker so tagging over 18,000 with virtually no experience is a feather I’m happily put in my cap. (That said I gave ALL my gear away to the porters and guides because 1. They needed more than me and 2. Kilimanjaro serves as a reminder its in the journey not the destination where your most likely to learn the most about your self worth, resilience and inner amazing self vs your overbearing ego. Asente

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    Mark Whitman says September 16, 2015

    Hi Liane, Thanks for your message. It sounds like you had a tough time on Kili, but came off unscathed and happy with the journey! In my opinion readings under 70 are dangerously low so I’m surprised that you managed to get down to mid 50s. I suspect that your oxymeter device was faulty as most people would be in a very bad way with such low readings. Which outfitter did you climb with?

    Reply
    Ying says September 23, 2015

    Hi Liane, I was climbing through Manchame route on August 18-24, 2015. My oximeter read was 55 at Barafu Camp (4600mABSL). The summit night, I had a headache, nausea and dizziness. However, I kept going up, because I thought going downhill in that darkness and coldness would be even more miserable. My guide didn’t even check my oxygen level. Just give me some hot tea after I threw up midway. He walked so fast that I have to ask him to slow down. At the top I had blurred vision which was another symptom of AMS. It was the toughest thing I’ve ever done. It felt like a narrow escape for me, but now I am glad I made it. I guess having a tough guide was not all bad.
    Anyway, I think you still did well if you were close to Stella point, just think you’d have made it to the top if you were with my guide.

    Reply
    George Crisp says September 23, 2016

    I am not sure how reliable pulse oximetry is in this setting. I checked several younger members of our group and (well acclimatized) guides – the striking thing to me was that the readings varied enormously in all the individuals I checked ( above about 4000m) – several readings in the low 60’s recorded whilst inactive on our rest day in fit people without any symptoms.

    Reply
Larissa says October 1, 2015

How many people died while climbing mount Kosciuszko

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peter rawcliffe says November 6, 2015

Who was the first british woman to reach the summit.
Do you know of Barbara Hambleton’s ascent on 2nd August 1952 ?
If so can you tell me about it she was a relative

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    Mark Whitman says November 9, 2015

    Hi Peter, thanks for getting in touch. Unfortunately I don’t know of Barbara Hambleton’s ascent of Kilimanjaro or who the first British women was to climb Kilimanjaro. You might be able to get some answers from the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority: http://www.tanzaniaparks.com/kili.html

    Reply
Robert Vernon says November 15, 2015

What was the age of Anglea Vorobyova in years and days, plus date of birth.

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    Mark Whitman says November 16, 2015

    Hi Robert, Unfortunately we don’t know. Sorry!

    Reply
    Detlev says December 26, 2015

    The oldest woman to climb Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 m; 19,340 ft) is Angela Vorobeva (Russia, b. 4 February 1929), who reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, aged 86 years 267 days, on 29 October 2015.

    Reply
      Mark Whitman says December 28, 2015

      Thanks for the information. We will update our records! All the best!

      Reply
Annie Hughey says December 1, 2015

Hi! Do you happen to know how Stella’s Point was named? Thanks!

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    Mark Whitman says December 1, 2015

    Hi Annie, that’s a great question. I don’t actually know. Will do some research and post the answer here if I find anything!

    Reply
      Kirin Nielsen says September 11, 2016

      I was going to ask the same question! A friend of mine from college (Miles Latham) was British, born in Tanzania where his father was a doctor to the Maasai. Miles told me that Stella Point was named after his grandmother (also British) but I don’t recall why. Miles’s father later joined the faculty at Cornell University as a professor of public health and as a specialist in some diseases associated with Africa. I’d like to know more about Miles’s story.

      Reply
Ron Jones says December 15, 2015

Hi
I have just returned to the UK after successfully reaching the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro on Dec 7th 2015 at the age of 64.
Do you have any information regarding how many climbers over 60 years of age have reached the summit?
Many thanks for all the information on your site, it has proved invaluable!

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    Mark Whitman says December 16, 2015

    Hi Ron, Congrats on summiting Kilimanjaro!
    I don’t have any accurate information on the number of trekkers over 60 that have summitted Kilimanjaro, but I would estimate it is quite high. The mountain receives about 30k climbers a year. I would say maybe 3-6% are in their 60s and 60-80% of those reach the summit. Conservatively I would say at least 300 people in their 60s reach the summit every year. This is a guestimate, and I could be well out but from the companies that I am in contact with I know they take a few handfuls of clients in their 60s to the summit every year.

