The east African nation of Tanzania affords visitors some incredible sightseeing opportunities. More than a dozen national parks and conservation areas, the plains of the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and some of Africa's legendary wildlife are a few of the photo-ops in the 31st largest nation on Earth. But, there is one Tanzanian tourist attraction that towers above even the tallest giraffe or elephant.
In Kilimanjaro National Park, near the Kenyan border, stands the tallest mountain in Africa. Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest freestanding mountain in the world, and the snows (actually glacial ice) of Kilimanjaro make this one of the most picturesque peaks on Earth.
And, if the summit can be viewed from below, below needs to be viewed from the summit.
Seven Summits are Mountaineering Icons
In the world of mountain climbing, one of the loftiest goals is to climb the tallest mountain on each of the seven continents. These are the so-called Seven Summits:
- Mount Everest – Asia
- Kilimanjaro – Africa
- Vinson Massif – Antarctica
- Mount McKinley – North America. Also called Denali, it's found in Denali National Park in Alaska
- Elbrus – Europe
- Aconcagua – South America
- Kosciuszko – Australia. Although, some climbers favor Carstensz Pyramid on the "continent" of Oceania, which is taller.
To leave footprints on top of these seven peaks is to join select company in the mountaineering world. At 19,341 feet, Kilimanjaro is certainly not a mole hill, but many people of modest climbing ability or experience do bag the summit each year.
Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro
In accordance with the law of supply and demand, as long as people continue to show an interest in climbing the highest mountains on Earth, there will be other people who will help guide them to the top. Several guiding services can help get people to the top of Kilimanjaro. One of these is simply called Climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
Using the guide services of Climb Mount Kilimanjaro is a little like taking a vacation at an all-inclusive resort. Upon your arrival, the guiding service takes care of all the arrangements to give their clients the best chance of getting to the summit.
Like most mountains, Kilimanjaro has several established routes that are frequently used by climbers. Climb Mount Kilimanjaro favors a route called the Unique Rongai Trek, which combines low traffic, good wildlife viewing opportunities, high possibilities of reaching the summit, and a chance to experience both the north and south sides of Kilimanjaro.
Most of the climbing expeditions will take 7 days and cost around $2,225. This price includes transfers to and from the mountain, hotel accommodations, camping equipment and food and drinks on the mountain, guide service and any fees required in Kilimanjaro National Park.
Climb Mount Kilimanjaromakes no guarantee that its clients will reach the summit. They do make every effort to ensure that anyone with a reasonable level of fitness will have a good chance of doing so. Different people deal with the effects of the mountain's higher elevations in different ways, and altitude sickness is the main reason that some fail to reach the summit.
But, those who do leave their footprints on the highest peak in Africa will be treated to a unique view of the sweeping Tanzanian plain below. And, they'll be one step closer to joining one of the most exclusive clubs in mountaineering.
Dave Lovejoy - Dave is a graduate of the University of Nebraska. He is involved in farming and has a custom made furniture business that has customers ...
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