Kilimanjaro

Map key

East Africa overview map

Kilimanjaro region overview map

Routes on Kilimanjaro

Route comparison table

Introduction

Preparations and practicalities

Choosing a route

Costs and budgeting

When to go

Pre-departure preparation

Getting there

Permits and visas

Accommodation

Money and currencies

Language

Maps

Equipment

Insurance

Health considerations

Selecting an outfitter

Guides and porters

Tipping

Environmental and cultural considerations

Using this guide

The story of Kilimanjaro

People of the region

Origin of the mountain’s name

Exploration

Kilimanjaro National Park

Natural history

Geology and volcanology

Glacial recession

Climate

Animal and plant life

Acclimatisation trek

Route X Mount Meru Momela Route

Climbing Kilimanjaro

Ascent routes

Route A Marangu Route

Route B Machame Route

Route C Umbwe Route

Route D Lemosho Route

Route E Shira Route

Route F Rongai Route

Circuit paths

Route G Southern Circuit Path

Route H Northern Circuit Path

Summit ascent routes

Route I Normal/Marangu Route

Route J Barafu Route

Route K Western Breach Route

The summit

Descent routes

Route L Marangu Route

Route M Mweka Route

Appendix A Accommodation

Appendix B Useful contacts

Appendix C Further reading

Appendix D Language glossary

There are a number of maps of Kilimanjaro itself available, both in Tanzania and abroad. Specialist map shops in the UK, such as Stanfords (branches in London and Bristol, www.stanfords.co.uk), carry a range of the best trekking maps available. Some of these are also available at the national park headquarters at the Marangu Gate or in the towns of Moshi or Arusha. Most of the maps that are available are general overview maps of the entire mountain and are not really of sufficient detail to be used as trekking maps. Nonetheless, they help to put the mountain and the various routes into context, as well as providing some useful and interesting details.

A revised edition of the ITMB (International Travel Maps) Kilimanjaro map was published in 2006. Drawn at 1:62,500 scale, it shows all of the main trekking routes, campsites, huts and water points. Colour shading to show altitude is combined with 100m contours and spot heights. There is a comprehensive index that lists many of the caves, glaciers, mountain features and surrounding villages, as well as some short text providing additional information about the routes.

You will also come across the Kilimanjaro Map and Guide by Andrew Wielochowski and published by West Col Productions. This double-sided sheet features a 1:75,000 scale topographic trekking map of Kilimanjaro. While similar to the ITMB map, the physical features such as scree slopes, glaciers and cliffs are more clearly shown here. On the reverse there are also more detailed maps of Kibo (1:30,000 scale) and Mawenzi (1:20,000 scale), in addition to text on the routes, climate, flora, fauna and suggestions for essential equipment.

View across the barren Saddle to the Kibo massif (Rongai Route, Mawenzi Tarn Hut to Kibo Huts)

The map of Kilimanjaro-Kibo by Sandra Greulich and Sacha Wettstein was published by Climbing Map in 2008. It is an excellent 1:80,000 map that combines topographic coverage of the mountain with an enlargement for the Kibo crater, a list of GPS waypoints, profiles of the main routes and street plans of Arusha and Moshi.

German publisher Harms Verlag produces a map of Kilimanjaro National Park and the surrounding area at 1:100,000 scale, with Kibo shown as an inset at 1:50,000. Ascent and descent routes are clearly marked, with huts and camps indicated along with altitude.

The Ordnance Survey produced an attractive map of Kilimanjaro at 1:100,000 scale in the early 1990s, although the overlaid route maps are not entirely reliable. Unavailable in the UK since the end of the 1990s, this map can still be found in Moshi and at the park gates.

One of the most readily available maps is the attractive, hand-drawn New Map of the Kilimanjaro National Park, drawn at a scale of 1:125,000, produced by Giovanni Tombazzi and published by Maco Editions in 1998. Although it provides a good overview of the mountain and the routes, it is not so useful as a topographic map.

If you are simply in Tanzania to climb Kilimanjaro, then you will have little need of a general road map of the country. Your outfitter will transport you to the trailhead and ensure that you are collected from the end of the track as well.

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If you're planning a trip to Africa's highest peak then do yourself a favour and arm yourself with this book first!

Kilimanjaro remains one of the world's most popular treks, and deservedly so. After all, it's Africa's highest point and the highest freestanding mountain in the world, yet it is possible to reach its summit, Uhuru Peak, without any technical climbing ability. Although almost everyone experiences Kili with a guiding company these days (in fact, it is a requirement to hire local guides and porters), it's still a good idea to gen up on the peak before you book a trip, not least to decide which route will suit you best, but also to get a flavour of the region, its nature and culture. Enter the updated edition of Cicerone's 'Trekking Kilimanjaro' guide, which gives you all the information you need to plan your trip, and what you can expect when you get there.

The main meat of Alexander Stewart's guidebook is, of course, descriptions of the six ascent routes, three summit routes, two circuit trails and two descent routes. These are covered in the usual diligent Cicerone style, with detailed descriptions complemented by essential stats box-outs, maps and photos. Getting properly acclimatised is essential to a successful summit of Kili, and the book also includes info on the ascent of nearby Mt Meru, which is a fantastic trek in its own right and serves as the perfect preparation for a Kili ascent. If you're planning a trip to Africa's highest peak then do yourself a favour and arm yourself with this book first!

Trek and Mountain Magazine

This book is a godsend

The Seven Summits are a mountaineer's centrepiece, but Some may find the heady heights of Everest or the technicalities of Carstensz Pyramid a tad too daunting. Kilimanjaro, or as we know it, 'the Roof of Africa' is the highest freestanding mountain in the world at 5,895m, and requiring no technical climbing ability, is the perfect summit from the illustrious seven to complete first. This guide is booming with knowledge about the six ascent routes available in your quest to reach Uhuru Peak. In vivid detail, it takes you through a cloud forest, onto the Shira plateau, up and over the alpine desert, until you reach the snow-capped peak in time for a radiant sunrise over the African savanna. This book is a godsend for preparation, acclimatisation techniques and important equipment recommendations, while it also delves into life on the mountain - telling tales of campsites and the mountain's remarkable wildlife.

Adventure Travel magazine