    Reply
      Chas Greenway says May 28, 2016

      This is anecdotal only. When I climbed Mt Kilimanjaro I was 63 and upon reaching the bottom I had a look through the visitors book to see if there were many in their 60’s and older. I looked back over three months entries and only found five such people . I know this is a small sample for only one exit point and it was in June, but may still be indicative.

      Reply
    Rika Lyne says January 2, 2017

    I would like to know that too. I made it Oct 15th 2015 @ 69years 3months.
    Rika Lyne from Canada.

    Reply
Sharms says December 25, 2015

Hello and merry Christmas! I want to climb Mount Kili next year and wanted to know how many people from St Lucia and Dominica (not Dominican Republic but the smaller island between Martinique and Guadeloupe) have climbed the mountain before?

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    Mark Whitman says December 28, 2015

    Hi Sharms, Unfortunately we don’t hold any records on number of climbers by country / origin. You may have some luck with the Tanzanian Park Authorities: http://www.tanzaniaparks.com/kili.html

    Reply
Les Boyington says December 27, 2015

Hi, I am on my way up in August 2016 and hope to take a team of Freemasons along with me. I can find no records which have been achieved by such a team and would like to know if there is somewhere or someone who keeps records of this sort. Can you point me in the right direction please?

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    Mark Whitman says December 28, 2015

    Hi Les, Thanks for getting in touch. Unfortunately we don’t know if a group of Freemasons have climbed Kilimanjaro before. Your best bet would be to contact the Freemasons and see if they have any record of Kilimanjaro ascents by members. I would guess that a number of Freemasons have climbed the mountain before, but whether they did so as a group or as individuals I wouldn’t be able to say.

    Reply
      Pragnesh udeshi says September 20, 2016

      I know of a mason who does solo climb every year in memory of his father.

      Reply
Mike says January 5, 2016

Hi, I really appreciate this forum for getting individual questions answered. I plan to do the trek in either August or September of 2016. Is there a difference between either month, or are they basically the same when considering weather conditions? (I have heard that September is excessively dry and arid) Also, I live on the west coast of Canada and have been at, or near, sea level for my entire life (I am 51). My biggest concern for this trek is dealing with altitude. Do you believe that training with the altitude masks are a good idea, Or worthwhile?
Thanks, Mike

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    Mark Whitman says January 5, 2016

    Hi Mike, August and September have very similar whether conditions. That being said, weather on Kilimanjaro can be very unpredictable, especially as you ascend and descend in altitude. You can read more about weather and what to expect month by month here: https://www.climbkilimanjaroguide.com/kilimanjaro-weather/. In terms of altitude training masks I am not convinced that they help with acclimatisation. They do help simulate the training experience of exercising at altitude, which might have benefits in terms of getting into shape and strengthening your cardiovascular system, but I don’t believe they have any benefit in terms of pre-acclimatising for altitude. The trick with Kilimanjaro and any high altitude trek is to follow the golden rules of acclimatisation: take a gradual path that gives one enough time to acclimatise to each level of altitude (on Kili these are treks greater than 7 days long), do not over exert yourself, a slow and steady pace is key, drink loads of water, and dn’t ignore your symptoms if you start suffering from altitude sickness. You can read more about acclimatisation here: https://www.climbkilimanjaroguide.com/acclimatization-kilimanjaro/

    Reply
Marije says January 8, 2016

Great forum! I’m getting ready to trek Mount Kilimanjaro in a week and the nerves are starting to set in. I read some people are constantly monitoring their O2 levels. Would you recommend getting a device that can do that? And in January how many days (7 day machame route) do you think we will hike in shorts and t-shirt and how many in the super warm gear?
Thanks!!!!

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    Mark Whitman says January 11, 2016

    Hi Marije, Any good operator will conduct daily health checks using an oxymeter. I would check with your operator and if they don’t use oxymeters then it might be worth taking your own. In terms of weather, the conditions on the mountain fluctuate quite dramatically between night and day and at varying levels of altitude. On the lower reaches it is not uncommon for the days to be hot and humid, but by nightfall at camp 1 on the Machame, the temperatures can drop into the single digits. Depending on cloud cover and winds the days tend to be moderate to warm on Kili, with late afternoon getting cold and night time usually drops below zero degrees Celcius from 3,000m up. Summit night can be very cold with snow and high wind chill factors. Temperatirs can get as low as -20 at or near the summit. The key is to have a variety of clothes that allow you to layer up and down. See here for recommendations: https://www.climbkilimanjaroguide.com/kilimanjaro-kit-list/kilimanjaro-clothing/ All the best!

