Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is a “bucket list” adventure for any woman.
Iconic and majestic, Mt. Kilimanjaro or “Kili” as we like to refer to it, transports you through lush rain forests to barren, alpine “moonscapes” and treats you to a congratulatory view of the world from the “roof of Africa” at the Summit of Mount Uhuru. Our first 2018 Kilimanjaro trek was so popular the trip immediately sold out so we’ve added a second departure!
Here are some fun facts about the classic trekking challenge – Mt Kilimanjaro!
- Mt. Kilimanjaro is the tallest freestanding mountain in the world at 19,341 feet.
The Summit of Kili: Uhuru Peak!
- In 1889 German explorer Hans Meyer was the first to reach the peak, guided by local Chagga tribesman Yohana Lauwo. Today Lauwo’s grandson, Pendaeli, guides AdventureWomen trekkers.
- Mt. Kilimanjaro is home to hundreds of plant and animal species, some of which can only be found on its slopes.
The strange lobelia deckenii (this one is just a baby, but they can grow to be meters high)
- While climbing this mountain, your fitness level doesn’t affect your body’s ability to acclimatize. Many fit athletes still experience acclimatization issues. You can, and should, train for your climb, but you can’t “train” for altitude. Incredibly fit people can experience difficulty, and people who have never hiked before might feel fine. This is because your reaction to altitude relies on two factors: your genetic makeup (studies have shown that populations living at high altitude, like the Nepalese, have different lung capacities, blood oxygenation, and red blood cell counts than lowlanders), and the amount of time you leave for acclimatization.
- In 1927, the first woman reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. She was a 22-year old from London.
- Mt. Kilimanjaro has lost 80% of it’s ice cap since 1912 and is projected to be snow and ice-less within the next 20 years.
- A disabled South African, Bernard Goosen, has twice scaled Mt. Kilimanjaro in a wheelchair with limited support, once in 2003 (9 days) and then in 2007 (six days).
- While approximately two-thirds of those attempting to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro typically are successful, on this route, AdventureWomen have a 98% success rate for summiting. Go AdventureWomen!
- Mt. Kilimanjaro has three volcanic cones with one, Kibo, considered dormant but still potentially active with the last activity occurring about 200 years ago.
- Mt. Kilimanjaro has hosted the highest rugby, cricket and football matches in the World, played out in Mt. Kilimanjaro’s crater.
Will you challenge yourself to a Kili climb? You won’t regret it. Learn more…
