Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing
Towering at an altitude of 5,895 m (19,340 ft), Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa. Its distinctive silhouette and snow-capped peak from afar form one of the most breath-taking sights on the continent. Kilimanjaro is effectively the world’s largest single mountain, a free-standing entity that towers an unbelievable 5km above the surrounding plains.
It is also the highest mountain anywhere that any amateur mountain climber can ascend. Kilimanjaro straddles the border with Kenya, but its peaks fall within Tanzania and can only be climbed from within the country.
There are several places on the lower slopes of the mountain where climbers can ascend, but most people use the cheapest option with good facilities, the Marangu Route. The other popular option that is popular with climbers is Machame Route.
Climbers can use several more obscure routes, which are available through White Plains Safaris. Most prospective climbers arrange their ascent of `Kili’ – as it is popularly called – well in advance, through White Plains Safaris. Climbers can take on the Kilimanjaro any time of year, but the hike is more difficult in the rainy months, especially between March and May.
As Africa’s highest peak and most identifiable landmark, Kilimanjaro offers an irresistible challenge to many tourists. Dozens of visitors to Tanzania set off for Uhuru Peak every day, ranging from teenagers to pensioners.
Those who make it generally regard the achievement to be the highlight of their time in the country. Climbing Kilimanjaro is a great challenge but feasible for keen walker looking to combine high mountain adventure and safari to Africa. It takes five to eight days to make it to the summit and back.
The trek gives an opportunity to experience 5 different habitats from bottom to the top. In a couple of days, you will have moved from grasslands to tropical forests, alpine meadows to moorlands and deserts and eventually to snow and ice.
The full moon is a popular time to climb Kilimanjaro. Summit night is done under the light of full moon. Remember the mountain is very close to the Equator, while at the peak you can see the North Star and the Southern Cross at the same time.
Kilimanjaro Climb can be conveniently undertaken before or after a visit to iconic safari destinations such as the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti or take beach holiday in Zanzibar. Browse our recommended tours and safaris or contact us and we will tailor-make a personalized safari itinerary for you.
Why Climb Mount Kilimanjaro?
Snow on the Equator
Mount Kilimanjaro is a natural wonder: a snow covered mountain on the equator. Climbing Kilimanjaro is like walking from the equator to the North Pole in a week.
No Prevoius Climbing Experience Required
Kilimanjaro is the easiest mountain to climb of the Seven Summits. It is beginner-friendly. Climbers don’t even need any special training, technical skills, special gears or even previous trekking experience to reach the top.
Inspiration and Transformation
Climbing Kilimanjaro inspires transformation. Standing on the roof of Africa, you view the world in a different way. At the top of the mountain, you get inspiration and have a new beginning.
Follow on Adventure
More than 40,000 people climb the world’s highest freestanding mountain every year. The mountain has become so popular it is known as “Everyman’s Everest”.
Have an Adventure in Mind?
The Wildebeest Migration is best seen in Kenya between the month of July and that of September. The rest of the months the migration is in Serengeti
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Mount Kilimanjaro Routes
There are seven routes used to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. These are - Marangu Route (Coca-Cola Route or Tourist Route), Lemosho Route, Machame Route (Whiskey Route) Umbwe Route, Rongai Route, Shira Route (Shira Plateau Route) and Northern Circuit Route.
We shall mainly concentrate on five routes as detailed below.
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Highly recommended! Joseph created a fantastic, customized tour for my family. He listened to our many criteria and put together a wonderful package. He was always available and very responsive. Since we were on a safari that utilized flights within Kenya, there was no opportunity to enjoy Joseph's company (as others have commented). However, he made it a point to come to the airport at the start of our adventure and make sure we were all set. This was a small gesture that epitomized his character (I don't think this would have happened with a large tour provider). March 2023
This was our first safari and such an unforgettable experience. Communication with Joseph, the tour operator, was quick and easy. The proposed itinerary he provided was informative and we were able to easily modify it before finalizing everything. We enjoyed all the places we stayed at and there was something unique about each one. The game drives were just wow (super sawa sawa!). The tour guides/drivers (John in Kenya and Rajam in Tanzania) put in a lot of effort in finding the animals at the top of our list (leopard, rhino, calves, as well as a cheetah hunt and the most awesome selfie with an elephant). Each game drive was unique. There were so many encounters that left us awestruck—we’re still ooh ahhh-ing over our pictures and processing everything we experienced. Joseph was with us for the whole trip; he was quite knowledgeable about birds, which was a bonus. He also assisted with logistics (providing documents quickly for visas needed prior to arrival, getting us through border crossings, and arranging dinner reservations at a restaurant we wanted to go to prior to taking us to the airport). This was one of the best experiences we’ve ever had and we have White Plains Safaris to thank for that. They are reliable, prompt, friendly, and well worth the money. February 2023
Our experience with White Plains Safaris and Joseph was amazing! The service was impeccable since the very beginning: during the reservation process, Joseph was extremely helpful, flexible and very honest. After booking, he supported us in any way he could, including paying for our Visas as we had some issues doing that online by ourselves! He was also very helpful in creating the itinerary, which proved to be amazing as it offered great game drives and diversity of landscape. Things kept being perfect throughout our trip; the accommodations he had reserved were very nice and always positioned perfectly, to avoid extra driving. During the game drives he was very accommodating and always asking for our feedback to make sure we had the best time. He brought us in amazing spots thanks to his unstoppable Land Cruiser and we got to see many animals including 3 leopards from very close! We also enjoyed his company very much and he was always able to answer our questions and providing interesting insights on the animals, the parks and Kenya in general. We always felt safe and well taken care of, so I would (and will) strongly recommend Joseph and White Plains to anyone looking for a good time in Kenya and Tanzania. January 2023
White Plains Safari provided me with an incredible experience, they were really easy people to get to know and it felt like I had made another friend at the end of my trip. Their service was excellent, they were really outgoing and did their ultimate best to show us everything they could, even if it meant going out of their way in order to do so, they were very reliable and I personally had no concerns regarding their reliability. In terms of the tour itself, I would one hundred percent recommend my trip to Kenya to anyone, especially with White Plains Safaris. White Plains Safaris helped make my trip an experience I will never forget. May 2022
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Milan Nanavati, USA
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Esperanza Florendo, USA
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Matteo Fogli, Germany
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Shaun, Great Britain