subject: For A Challenging And Sheer Climbing Experience On Kilimanjaro - Choose Umbwe Route [print this page] For A Challenging And Sheer Climbing Experience On Kilimanjaro - Choose Umbwe Route
If you are planning to climb mount Kilimanjaro, you might want to wisely consider the 5 different routes that you can take to summit it. Each has its unique features and provides a unique experience with varying difficulty as well.
While climbing a mountain a lot of planning and preparations are involved. Your success in reaching the summit depends largely on how you fare on the mountain. With every step you take towards the peak you trade your strength and try to keep your determination. To summit the mountain, you might have to take thousands of steps on terrains and through temperature that changes from height to height. When you are actually on the mountain and summit bound, how you fare during the ascension depends a lot on how you planned and prepared.
Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa, is a favorite destination for thousands of climbers around the world. It is reported that over 25,000 people from across the globe head to the planet's tallest free standing mountain to summit Uhuru, its peak. However, it is believed that only around half the number of climbers reach the peak. Although not a totally crucial undertaking, it could be quite severe when coupled with the altitude sickness that generally kicks in. Hence, right from tuning your body and mind to picking the suitable route in regards to your body each aspect to be given a practical thought.
There are 5 different routes that you can choose from to reach the top including Machame, Marangu, Shira or Lemosho, Rongai and Umbwe. Each route has its unique features and will provide a unique experience. This also means that the distance, weather, view, duration of climb, cost, difficulty etc., could differ from one route to the other. Not all the 5 routes are suitable for every one.
Machame route, one of the most popular and busy, is known to offer the best success rate with beautiful scenery through 5 diverse climatic zones. Marangu route, also called the 'Coca Cola' route is considered the easiest and shortest with less scenic view as the same route is used for ascent and descent. Shira or Lemosho is recommended for the highest success rate and good acclimatization. These two routes are remote and spectacular, offering Kilimanjaro's diverse climatic zones as you climb higher. Rongai is the only route that approaches Kilimanjaro from the north. Rongai route provides the experience of real wilderness on the initial stages of the climb. The fifth route, Umbwe, is considered to be the most difficult of all the routes.
Umbwe route, or also known as the 'Vodka route,' approaches from the south. It is a short route to the top with steep and direct climb. Due to its steepness and difficulty, it is often said of this route that one requires an iron will to summit Kilimanjaro via Umbwe route. Hence, it is not recommended for the fainthearted. The route is known for its low success rate, it also offers poor acclimatization to altitude because of the rapid ascent. So, be sure to pack a Herculean strength and a similar will before taking this route.
The Umbwe route is also a very remote and quiet one, therefore, be prepared for an exclusive and a sheer climbing experience if you pick this one. The minimum required days to summit Uhuru (Kilimanjaro's peak) via this route is 6 days. There are low recommendations for this route, but on another note, this could offer seasoned climbers a remarkable experience, those with years of mountain climbing experience and the bring it on attitude.
For any information and service for climbing Mt Kilimanjaro make sure that you approach a trusted tour operator who has experienced guides, success rate, best on site (on the mountain) features and other options. Some also offer special features such as safaris, treks and beaches for a complete African experience.
