ORIGIN OF KILIMANJARO
The origin of the name Kilimanjaro is not known, but a number of theories exist. European explorers had adopted the name by 1860 and reported that Kilimanjaro was the mountain's Swahili name. The 1907 edition of The Nuttall Encyclopedia also records the name of the mountain as Kilimanjaro. Johann Ludwig Krapf wrote in 1860 that Swahilis along the coast called it the mountain Kilimanjaro. However, he did not offer any support. He claimed that Kilimanjaro meant either a mountain of greatness or a mountain of caravans. Under the latter meaning, kilima meant mountain and jaro meant Kilimanjaro Mountain caravans. Jim Thompson claimed in 1885, again without support. That the term Kilima-Njaro "has generally been understood to mean" the mountain (kilima) of greatness (njaro). He also suggested "though not improbably, it may mean" the white mountain. Njaro is an ancient Kiswahili word for shining. Similarly, Krapf wrote that a chief of the Wakamba people, whom he visited in 1849, "had been to Jaggaand had seen the Kima jajeu, the mountain of whiteness, the name given by the Wakamba to Kilimanjaro. More correctly, in the Kikamba language, this would be kiima kyeu, and this possible derivation has been popular with several investigators. Others have assumed that kilima is Kiswahili for the mountain. The problem with this assumption is that kilima actually means hill and is, therefore, the diminutive of mlima, the proper Kiswahili word for mountain. However, an early European visitor, whose knowledge of [Kiswahili] was not extensive, changed mlima to kilima by analogy with the two Wachagga names: Kibo and Kimawenzi. A different approach is to assume that the Kileman part of Kilimanjaro comes from the Kichagga kileme, which means that which defeats, or kilelema, which means that which has become difficult or impossible. The jaro part would "then be derived from njaare, a bird; or, according to other informants, a leopard; or, possibly from jyaro, a caravan". Considering that the name Kilimanjaro has never been current among the Wachagga people, it is possible that the name was derived from Wachagga saying that the mountain was unclimbable, kilemanjaare or kilemajyaro, and porters misinterpreting this as being the name of the mountain. In the 1880s, the mountain became a part of German East Africa and was called Kilima -Ndscharo in German, following the Kiswahili name components. On 6 October 1889, Hans Meyer reached the highest summit on the crater ridge of Kibo. He named it Kaiser-Wilhelm-Spitze (Kaiser Wilhelm peak). That name was used until Tanzania was formed in 1964 when the summit was renamed Uhuru Peak, meaning freedom peak in Kiswahili.
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE ROUTES OF KILIMANJARO:
MARANGU ROUTE
Known as the "Coca-Cola" route, the Marangu route is a classic trek on Mount Kilimanjaro. It is the oldest, most well-established route. Many favour the Marangu route because it is considered to be the easiest path on the mountain, given its gradual slope. It is also the only route which offers sleeping huts in dormitory-style accommodations. The minimum days required for this route is five days, although the probability of successfully reaching the top in that time period is quite low. Spending an extra acclimatization day on the mountain is highly recommended when climbing Kilimanjaro using the Marangu route. So we request you to take at least six days. However, despite its immense popularity, we avoid leading climbs on the Marangu route. The route has the least scenic variety of all the routes because the ascent and descent are made on the same path, and it is the most crowded route for that reason. Marangu is favoured only during the rainy season, where the hut accommodations are preferred over wet ground, or for those who only have five days to climb Kilimanjaro.
MACHAME ROUTE
The second most popular and indeed one of the most beautiful routes up the mountain is the Machame Route. Also known as the Whisky Route, this trail is both longer and slightly more challenging than the Marangu Route. Where accommodation on the Marangu route is in huts, the Machame route offers strictly tents only. The route is better suited to the slightly more adventurous hiker, however, rewarding him with a scenic splendour such as not seen on the Marangu route. Provided of its challenge, about 80% of hiker makes it to the summit of Africa.
LEMOSHO ROUTE
The Lemosho route is traditionally one of the quieter and lesser-known routes on the mountain. It's also the newest and probably the most diverse in terms of the ecological systems and landscapes it passes through. The first two days of this route take you through the lush rainforest before you emerge into heath and moorland, then join the Machame Route on the third day. This narrow trail, which begins on the Western side of Kilimanjaro, has some very steep and undulating sections. Arriving day Kilimanjaro Airport in Moshi.
SHIRA ROUTE
Shira Route is a little-used trail that begins near Shira Ridge. It is nearly identical to the Lemosho route. In fact, Shira was the original route, and the Lemosho route is the improved variation. Although Shira is a varied and beautiful route, it is less favourable than its successor due to the relatively high altitude of Shira's starting point, which is accessed quickly by vehicle. It is possible that climbers will experience some altitude-related symptoms on the first day while camping at 11,800 feet. The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the west, beginning with a long drive from Moshi to Shira Ridge. The vehicle bypasses the rainforest zone, and the hiking trail begins on Shira Ridge. The Shira route crosses the entire Shira Plateau from west to east in a pleasant, relatively flat hike. Then the route traverses underneath Kilimanjaro's Southern Ice Field on a path known as the Southern Circuit before summiting from Barafu. Descent is made via the Mweka route as others route.
