Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain, but it also is known as the ‘Most Walkable Mountain in the World’ – so, is it hard to climb Kilimanjaro? And if so, just how hard?
How hard is it to climb Kilimanjaro?
The quick and short answer is climbing Kilimanjaro is difficult: it requires stamina and resolve to reach the top.
However, it is an awesome beginner mountain, ideal for those without mountaineering experience.
Reaching the top of Kilimanjaro is a feat obtainable to anyone willing to work hard, without any special gear or training required.
While climbing Mount Kilimanjaro may be difficult, it is doable as long as you pay attention to acclimatization and choose a sensible route.
It is highly advised to choose a reputable tour operator who considers safety above all and will ensure you climb with a route suitable to your level and ability.
The Most Walkable Mountain in the World
When people say Mount Kilimanjaro is the “most walkable mountain in the world,” they mostly mean that you don’t need special mountain climbing equipment to reach the top.
This is in contrast to an Everest expedition, for example: to climb the highest mountain in the world, climbers will need ice picks, axes, ropes, and special boots to reach the summit. Oxygen tanks and more are required for a safe, successful climb.
However, when we look at Kilimanjaro, even though the elevation is a staggering 19,340 ft (5895 meters), thankfully, healthy and fit humans don’t need additional oxygen when at that elevation.
For those who may want additional oxygen (or, for emergency use, of course), oxygen tanks are available, talk to your tour operator about having oxygen on your trek.
Additionally, climbers do not need specialized equipment (or the training to use them), such as axes or ice picks to reach the summit.
Kilimanjaro Difficulty: a Trek or a Climb?
Technically, mount Kilimanjaro hike is a trek and a climb.
It is a trek because it is a prolonged hike that covers several days, and you need only sturdy hiking boots to complete it.
However, it is also technically a climb, because there is a definite peak reached (Uhuru Peak) and climbers summit a mountain.
Kilimanjaro Elevation
Kilimanjaro sits at 5895 Meters or 19,340 feet above sea level.
Factors
Some of the factors that affect the difficulty level of Kilimanjaro include altitude, acclimatization, climbing route, and the number of days for a trek.
Altitude and Acclimatization
Now, when people discuss how hard Kilimanjaro is to climb, it is imperative to consider altitude and acclimatization.
Acclimatization is the body’s adaptation to a higher elevation. In this case, the Mount Kilimanjaro height does reach an altitude that has physical effects on the body. Lower oxygen levels in the atmosphere will result in bodily changes: rapid breathing, increased urination, and, eventually, increased red blood cells.
When your body begins creating more red blood cells, to accommodate the reduced oxygen in the air, you will cope better with the higher elevation of Kilimanjaro.
Number of Climbing Days
Climbing Kilimanjaro rapidly, over the course of 5 days or less, therefore, is not recommended, because your body does not have sufficient time to perform the necessary changes to help deal with the high elevation.
Drawbacks of Fast Climbs
Attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in a few days makes reaching the summit much more difficult – and potentially even dangerous! Doing so risks altitude sickness, which may result in descent before reaching the summit.
Most reputable tour operators suggest climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in programs of 6 or more days, in order to allow your body to properly adjust.
When you book with a reputable tour operator, they should have trained guides who will look after your health throughout the trek. This involves regular oxygen saturation monitoring and looking for signs and symptoms of altitude sickness so that they can take preventative measures before it becomes something serious.
This will significantly increase your chances of reaching the summit, and make climbing Africa’s highest mountain a little less difficult, compared to going up in fewer days and taxing your body unnecessarily.
Climbing Route
Another factor that affects how hard it is to climb Kilimanjaro is which climbing route you choose.
Umbwe Route is often considered one of the most difficult routes and is only recommended for experienced climbers, especially with prior acclimatization.
If you’re a novice climber, then it is advised to choose a route with a good acclimatization profile.
Good acclimatization means the route is set up in such a way as to help your body acclimatize as you hike, with a gentle increase in altitude (as opposed to a rapid increase, as seen with the Umbwe route) and the opportunity to “climb high, sleep low” (meaning you trek to a higher altitude, but the camp is slightly lower, so you sleep with gradual increases of altitude, making it easier for your body to adjust).
Look for Kilimanjaro routes with a good acclimatization profile, such as Lemosho, Marangu, and Rongai routes.
While routes that have a good acclimatization profile and six or more days of trekking certainly make reaching the summit easier, that doesn’t mean Kilimanjaro is an “easy” climb.
We are still talking about the highest mountain in Africa, after all.
Inspiration for your Kilimanjaro Climb
However, when we say that all that is required to climb Kilimanjaro is a competent tour operator and your own stamina and inner resolve, we really mean it.
A great pair of hiking boots can be helpful – but believe us when we say even legs are not a requirement for summiting this mountain!
Here are a few inspirational climbers who successfully reached the summit of Kilimanjaro without legs. One of these incredible amputees did it by climbing with only his hands and knees!
Kyle Maynard
On January 15, 2012, Kyle Maynard set a world record as the first quadruple amputee to summit Mount Kilimanjaro.
He did so without any assistance or oxygen and climbed with only his hands and knees.
He completed the trek in a mere 10 days.
Andy Reid
Andy Reid, a triple amputee (2 legs and 1 arm), summited Kilimanjaro on Oct 12, 2022, with the use of prosthetic legs.
He reached Uhuru Peak in 14 days.
Corrine Hutton
Corrine Hutton, a quadruple amputee with only one working lung completed a trek of Kilimanjaro on Oct 5, 2018.
Her trek, with the use of prosthetic legs, took an astounding 5 days to reach Uhuru Peak.
With these inspirational climbers in mind, know that although it is hard to climb Kilimanjaro, you can do it, too!