Tanzania, Africa
19,340 feet/5896 meters
Summited September 19, 2011
7 Summits Climb for Alzheimer’s
Kili is among the world’s highest volcanoes at 19,340 feet / 5894 meters. The highest is Ojos del Salado, at 22,615 feet/ 6893 meters on the Argentina/Chile border. German Hans Meyer first summited Kili in 1889. The volcano has three peaks: Kibo, Shira and Mawenzi, with Kibo being the summit.
Five main routes meander from the jungle through five microclimates to join the three final ascent routes to Kibo. Both the Machame and Lemosho routes offer a more leisurely-paced scenic climb. The Lemosho route is less crowded, while the Machame route has a more difficult beginning but joins the same route as the Lemosho. The Marangu climb is crowded since it follows a road part-way.
Many climbers consider it a walk-up, but it still represents a deadly threat when climbers go too fast or ignore challenging weather. Kili has well-known regular routes with no real objective danger except for cold summit weather. Porters carry everything for you, as the park regulations require, so all you have is a simple day pack with the bare essentials. The routes are very dry, and there is rarely snow at lower elevations but some snow on the summit. There is no crevasse danger like on Denali or Rainier, and it’s similar to a Colorado 14er (albeit higher) than Rainier or Denali.
The local park officials maintain strict rules, thus requiring local guides to accompany each team. The climb takes 4 to 7 days, with 7 being the suggested time to allow for proper acclimatization. Huts and tent camping are on some routes. Porters carry most of the load, so climbers usually just manage a small day pack with their gear.
Of note, the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) encourages climbers and visitors to support the Kili porters by donating clothes. More importantly, it monitors operators regarding the fair treatment of all porters, including pay, health, insurance and gear.
Kilimanjaro is the closest of the seven to the equator, so January, February and July through October will offer the best weather. March, April, and November are the rainy months.
Most people find it manageable on a perfect weather day and regular routes. However, as with most extreme altitude climbs, Kilimanjaro can have brutal summit weather with temperatures at 0F. When the winds blow, the wind chills can be very dangerous. Climbers have died on Kilimanjaro. Also, remember that this is almost 6,000 meters or 20,000 feet, so AMS is always a risk, as is HAPE or HACE.
It is estimated that 25,000 climb Kilimanjaro using the various routes each year. The summit rate is around 66%, with cold summit days and altitude issues being the primary reasons for not summiting. There is about one death each year, and it is relatively safe; however, one climber was killed by lightning in early 2013
The second highest mountain in Africa is Mt. Kenya in Kenya, at 17,057’/5199m, 250 miles north of Kilimanjaro. The normal route to Peak Lenana is considered a scramble, but routes to Batina Peak offer challenging rock climbing (5.7 range) to reach the summit.
Kilimanjaro Resources
I summited Kilimanjaro on September 2011. You can read about my climb on these links:
7 Summits Climb for Alzheimer’s

In late 2010, I launched the 7 Summits for Alzheimer’s campaign, where I wanted to climb all seven (eight) of the Seven Summits in one year. The first summit was Vinson in Antarctica on December 9th, 2010. This was the last summit on October 25, 2011. I had made every summit except Denali, which was stopped by weather, 3100′ short of the summit.
I have been able to send our Alzheimer’s message of hope, need and urgency from each continent, reaching over 12 million people and raising money for research, awareness and caregivers. In 2025, I will continue to dedicate my climbing and public presence to honoring my mom, Ida, and raising research funds for Alzheimer’s nonprofits. Please consider a donation today.