Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

At 5895 metres (~19500 feet), it's the highest point in Africa (the picture of it from a distance doesn't do it credit - it's BIG!). Here's a picture of the 9 of us who made it at 'Uhuru peak' (the summit) - I'm the one in the middle, who looks as though he's got a stick growing out of the top of my head!

This is me at Gilman's Point (the top of Kilimanjaro is a volcanic crater, and this is where we reached the crater edge); you can see the crater of Kili in the background.

I've just spent the most exhausting 6 hours of my life climbing up to this point, which might explain the slightly dazed grin on my face. It's only another 90 minutes walking round the crater rim to Uhuru Peak; it should be a fairly easy walk - except for the fact that there is only half as much oxygen at that height as at sea level, and everyone was already knackered. After this it was a mere 5 & a half hours walking back down to the p. All 14 of the group I was in made it to Gilman's, which was pretty good (the going rate seems to be 1 in 6 failing to get to Gilman's point, and ~50% make it to Uhuru peak).

Here's a few random facts:

• Kilimanjaro means 'Shining mountain' in Swahili
• The mountain used to be part of Kenya (if you look at a map, there's a kink in the border around Kili); it was given to Germany (as part of Tanzania) by Queen Victoria in a fit of generosity
• The final climb to the summit is done starting at 2am in the morning. They say this is because it is easier then, and so you can see the sunrise from the top ... I think it has more to do with the a sadistic streak in the guides.

If I get round to it, i'll put some more pictures of the mountain here ... In the meantime, have a look at these other Kilimanjaro pages:

• Geology of the mountain
• Some basic info
• Another climbers page