UMBWE ROUTE
The Umbwe route has a reputation for being the most challenging route on Kilimanjaro. And rightly so. It’s the shortest and steepest of the Mountain Kilimanjaro, which is approaching from the south; the Umbwe route is a short, steep and direct climb. After reaching Barranco Camp, the trail turns east and traverses underneath Kilimanjaro's Southern Ice Field on a path known as the Southern Circuit before summiting from Barafu. Descent is made via the Mweka route.
RONGAI ROUTE
Rongai Route begins at the remote, northern side of Kilimanjaro near the Kenyan border. We hike through a true wilderness area towards the jagged Mawenzi Peak, then cross a barren desert saddle before climbing up Kibo's eastern crater wall. The thronged route is a more gradual ascent, therefore preferred by those with little or backpacking experience, but is equally enjoyable for even the most beautiful route in which you can see the wild animals.
WESTERN BREACH
As its name suggests, the Western Breach is a gap formed by lava flow on the western outer rim of Mount Kilimanjaro's main summit, Kibo. The Western Breach offers one of the shortest climbing routes to the summit. The core of this route, stretching from Arrow Glacier Camp to Crater Camp, involves sections of relative steepness and a high degree of exposure depending on route variation. It was temporarily closed after a rock slide accident in January 2006 killed three people. Despite its moderate inherent risks among experienced climbers, the Western Breach is still a popular ascent route because it is very direct and more interesting than the two heavily frequented standard routes on the southeast face of Kibo. Alternatively, it is possible for trekkers on most other routes to stay one night in the crater at the Crater Camp, allowing for an extended time to explore the peak without the added risk of an assault via the Western Breach. It may be advisable to spend an additional night at Lava Tower Camp (4600m) to aid acclimatization before positioning to Arrow Glacier Camp (4800m) the day after, preparation for the final night-time climb to the summit. Avoid being in the breach in windy conditions, as well as daylight hours, which may both increase the probability of rock fall. Ensure sufficient acclimatization and rest before entering the breach so as to be able to move through it swiftly, minimizing exposure time to rock fall.
NORTHERN CIRCUIT
Crater Camp is a unique place. At 18,865 feet above sea level, it is the highest campsite on Mount Kilimanjaro. It is located just 475 feet below the summit. We offer the opportunity to stay at Crater Camp on the Lemosho and Northern Circuit routes. This option will add one day to the standard itineraries, making them the 9 Lemosho Crater Route and ten days Northern Crater Route. We leave for the summit during daylight hours and stay at Crater Camp after the summit for better acclimatization. On all other Kilimanjaro routes, only the guides and clients summit while the rest of the mountain crew remains at high camp(Barafu or school hut). Using Crater Camp requires significantly more effort on our part as the entire mountain crew, along with all of the expedition equipment, has to ascend 4,000 feet higher than they normally would. Therefore, there is a considerable added cost to do a Crater Camp route. From Crater Camp, one can take an optional one-hour hike to Reach Crater or simply explore the areas around Furtwangler Glacier. Reach Crater is a magnificent sight. It is almost perfectly circular, and the ash pit measures 400 feet (120 m) deepened 1,300 feet (400 m) wide. This is rarely seen by tourists. The video below puts the size of the ash pit and crater into perspective. We understand the attraction of staying at Crater Camp. However, the drawback of sleeping at this high altitude is that it is pretty dangerous. Serious AMS can develop if adequate altitude acclimatization has not been achieved. Due to safety concerns for clients and staff, the 9 Lemosho Crater Route or 8-day Lemosho crater route and 10-day Northern Crater Route. We offer them for special requests.
WE ALSO DO ORGANIZE DAY TRIPS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
Kikuletwa Hot Spring in Moshi, Tanzania, also known by some as Maji Moto, known locally as Kikuletwa Hot Springs, is a paradisiac oasis amidst the Tanzanian savannah. The crystal clear springs offer captivating, bounty-styled views and dense vegetation around, making it a real oasis in the middle of the African plains.
The Chemka Hot Springs is located in an area locally known as Rundugai, a merely 2-hour drive from Moshi (Tanzania), which is the main climbing hub for Mt Kilimanjaro climbing and approximately the same distance from Arusha, the safari hub of Northern Tanzania and Africa. A visit to the Chemka Hot Springs is a great way to start or finish your Kilimanjaro climbing tour or Tanzania wildlife safari tour if you want to visit Tanzania for a wildlife-viewing adventure.
Marangu Waterfalls: Marangu village is located at a height of around 1300m (4300ft) above sea level; it is set within a dramatic landscape of high rises and deep valleys covered by tropical rain forests. Our day trips include a number of cultural tourism programs in which visitors are taken by a local guide to meet villagers and understand their traditional way of life whereby set up with the assistance of Tanzania Trails of Kilimanjaro.
Materuni Waterfalls and Coffee Plantation: Materuni waterfall day trip is perfect for escaping the busy routine. This stunning waterfall is 70m tall and located in a small village in Northern Tanzania, sitting at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. Standing at 2500m above sea level, this beautiful waterfall is surrounded by a tropical rainforest, coffee plantation, banana and avocado farms. This green village is surrounded by dense vegetation, a coffee plantation and the famous waterfall, the Materuni waterfall. Materuni Waterfall Day Trip is the best short escape to enjoy African nature and refresh or start a short hike to acclimate yourself case you are willing to hike Kilimanjaro in the days to come.