Snow-capped Kilimanjaro, floating above
clouds is no doubt one of most beautiful and impressive sights of natural world. Even hard-boiled non-believers, in their unguarded moments, empathise with Maasai who call it "House of God". The mountain is one of Seven Top Summits of world - it has highest point on African continent. Though there are higher mountains, they form part of mountain ranges, Everest for example. But Kili, as it is popularly known, is highest freestanding mountain in world. It rises gently from 3,000 feet, reaches for heavens and only halts after a 16,000 feet ascent. The diameter at base is an amazing 64 kilometres. Kilimanjaro is located to northeast of Tanzania, on border with Kenya. There is a popular myth of how mountain came to be part of Tanzania, which was at one time part of German Empire. Queen Victoria is supposed to have granted mountain to her German grandson Wilhelm (later Kaiser Wilhelm II) as a birthday gift. It is also said that Germans had been grumbling at blatant unfairness of missing a snowcapped mountain within their empire while Queen had two - second being Mount Kenya.
Though historians have discredited myth, it has refused to die and it is still a source of amusement for many. Unwilling to allow truth to stand in way, some anti-colonial historians fume with indignation, citing how boundaries of Eastern Africa were arbitrarily decided in capitals of imperial powers. To most people in west, Kilimanjaro has long been associated with Ernest Hemingway on account of his 1936 short story "The Snows of Kilimanjaro". In 1952, Hollywood fascinated by magic of Kili book evokes, turned it into a movie with Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner in leading roles.
Kilimanjaro is young as far as mountains go, and geologists allow it only 750,000 years. The mountain is made up of three dormant volcanoes -Kibo (19,340 feet), Shira (13,000 feet) and Mawenzi (16,896 feet). Kibo occasionally belches some steam and sulfur. The highest point on Kibo is Uhuru Peak, where you see some awesome glaciers and fantastic views of country below. Though Kili is only three degrees south of equator, peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi are covered in ice and snow year round. Many learned people in Europe hotly disputed that a snow-capped mountain could be found at equator when German missionary Johann Rebmann reported it in 1849.
Going up mountain, you move from tropical to artic conditions. There are five distinct climatic zones, with each zone taking approximately 3,300 feet. The zones are- lower slopes, then forest, then moorland, alpine desert and summit. The lower slopes are cultivated and agriculture flourishes. The forest region is dry in north and wet towards southern slopes. The forest carries many tree species including podocarpus, camphor, fig and olive trees and bamboo. The only animals to be found here are blue and Colobus monkeys and a variety of birds including hornbill and turaco. In moorland region, you find giant groundsels and lobelias common in high altitude mountain regions of eastern Africa. Further up, vegetation and animal life are sparse.
Kili is worlds' most accessible summit. Any reasonably strong and ambitious person, without using any special mountaineering equipment can conquer this giant. It is however hard work. Altitude and resulting thin air will be main challenge and not your failing strength. To avoid succumbing to high altitude sickness, you guides will constantly advise, you take mountain slowly, slowly or "pole pole" as they say in Swahili. You should therefore avoid a quick ascent and take time to acclimatise to mountains' oxygen challenged air. By ignoring such good advice many young males fail to reach summit, when older more deliberate climbers make it.
To enjoy natural beauty and majesty of Kili, you do not even have to climb it. By using a four-wheel drive vehicle, you can ascend to Shira Plateau, which is perched at 12,000 feet. The first person recorded to have reached summit is German climber Hans Meyer in 1889. Unlike today's climber, he did not have benefit a route map and he only made it on second attempt. Having been taught a lesson in humility, for second try, he brought along an Alpine expert and a local guide. Meyer named summit after Kaiser Wilhelm II, but this was years later revised to Uhuru or freedom in Swahili. Since days of Meyer, icecap has receded and scientists worry that it will vanish altogether in 20 to 50 years. So, hurry up and climb Kili while it is still such a pretty sight.
Today, few climbers use difficult route pioneered by Meyer. The climb normally takes five to six days and involves four to five overnight stay in comfortable mountain huts. The Marangu route, which was established way back in 1909 is easiest and most popular and is used by over 90% of climbers. Experienced climbers prefer more scenic and difficult Machame route. Climbers are not entirely without a sense of humour and they refer to Marangu as coca cola route, and Machame as whiskey route. Other routes are Shira, Mweka and Umbwe.
Shira is a scenic route that takes you through Shira Plateau, which you reach by four-wheel drive vehicle. The route gives you great views of Rift valley and Mount Meru. Using Mweka, you reach summit and return to base in 4 days. But as you may suspect, it is quite steep and therefore not easy at all. The Umbwe route is even steeper and quicker and you take only three days up and down. The route is spectacular, but it is for fit and experienced and not casual climbers. In addition, there are technical routes such as Western Breach and Lemosho routes.
