We climbed Kilimanjaro in February 2007, and had one of the best trips of our lives! However, we saw lots of other trekkers on the mountain who looked miserable, exhausted, or even sick. What made our trek fantastic, while those other climbers suffered? We think it was the careful research we did to choose our route and outfitter, and the preparation we did before arriving in Africa.
We are not tour operators, and we're not trying to sell you anything. The goal of this website is to provide our own unbiased advice, and share our experience with you. Explore our website using the links on the left side, and make sure you check out some of the other Kili sites on the web for different viewpoints (see our links page).
At an elevation of 5896 m (19344 feet), the summit of Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa, and one of the most popular high altitude trekking destinations in the world. The name Kilimanjaro actually refers to a volcanic massif with three distinct peaks: Shira, Mawenzi, and Kibo. It is the summit of Kibo, known as "Uhuru Peak", that is the destination for thousands of trekkers each year.
Kilimanjaro is located in the north-east corner of Tanzania, near the border with Kenya. The classic view of a snow- capped Kilimanjaro rising out the great plains is an iconic image of East Africa. Recently, Kili has also become an icon of global warming and climate change, as the great glaciers that cap Kibo are rapidly disappearing.
The summit at Uhuru Peak can be reached by several climbing routes which require no technical climbing skills. Most Kilimanjaro treks are supported by local porters, so that climbers generally hike with only a day pack. This means that the summit is within reach for most reasonably fit people, but the lack of oxygen at the high altitude makes the climb challenging and potentially very dangerous.