Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro: Ascend to the Roof of Africa

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with Ker & Downey is an exciting journey to the Roof of Africa. Ascend the mountain on the Rongai Route and returns on the popular Marangu Route for a well-rounded adventure.

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is a bucket list item for many adventure travelers. And rightly so. It’s the highest peak in Africa, yet its summit is very accessible. For some, a walking stick and proper clothing are all that’s required to reach the crater rim.

What You Will See

On our seven-day climbing of Mount Kilimanjaro you will be on the northern side of the mountain on the Rongai Route. It’s a slow ascent through pine plantations and afromontane forests that has a high success rate. On your first day climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, you’ll enjoy a gentle hike following a small winding path through maize fields, a beautiful countryside, and juniper and olive trees.

Your next two days of hiking takes you from First Cave to Second Cave across open grasslands to the jagged pinnacles of Mawenzi Tarn. The hikes offer superb views of the fields on the crater rim, Amboseli, Tsavo, and the end of the vegetation zone. Spend a day getting acclimatized at Mawenzi Tarn with a day hike exploring the surrounding area.

Summit of Mount Kilimanjaro

On day four of your climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, you’ll head to Kibo Hut, a hike that will take roughly four to five hours. But once there, you’ll have a chance to rest before the final ascent. Most people depart just before midnight for the final summit bid. Patience and persistence is key to reach the summit. By dawn, the first rays of light start to appear, probably just around the time you arrive near the rim. The ascent from Kibo volcano to Gilman’s Point takes about six to seven hours. Then it’s just two more hours to the summit, Uhuru Peak, the Roof of Africa.

But what goes up must come down. Descend via the popular Marangu Route to Kibo Hut where you’ll refuel before continuing onto Horombo Camp. The next day, descend the final section to the Marangu gate where you’ll met transfer to Lake Duluti Lodge for a well-deserved shower and celebration.

Local guides, cooks and porters provide support during your climbing Mount Kilimanjaro trek and at campsites along the way. Pre and post-climb, you’ll spend some time in the bush on safari in Kenya and Tanzania.