    Reply
Jackie says January 13, 2016

Hi, thank you so much for all of this it really helped me out with my report that I am doing about it. It is such a unique mountain and I just can’t stop doing research on it. Did you know that the first climb was on October 6,1889? Thanks again for having such great information

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    Mark Whitman says January 14, 2016

    Hi Jackie, Thanks for your kind words! We do indeed know about the first ascent by Hans Meyer in 1889. We can only imagine what an amazing wilderness Kili was back in those days! All the best!

    Reply
mark anthony says January 15, 2016

Hi.. So i have noticed on the pictures of people who have summit before there are 3 different kinds of uhuru peak boards/signs, so that means there are 3 points of uhuru peak? Or?

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    Mark Whitman says January 15, 2016

    Hi Mark, Totally understand how that can be confusing. There is only one summit on Kilimanjaro, Uhuru Peak, but the sign was changed in 2014 from the bright green sign to the more rustic wood sign that you will see on all recent pictures of the summit. There are two sub-summits, Stella Point and Gilman’s Point, which both sit on and near the crater rim. These signs also changed from the bright green to the rustic brown and gold wood sign recently. Hope this helps!

    Reply
      mark anthony says January 16, 2016

      Surely did! Thank you 🙂

      Reply
Mohamed Hindawy says January 20, 2016

I am climbing kilmanjaro in two weeks, what do I need to buy in terms of clothing, equipment, everything.

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Jane Nunn says January 24, 2016

Is there a record of the first woman to successfully climb the mountain?

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    Admin Admin says January 25, 2016

    Hi Jane, that’s a great question. Unfortunately I don’t know the answer, but I suspect it would have been only around the mid-20th century when the first women climbed Kilimanjaro. I may be completely wrong though.

    Reply
Sherry Smith says February 3, 2016

A group of musicians are currently climbing, ascent to the summit begins at midnight on Thursday, Feb 4th! They plan to play a brief concert, with fiddles and cello at the top, hoping to set a record. If you are interested, their names are Brittany Haas, Corinna Smith, Dan Latner, Leigh Rudner and Adam Spiers. All good wishes for their success would be appreciated!

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    Mark Whitman says February 4, 2016

    That’s wonderful news. Please keep us posted on their ascent. We would be happy to publish an article about them once they complete the trip.

    Reply
      Jen says March 21, 2016

      Any idea how that concert went? Sounds like a great idea. High culture indeed.

      Reply
        Mark Whitman says March 27, 2016

        No news on the concert unfortunately, but yes, ‘high’ culture indeed!

        Reply
anonymous says April 5, 2016

Do you think its a good idea for a 12 year old boy to climb mount Kilimanjaro?

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    Mark Whitman says April 6, 2016

    It is difficult to say whether it is a good idea without knowing the specifics of the young chap who wants to take Kilimanjaro on. There are however quite a few 12 year olds who climb Kilimanjaro every year, so it is totally doable! If you do decide to do it with your son then I suggest choosing a 7 or 8 day route to increase your chances of proper acclimatisation, and hence getting to the summit. I also suggest doing a number of practice hikes in your home country as the most challenging element for your son will be the the sheer time spent walking each day (5-8 hours on average). Hope this helps!

    Reply
Zhané says May 2, 2016

Great atricle! Very inspriring stories aswell! I would like to know what is the boiling point of water on the highest point of Kilimanjaro? I’m doing research on the boiling points of water.

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Hani says May 10, 2016

Did anyone from Ethiopia, ever climbed Mount Kilimanjaro?

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    Mark Whitman says May 12, 2016

    I don’t have any official data on Ethiopians climbing Kilimanjaro, but given the proximity I would say it is very likely that nationals from Ethiopia have climbed Kilimanjaro.

    Reply
Hani says May 10, 2016

Which website do you recommend for fundraising for any charity to climb mount Kilimanjaro? and which route is consider most exciting and interesting?

Thanks,

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    Mark Whitman says May 12, 2016

    Good fundraising platforms include JustGiving in the UK and DonorsChoose.org. If you Google ‘fundraising platforms’ you will find many options. In terms of a recommended route on Kilimanjaro I would say you can’t go wrong with the 8-day Lemosho for great scenery and high summit success rates.

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Ravi Sonigra says May 28, 2016

Hi

My wife and I have climbed Kilomanjaro twice in 2013 and 2014 and we would like to climb again BUT with our daughter who is 3 yrs old at the moment.

Wanted to find out what is the youngest age for a child and has any young child made it to top.

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Chewey says May 31, 2016

I would like to know the name of the first African American woman to reach the top of mt Kilimanjaro.

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    Mark Whitman says June 1, 2016

    Hi Chewey, thanks for getting in touch. Unfortunately we don’t have the answer for you. But if you check back here regularly our readers often post answers to these types of questions. All the best!

