Rising majestically above the plains of Tanzania; Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain of the African Continent. The Kilimanjaro Climb offers 6 panoramic trail-routes that drive people crazy worldwide. 30,000+ climbers are trying to summit this adventurous mountain each year. To know more about Kilimanjaro, please go through various Mount Kilimanjaro Facts here.
If you are planning for Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, here are 21 Mount Kilimanjaro Facts that will educate you to climb.
21 Interesting Mount Kilimanjaro Facts To Know Before Climbing
Fact #1 – It Is The Tallest Freestanding Mountain Of The World
The highest peak of Kilimanjaro is sitting at an altitude of 5,895m that is the highest free-standing mountain in the world. The mountain is mostly compared with Everest, as both the summits are the most preferred by the trekkers. Everest is, however, the highest peak in the Asian continent as well as the highest one of the 7 summits in the world. However, Everest is a group of the mountain where Kilimanjaro is a free-standing mountain.
Fact #2 – First, ever-climbing was in 1889
Hans Heinrich Josef Meyer was a German geographer who belongs to Hildburghausen who was the first person to successfully touch the summit of Kilimanjaro. He reached the top of Kilimanjaro in October 1889.
Fact #3 – It Consists Of Three Volcanic Cones
Kilimanjaro is the highest volcanic peak in Africa that consists of three dormant volcanoes namely Shira, Mawenzi, and Kibo. Built 75,000 years ago 3 of these volcano peaks are dead now, out of which Shira collapses first. Mawenzi’s summit is a steep rocky peak surrounded by cliffs 1,600 ft.
Fact #4 – The Most Recent Volcanic Activity Was 200 Years Ago
From the 3 volcanic peaks, Shira, Mawenzi, and Kibo; Mawenzi and Shira are extinct however, Kibo is the highest peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Kibo is a dormant volcano that can erupt again and the most recent eruption occurred 200 years ago.
Fact #5 – 5 Unique Kinds Of Ecosystem Can Be Found On Kilimanjaro
If you are someone planning for Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro you will experience something truly spectacular. While ascending to this majestic mountain you are going to meet 5 climatic zones. Cultivation Zone: At the foothill 2,600 ft to almost – 6,000 ft you will meet the cultivation zone.
Rainforest Zone:
This is known as zone 2; it continues from 6,000 ft to just over 9,000 ft.
Heather and Mooreland Zone: This is known as the 3rd zone that continues from 9,000 ft and continues up to 13,000 ft.
Desert Zone:
The 4th Zone begins around 13,000 ft. and continues up to 16,000 ft known as Highland or Desert Zone.
The Arctic Zone:
The elevation begins around 16,000 ft. and continues to the top of Uhuru Peak at 19,340 ft. Known as Arctic Zone.
Fact #6 – You Don’t Need To Be A Professional Mountain Climber To Climb It
Kilimanjaro offers a complete non-technical climb, therefore, many aspired trekkers intended to climb this majestic peak. If you are planning for climbing Kilimanjaro and don’t have any professional mountaineering skills then don’t worry, Kilimanjaro is a perfect peak to hike. The Mountain is known as “everyman’s Everest” for its walk only trails.
Fact #7 – The Youngest One To Reach Is A 7 Years Old
7-year-old Keats Boyd is the youngest person who climbed Kilimanjaro successfully. The boy was only 4 feet tall conquered the mountain with a team of guides, porters, and his father. Inspired by an interview going on a TV show, this little one achieved his mountain size dream and holds the title of the youngest climber to Kilimanjaro.
Fact #8 – The Oldest Person To Climb Kilimanjaro Is 85 Years Old
The oldest person for Climbing Kilimanjaro successfully is Dr. Robert J Wheeler, who climbed this highest summit of the African Continent in 85 years. Dr. Wheeler was accompanied by his son Wiliam who hiked via Marangu Route who finished the climb on 2 October 2014.
Fact #9 – The Mountain’s Snow-Cap Has Been Lost More Than 80 %
Located near the equator the snow-capped Kilimanjaro has stunned the world with its natural beauty and the peak covered with a white sheet of the glacier is the prime attraction of Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing that pushes the trekkers to finish the climb. The snow that covered the peak of Kilimanjaro 11,000 years since the last Ice Age is melting rapidly. It’s been recorded that the mountain has lost at least 80% of snow due to global warming.
Fact #10 – Drastic Weather Change From Crest To Peak
This large mountain creates its geographical weather and the temperature changes at each zone as the mountain goes through 5 climatic zones. While you are supposed to feel a lot warmer and humidity is high on the first few zones of the mountain where the temperature remains 30-35 degrees; the summit is the coldest of all. The temperature goes down to a minus temperature where you can feel like a blood-freezing cold.
Fact #11 – Kilimanjaro Success Rates & Deaths
Approximately 30,000 trekkers are Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro every year out of which approximately 65% of trekkers are successfully landing on the peak of Kilimanjaro. However, the success rate depends upon a lot of factors like how fit you are, which route you choose, etc.
While the exact calculation of death on Kilimanjaro is unknown but there is the rarest chance of death An approximate record says 3-8 people die on the mountain per year, out of all 11,1000 climbers including porters, guides, and climber hike up to the mountain.
