Climbing Kilimanjaro

Filed in archive Adventure on January 22, 2008

Ernest Hemingway's famous Snows of Mount Kilimanjaro are still a major draw for alpine enthusiasts. At nearly 20000 feet, the major peaks of Africa's highest mountain are snow-covered year round. Because its shape is typical of volcanoes (no extreme steepness) it is one of the world's easiest high peaks to reach. There are numerous routes, the easiest being the Marangu Route, which takes advantage of Kilimanjaro's shape to make its peak accessible to mountaineering newbies.

Still, at nearly 20,000 feet, guides and proper acclimatization techniques are essential. A guided trip with porters and stays in the cabin along the way will set you back $5,000. It might seem that the price is steeper than the mountain. However, climbing the world's other glamor peaks, like Everest or Denali, will set you back much more than $5,000 dollars. (An Everest trip, if you have the mountaineering skills and guts to try it, costs 10 times as much, at least).

The New York Times' Neil Modie recently journeyed to the top of Africa. Mr. Modie took the luxury package, which included a walk in dining tent and no less than 38 porters. Despite that, he found the mountain's rugged beauty undeniable, and the uniqueness of its animals and geographic features unparalleled.

Kilimanjaro, rising from the flat plains of East Africa, is by no means hidden. It's peak certainly in unique, though.