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John Robbie says July 21, 2016

Is it true that Sir Edmund Hillary failed to make the summit of Kilimanjaro? It is often told , including by guides when I climbed, but there seems to be no reputable reference to it.
Did he try and did he make it?

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    Admin Admin says July 21, 2016

    Hi John, That’s a good question. There seems to be some rumour on the internet that suggests he succumbed to altitude sickness and had to descend before summitting, but I can’t find any official information to corroborate that. Maybe someone else will answer below, so do check back!

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Farna says August 23, 2016

Hi
I really want to summit kili, but have no idea how to go about training, and then getting in touch with a guide or group to do it with. I’m from South Africa

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Tridwip K Das says August 25, 2016

I believe a 15-year-old Omani boy summited in July 2016 via the Machame Route. How often do you see Arabs at the summit? Do you have any information on how many Arabs attempt to summit annually? Any firsts/records set by Arab climbers? Any information will be most useful.

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    Mark Whitman says August 26, 2016

    Hi Tridwip, I unfortunately don’t have any demographic data. From an observational perspective I would say a few thousand people of Arab descent summit Kilimanjaro every year. The mountain receives many visitors from the India, Malaysia, North Africa, the UAE and other parts of the Middle East. Hope this helps!

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Dee Domery says September 12, 2016

Hi there. Would you recommend a knee brace for climbing Kili of knees are a bit iffy and of so what type really stabilises the knee for hiking?. Thankyou

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RICHARD SPICER says September 16, 2016

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY ANNIE HUGHEY 1ST DEC. 2015, THE PEAK UHURU WAS KNOWN AS KAIZER WILHELM SPITZ. THIS WAS IN 1962 WHEN OUR LUANSHYA HIGH SCHOOL EXPEDITION CLIMBED KILIMANJARO. I WAS ONE OF THREE WHO SUMMITED TO THIS POINT, THE REMAINDER OF OUR GROUP REMAINED AT GILMANS POINT. THOSE DAYS THE SUMMIT WAS DONE IN 3 DAYS.

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Christine Roberts says November 10, 2016

Hi, When was the signpost at the summit erected? I don’t remember seeing anything like that when I was there in 1990.

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    Mark Whitman says November 10, 2016

    Hi Christine, The summit signpost has gone through a number of iterations. It used to be a basic wooden board. It was then upgraded with six slats of green steel. And in 2014 they replaced the steel slats with wooden slats. All the best!

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BEATRICE JOSEPH SHAWA says December 5, 2016

I climb Mt. Kilimanjaro by using Machame Route aka Whiskey Route, was end of the last year. I was on the roof of Africa on 01st Jan 2017(New Year).
By that time was pregnancy of 6.3weeks. I reach on top of it with my baby girl on my tummy.
Thank you Lord, relatives, guides, my Boss Madam Rose and my colleague for supporting me a lot in one way or another.

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Adrian says December 20, 2016

Did you know that a team of people from the UK, set the world record for the highest game of Rugby League, in the crater at 5700m. They did it for The Steve Prescott Foundation charity it seems. Good one for your FACTS page, with the cricket match

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    Admin Admin says December 22, 2016

    Thanks Adrian! We’ll add this soon. Cheers!

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Rosita says December 21, 2016

Hello,

I’m a Samoan national now living in Australia. Am planning to climb Mt Kilimanjaro via the Machame Route (mid 2017) and am wondering if apart from Google is there any otehr way of finding if any other Samoan have summitted? Google isn’t bringing up anyone. Many thanks

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    Admin Admin says December 22, 2016

    Hi Rosita, Unfortunately there are no published records of summits by nationality. But a lot of people have climbed Kilimanjaro (I estimate over 20k summits a year). I wouldn’t be surprised if someone from Samoa has already climbed. But you may be the first. All the best.

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      Rosita says January 10, 2017

      Thanks Matt. And all the best for the year ahead … 🙂 Happy 2017

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hemant leuva says December 23, 2016

who is the youngest female to climb kilimanjaro?
who is the youngest person from india to climb kilimanjaro

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    Mark Whitman says December 30, 2016

    Hi Hemant. Unfortunately I don’t know the answer to either of these questions. The youngest person to climb is Keats Boyd (aged 7), I would suspect the youngest girl is around the legal age for climbing Kilimanjaro, which is 10 years old.

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Matt says December 25, 2016

Hey!
So I’m wondering a few things regarding AMS, routes, time of year and weather. First off, apart from going on a 7+ day route, what’s the best way to avoid altitude sickness? Speaking of routes, which route is the most scenic, and for lack of a better term, but most fun? Lastly what is the best time of year if I want the snowcaps to be prominent yet still of course summitable.
Thank you so much!

