Kilimanjaro & Safari

by Susanne Kannenberg

Have you ever considered tackling Africa’s highest mountain? Dreamt of standing on top of this snow-capped giant in the midst of this huge continent? If you were thinking to yourself that this really would be the ultimate challenge...

Well, you’d be right! A challenge it will be, but a very achievable one. Unlike Mont Blanc or Aconcagua, where you will benefit from ice-axe and crampons experience, this is a straightforward trek. No crampons needed and no technical difficulties to overcome. Some argue that the mental challenge far outweighs the physical challenge and I agree. You will go through as many emotions as climate zones - from anxiety to frustration to euphoria and relief. There is something quite satisfying in getting to know oneself in an extreme situation – such as the summit day. At some stage during the night of the summit attempt everybody reaches their low point. This point – undoubtedly the most painful in sub-zero temperatures - is what will be one of the most rewarding memories in retrospect: the knowledge that you pushed yourself to your own personal limit – and pushed on. And trust me, a can of Kilimanjaro lager 12 hours later makes it all worthwhile. It will be the most deserved can of beer you’ve ever had!

Scenic beauty is not generally one of the reasons why people climb Kilimanjaro, yet I disagree. You might not get the sweeping mountain views that you get in South Africa’s Drakensberg or Ethiopia’s Simien Mountains, but other factors make up for this. How many one-week treks will take you from farmland through rainforest, through heath and moorland to alpine deserts and past glaciers? Not many. My personal highlight was being above the clouds - conditions that often occur shortly after the end of the rainy season. We quickly delved through the clouds into the isolation, peace and blue skies that surrounded the mountain and only came back through them as we walked back into the rainforest on our last day.

It was never my ambition to stand on the top of Africa. And in fact, I didn’t. The crater rim of Gilman’s Point was as far as my willpower took me ... 200 meters below Uhuru Peak. But as always, it’s not only the point of destination that makes a journey worthwhile; it’s also the ways of getting there. You will be walking alongside a team that will be doing their utmost to fulfil your dream – be it feeding you chocolate at 3am on summit day to keep your glucose levels up, or even trying to sing you up the mountain in the middle of the night!

A trip which takes you from lush green to icy white accompanied by a fantastic team of guides and porters... and a challenge for your mind and body. What more do you want? Go on; get there fast, before the snow-cap melts.

To learn more about this trip and to see current dates and prices click here.

Susanne Kannenberg is a member of the Exodus sales team and travelled on ‘Kilimanjaro & Safari’, which follows the Rongai Route.