Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain and one of the world’s most iconic peaks. In this extensive Mount Kilimanjaro facts article we have tried to distill the most interesting and fun facts about this famous mountain and the people who trek it.
Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest free-standing mountain in the world at a spectacular height of 5,895 metres above sea level. (Mount Everest is just more than 2,950 metres higher!)
The last major volcanic eruption from Kibo took place more than 360,000 years ago.
The last volcanic activity of Mount Kilimanjaro occurred 200 years back, resulting in the ash pit that climbers today can see from Uhuru Peak.
Since 1912, Kilimanjaro has lost 82% of its ice cap, and since 1962 it has lost 55% of its remaining glaciers – all due to climate change.
There are seven official routes on Mount Kilimanjaro, six of which are used for ascent (Machame, Umbwe, Marangu, Shira, Lemosho, Rongai), and one of which is used for descent only (Mweka).
Approximately 35,000 people attempt climbing Kilimanjaro each year.
As the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro makes up one of the Seven Summits (i.e. highest mountains on each of the seven continents). The other mountains on the Seven Summit circuit are:
Mount Everest – Asia – First ascent 1953 – 8,848 meters
Aconcagua – South America – First ascent 1897 – 6,961 meters
Mount McKinley – North America – First ascent 1913 – 6,194 meters
Mount Kilimanjaro – Africa – First ascent 1889 – 5,895 meters
Mount Elbrus – Europe – First ascent 1874 – 5,642 meters
Mount Vinson – Antarctica – First ascent 1966 – 4,892 meters
Mount Kosciuszko – Australia – First ascent 1840 – 2,228 meters
The youngest person to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro is Keats Boyd, at the tender age of 7 years old. The Los Angeles resident reached the summit on the 21st January 2008 – an incredible achievement made even more impressive as he somehow managed to dodge the minimum age rule for young climbers (i.e. 10 years or older).
The youngest British person ever to climb Kilimanjaro is Zain Akrim at 9 years of age on the 8th of August, 2015.
Richard Byerley was ‘officially’ the oldest person to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro. Byerley reached the summit in October 2010 at the ripe old age of 84 years and 71 days. However, his record was incredibly surpassed by Martin Kafer (85) and his wife Esther (84) in October 2012. The Canadian-Swiss couple now hold the record as the oldest man and oldest women to climb Kilimanjaro. Esther’s achievement surpassed the previous oldest woman to reach the summit, Bernice Bunn, who climbed to the Roof of Africa at age 83.
Update: Robert Wheeler has now become the oldest person to climb Mount Kilimanjaro at age 85 and 201 days. He reached the summit on 2nd October 2014.
Update: Angela Vorobeva (Russia, b. 4 February 1929) has now become the oldest person and women to reach the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, aged 86 years 267 days, on 29 October 2015.
German geologist, Hans Meyer, Ludwig Purtscheller and a local called Lauwo were the first people to summit Mount Kilimanjaro in October 1889. However, it is possible that Kilimanjaro’s summit was reached by locals prior to Hans Meyer, but was never recorded.
The fastest ascent and descent of Mount Kilimanjaro is held by Swiss mountain runner, Karl Egloff, who ran to the top the summit and back in 6 hours and 42 minutes in August 2014. This incredible feat beat the previous record which was help by Spanish mountain runner, Kilian Jornet and set in September 2010. At the time, the Spaniard was 22 years old. He reached the summit in a record time of 5 hours, 23 minutes and 50 seconds – beating the previous ascent record from Kazakh mountain runner, Andrew Puchinin, by one minute! He then ran back down for a total round-trip time of 7 hours and 14 minutes, beating the previous round-trip record set by local Tanzanian guide Simon Mtuy of 9 hours and 21 minutes!
We had an excellent tour with mboni. We made our reservation online one month before the trip, and we were able to talk to the staff to address some questions prior to the trip. I had previous hiking experience but my wife did not. High point of a great holiday. It was absolutely incredible , through this company we got a lot of individual attention.
My family and I just came back from 15 days in Tanzania. The purpose of the trip was to climb mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro. Mboni adventures and Safari Company who was our host were excellent and hard working. We did a 3 days trip to Mount Meru which was amazing and very beautiful. We had a crew of 11 portes, one cook, one guide and a park ranger who clearly made sure that we were safe and protected throughout our journey, many thanks to him.
I Climbed Mount Kilimanjaro via machame route and my entire trip was amazing.
The company and its people are well organized and welcoming, I found them waiting for me at the airport and I was received with so much joy and humbleness.
I had a quick chat with JACKSON who introduced himself as Mboni Adventures and Safari representative where i later came to find out He is the owner!
Thanks to the quick and accurate responses i received from MBONI, i was able to plan my kilimanjaro trek and safari in no time. Everything was good organized, the hotel was good, perfect food and good service. During climbing our guides told us interesting facts about mountain. We had a wonderful trip with kindly guides, cook and porters. We are extremely satisfied with Mboni Adventures and our trip as whole.
