Get out your winter wardrobes, and summer too! It is said that to climb up Kilimanjaro is to walk through all four seasons in just five days. With five distinct climate zones ranging from the lush green rainforest to the dry and rocky desert, with a final ascent to the snowy, ice capped summit, Kilimanjaro is truly a natural phenomenon. The variety of vibrant flora and fauna and diverse landscapes can be attributed to the mountain’s tremendous height and its unique location, bordering both the equator and the Indian Ocean. The variations in climate zones and temperature from the top to the bottom of the mountain create the ideal conditions for an expedition like nowhere else in the world. Here are the five different climate zones you will experience as you hike Africa's tallest peak!
Read moreWHAT TO WEAR TO UHURU PEAK: A gear guide for your trek to the summit of Kilimanjaro
Having successfully summited Kili a couple times myself, I wanted to share with you all my look for the coldest, longest, most difficult and most rewarding part of the trek...the night of summit! I made this handy dandy pictorial gear guide to give you an idea of what has worked for me (spoiler alert: lots of layers)! All this gear is tried and true and has gotten me to the top safe, sound and toasty (relatively speaking)!
The great part is I just keep adding layers along the way to the top. I'm basically just wearing different combos of this gear all 7 days I'm on the mountain (with a few changes of midweight tops and pants along the way). So, if you have these pieces (or one's that are comparable) it's a good start to making sure you're in shape (gear-wise) for Kilimanjaro!
Read moreONE WOMAN'S JOURNEY through Cheez-its, sour worms, and high altitude
I never thought my life would come to depend on a bag of neon-colored sour worms and Cheez-Its. At 5,895 meters on the top of Kilimanjaro, having not eaten in two days, with no appetite (aside from the aforementioned snacks), frozen extremities, and half out of my mind, I had to ask myself, “HOW DID I END UP HERE?”
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