Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro – Episode 699

Hear about climbing Mount Kilimanjaro as the Amateur Traveler talks to Kylie Chenn from Acanela Expeditions about what you should know about climbing the tallest mountain in Africa.

Kylie says, “Kilimanjaro means white mountain which makes sense because it is, I think, the only white mountain, snow-covered mountain in Africa. There’s all sorts of travelers out in the world and Kilimanjaro is very attractive for many especially adventure travelers because it is the 7th summit, the tallest mountain in Africa, technically speaking the tallest free-standing mountain. Because of those accolades alone, a lot of people want to climb it. Not to mention that it’s a hard climb, it’s challenging, but it’s not technical, it’s not dangerous. Anyone who is in good physical shape can do it. It’s along the equator. It’s in a beautiful country, one of the best nations to go on safari, the Serengeti. Yes, it’s a climb. Yes, it takes time. It’s challenging but it’s not off-limits to anyone. And that’s exciting for a lot of people.”

Kylie has climbed Kilimanjaro 3 different times and she talks about what you can do to prepare for climbing Kilimanjaro and what to expect day by day on a 5-day journey through the 5 different climatic zones on the mountain (cultivation, forest, heather-moorland, alpine desert, and summit). 

It is difficult to get permission to climb Kilimanjaro solo, so most visitors will travel in a group with a guide and a support crew. So you don’t need to be able to carry a heavy backpack. You don’t need to do the cooking. If you hike on the most common route (the Marangu route) there are huts you can stay in.

It all leads up to that last rather long day that leads you from the last camp (the Kibo Huts) hours before dawn to climb in the dark to Gilman’s Point where you will watch the sunrise. Most of the group will then continue on to Uhuru Peak before coming back down the mountain at a much faster pace.

Kylie recommends after you climb the mountain you get out to the safari parks in Tanzania before you get on a plane to head home. 

Listening to this episode may add climbing Kilimanjaro to your bucket list.

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Kilimanjaro photo by Greg Montani from Pixabay

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Show Notes

Acanela Expeditions
Kikimanjaro
Kilimanjaro Routes
Climb Mount Kilimanjaro as a Solo Traveler
10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Climbing Kilimanjaro

Community

on Travel to Costa Rica – Episode 698:

Hey Chris,

Two more episodes until #700!

Thanks for this episode. Your guests were great. Lots of good information. Listen to their tips. Costa Rica is on “Tico” time. Tico is what the Costa Ricans call themselves. Tico time is slow.

I was last in Costa Rica in 1997. One of my favorite memories was sitting in our hotel (Arenal Paraiso Hotel Resort & Spa)  hot tub watching Volcano Arenal pour out two red lava debris flows at night. You can really hear the volcano spit out debris and then hear it tumble down the volcano.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve is a private run preserve started by Quakers who immigrated from Alabama in the 1940s. We had a wonderful hotel (Sunset Hotel) on a hilltop which gave us beautiful sunsets of the Bay of Nicoya. Monteverde was also famous for its cheese and coffee and a great place to catch Costa Rica’s national bird the Quetzal

I agree Manuel Antonio National Park is beautiful. A great place to see the “Jesus Christ” lizard which runs on its hind legs across the water. We stayed at Los Tres Banderas which was owned by a Pole (who had built a restaurant in Palm Springs, CA). Thus the three flags Polish, American, & Costa Rican.

We experienced a 4.6 earthquake in Orosi. It made us feel at home from California!

Stay well,
Jeff Ohlfs

Amateur Traveler trip in September 2020 to Turkey
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Amateur Traveler trip to Turkey in September 2020