Fact #12 – Fastest Ascend To The Top
The fastest ascend and descend recorded on Kilimanjaro was done by Swiss mountain runner Karl Egloff On August 13, 2014, who completed the journey in just 4 hours and 56 minutes.
Danish athlete Kristina Schou Madsen is another titleholder for fastest climbing on February 23rd, 2018 that took 6 hours, 52 minutes, and 54 seconds
Simon Mtuy from Tanzania holds the record of Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro who climbed from Umbwe Gate to the summit and back in 9 hours 19 minutes.
Fact #13 – It Helps To Strengthen The Local Economy
The trekking operators have to pay 18% of VAT to Tanzanian Govt. that is one of the good sources of revenue for the govt. This revenue is further being used for the betterment of Tanzanians to develop their standard of living. Moreover, it provides various kinds of work opportunities to the localities to manage of livelihood.
Fact #14 – The Snow-Cap May Vanish By The Coming 20 Years Due To Global Warming
Due to global warming, the snow on the top of Kilimanjaro is melting rapidly. The snow-capped peak of the majestic mountain may soon be falling on bare ground without any glacier. As per the studies going on about Kilimanjaro and global warming, it’s been concluded that the mountain snow on the mountain will get disappear entirely within 20 years, due largely to climate change.
Fact #15 – Game On The Top Of Kilimanjaro
The highest altitude cricket match: On September 28, 2014, a cricket match was played on the top of Kilimanjaro by some international players which include English bowling legend Ashley Giles and South African icon Makhaya Ntini to set a record.
World’s highest ever Soccer matches: Another record was made by 2 teams of female soccer players who played a soccer match on the top of Kilimanjaro in June 2017. There was a total of 32 female international pros and graduates of sports charities from 20 countries were participated in the match.
Apart from these 2 games, a rugby match was also played on top of Kilimanjaro by 38 climbers.
Fact #16 – Disability Is Not Inability
Aaron Phipps has become the first disabled mountaineer to climb the peak of Kilimanjaro at the age of 33. This Britain wheelchair rugby player made history after Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in a wheelchair.
Crawling by hands Spencer West was the person who created history by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro at the age of 31. He belongs to Toronto, Canada who lost his legs when he was just 5 years.
3 American soldiers’ veterans of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Vietnam ascend Kilimanjaro with only 1 leg. These 3 friends Neil Duncan (26 years), Duncan, and Dan Nevins (37 years old) decided to take a 6 days route and completed the trek successfully.
Herta von Stiegel decided on her 50th birthday to climb Kilimanjaro with 7 disabled people and she started raising charity to do so. After 4 years she went with 7 physically challenged people out of which 3 successfully climbed to the summit.
A group of blind and able-bodied climbers from India and Israel climbed to the peak of Kilimanjaro successfully in Sep 2018.
Fact #17 – ”Pizza Hut’’ Set A Record Of Pizza Delivery To The Top
To do something different the Pizza Hut people decided to set a bench-mark and then decided to deliver a pizza on the top of the tallest mountain of Africa. As Pizza Hut delivered previously to the White House and the International Space Station they decided to something new, and they completed the challenge of delivering the pizza on the top of Uhuru Peak. They have settled a Guinness World Records title for the highest altitude pizza delivery on land at a height of 19,341 feet.
Fact #18 – The Most Popular Marangu Route Has The Lowest Success Rate
Marangu Route is the most popular route of Kilimanjaro as it’s the oldest and the most established one. The route receives the highest traffic, as it is the shortest and direct route to Uhuru. Marangu is the only route that comes with a hut facility hence the trekkers can expect a good sleep in the huts that all come with bunk beds and mattresses. However, providing a short itinerary of 5 days, the Marangu Route offers very poor acclimatization hence it has the lowest success rate.
Fact #19 – Africa’s Tallest Indigenous Tree Lives On Kilimanjaro
Entandrophragma excelsum is the tallest and native tree found in the African continent. The tallest Entandrophragma has been founded on a remote valley of Kilimanjaro, measuring a whopping 81.5 meters. These massive trees play a really important role in this tallest Mountian’s ecosystem.
Fact #20 – You Will Put Your Name Inside A Wooden Box On The Uhuru Peak
As you know Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro successfully is a big challenge, to celebrate this victory there is a custom of the signing of the trekkers’ name as a piece of memory. After reaching the top of Uhuru peak, there is a wooden box you will find where the trekkers sign their name and store it inside that box as a symbol of accomplishment of a hard journey.
Fact #21 – Despite Being Crowded Throughout The Years It Is Very Well-Maintained
It’s quite expected that you can find a lot of dirt on the way to Climbing Kilimanjaro as there are thousands of people hiking the mountain throughout the year. But surprisingly, you won’t find any piece of trace neither on the way nor on the top of the mountain. With the effort of the trek operators along with the trekkers, the mountain is at its best of cleanness.
So if you are someone getting prepared for Climbing over it, the above Mount Kilimanjaro Facts will add more enthusiasm while helping you preparing well for your Kilimanjaro Climbing adventure. Want to know more about Mount Kilimanjaro; then click here @ https://www.jerrytanzaniatours.com/mount-kilimanjaro-climbing and get all the information you are looking for.