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Phillip Dunn says January 6, 2017

I summitted Kilimanjaro in August 2016. I am a Cpa and on April 15 of 2016 was about 50 lbs overweight from neglecting everything but work. On April 16th I hit the gym 430am everyday, not a crazy workout, just 15 minutes jogging on treadmill and 45 minutes doing work on the circuit machines. On days I didn’t go to gym I would hike 7 to 10 miles at a time. My tour guide correctly advised us the best way to get ready is to hike. I also read getting in shape is not necessary to summit Kili, but it makes the trek much more enjoyable. I took this to heart, and it was so true. I would recommend bringing your own quality sleeping pad, and don’t worry about taking too much because the porters carry it all. Another thing I would do is find your porter who is carrying your stuff and hand him $20 after the first day, from that point on he will cater to your every need!! Best $20 you will ever spend, but do it so no one else sees, otherwise can cause problems amongst them. Drink a ton of water this helps with altitude. Life lessons are learned on the mountain.

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Garrett says January 13, 2017

What is the fastest ascent by an American?

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    Mark Whitman says January 15, 2017

    Hi Garrett, unfortunately we don’t have the answer. Perhaps check back in the future as other readers might have the answer. All the best

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Zahid says March 3, 2017

I had climbed Kili. in 2011. Have some questions please:

1. Guinness book has record for oldest man, woman records as well as fastest ascent.. etc. but no record found for the youngest one. Does Keats Boyd of Los Angeles was only seven years old when he summited Kilimanjaro on 21 January 2008 is the youngest legally? What is the status of 10 years age rule?

2. Is it OK if someone climb on the day time instead of night?

Regards

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    Mark Whitman says March 4, 2017

    Hi Zahid, Keats Boyd is the youngest person to have climbed Kilimanjaro. I’m not sure whether the climb is recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as he was under the legal age. In terms of heading to the summit during the day, this is possible but not recommended unless you are planning to sleep the night in Kilimanjaro’s crater (i.e. Crater Camp)

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D Nambiar says March 9, 2017

I summited Kilimanjaro in February 2017. Loved the experience. With about 35,000 hikers every year, do you have an stats on 1) How may hikers per day (max) during peak season. 2) how much food and water is consumed per day. I noticed porters picking up wrappers discarded by hikers.

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    Mark Whitman says March 10, 2017

    HI Dhana, Unfortunately I don’t have any accurate stats for your questions for my estimates would be an absolute guess. I would say during the peak season there could be about 300-400 trekkers starting everyday, that’s across all routes. If this estimate is accurate then you could extrapolate how much food and water is consumed. Again, this is just a guesstimate so I could be way off.

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Richard Tibo says March 26, 2017

Great source of information!!!
BTW, is there an official list of people who succesfully reach the summit over the years?

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    Mark Whitman says March 27, 2017

    Hi Richard, the Kilimanjaro National Park authorities should have official records of summiteers by year. However, I don’t think the information is publicly available.

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Pavel says April 14, 2017

Hello, I am looking for info about how many people every year climb on the mount? Do you know or where to read about this?
Thank you!

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    Mark Whitman says April 16, 2017

    Hi Pavel, There are no official statistics released by Kilimanjaro National Park, but a fair estimate would be about 30,000 climbers every year.

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      Pavel says June 4, 2017

      Thank you very much!

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Roberta S Dixon says June 9, 2017

I have serious heart issues and have dreamt of this mountain for years. I know I can’t climb. Do I have any options?

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    Mark Whitman says June 11, 2017

    I recommend consulting your doctor before deciding on whether to trek Kilimanjaro. As you have a serious heart condition I would say it is best avoided.

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Matthew P. Sokalski says July 15, 2017

Has anybody delivered a mail to the Uhuru Peak? I plan to summit on February 20th, 2018 which happens to be my birthday so I tell my friends to send me a birthday card to this location.
If not, how can that be accomplished?

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    Mark Whitman says July 23, 2017

    Hi Matthew, I assume you are joking? If you want a birthday card to be delivered to the summit, then you will either have to carry it yourself or get someone to bring it up to you as part of their summit attempt.

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Matthew P. Sokalski says July 15, 2017

Dear Roberta,
Nobody can stop you, but yourself. Heart conditions is a very serious problem.
You must ask yourself only one question. Is achieving a dream worth dying, which actually may not necessary happen.
After my life experiences, including clinical death, I live and achieve my dreams, regardless the price I may pay.
I wish you all the best and maybe I will see you ate the summit. My date to be there is February 20th, 2018.

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