Trekking Kilimanjaro - by Victoria Keenan

Overcoming Doubts: My Journey to Conquer Mount Kilimanjaro

I was never that interested in hiking. Having grown up in the Alps, I love the mountains, but skiing down them had always seemed more appealing than climbing up them. So when, towards the end of last year, after a little encouragement from a friend, I decided to trek up Mount Kilimanjaro, I surprised even myself.

I was drawn to the idea of a real adventure and challenge, exploring somewhere new, but I was daunted by the altitude: Kilimanjaro is Africa’s tallest peak, standing at 5,895m. However, after a few words of motivation from our expert guide:

“Don’t let fear of the unknown stop you from making positive choices in doing anything”

I signed up there and then – one of the best decisions I have made.

Unforgettable Kilimanjaro Trek with City Mountaineering

It was a seven-day trek along Kilimanjaro’s Machame Route with City Mountaineering (they are the best in the business – I cannot recommend them enough!). We were led by the company’s founder and highly experienced UK guide, together with three brilliant Tanzanian guides.  Our little team of five hikers was also supported by an incredible Tanzanian crew of 16, who were responsible for carrying everything from tents to food and water up the mountain. They also set up our camps for us – a real luxury allowing us just to fall into our tents at the end of each long day!

Exploring the Diverse Landscapes of Kilimanjaro's Machame Route

The Machame Route is beautiful!

The trail begins with a trek through a lush and misty rainforest known as the ‘Cloud Forest’ and slowly winds up through grassy moorlands bursting with plants and yellow flowers.

By days 3 and 4, we had reached a stark and rocky desert, where we saw Kilimanjaro’s unique perennial Giant Groundsel trees, which grow forever taller by consuming themselves! Days 5 and 6 took us to the arctic hights of the mountain’s snow-covered peak, and finally, on day 7, we trickled all the way down again.

This route’s gradual ascent offers the best chance for acclimatisation: as the mountain is so tall, to reach the summit, we needed to give our bodies time to adapt. We did this by climbing as slowly as possible, or ‘pole pole’ as the Tanzanians say.

Overcoming Mental and Physical Challenges

Walking so slowly for up to eight hours at altitude each day was a real challenge (especially for this speed-walking Londoner) and was as much, if not more, of a mental resilience test than a physical one.

Some days, I had to give myself little pep talks. I drew a lot of strength from my friend and tent-mate, who had a bit more experience at altitude, and from the calm and ever patient words of encouragement from our UK guide. We were so well looked after, and the days just flew by.

In no time, in the early afternoon of day 5, we had reached our highest camp at 4,670m, ready for our summit attempt later that night.

Nighttime Ascent: A Nervous Start

The plan was to depart from camp at about 11pm, with the aim of reaching the summit by morning.

Resting in our tents, we watched the skies nervously as snowflakes slowly started to fall. We learned afterwards that the guides had considered cancelling the summit attempt because of the weather, but Luckily it started to clear, and we were on!

After a bite to eat, by the light of our headlamps, we pulled on our warmest gear and prepared for the tough challenge ahead. Despite more than a few nerves, I was excited for the night ahead and the prospect of reaching our goal.

At 11pm, we set out in single file into the darkness.

The Enchantment of Nighttime Hiking: A Solitary Journey

Hiking in the dark is a strange but quite magical experience: you have no idea where you are, aware only of whatever is caught in the glow of your headlamp.

Due to the low season, we had the added bonus of being one of the few teams on the mountain, so it felt like we were truly alone up there. Slowly putting one foot in front of the other, stopping every so often for a snack and some water and listening to our guide’s steady motivation, I went into something of a hiking trance.

A Breathtaking Sunrise at 5,700 Meters

I had almost forgotten where we were, until sometime around 5.30am, at around 5,700m, someone yelled ‘Look at that sunrise’!

I looked up from my feet at the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen!

It was as though the sky had exploded all around us: orange, yellow and red light reflected off the snowy face of the mountain, as the sun slowly made its way up out of the clouds below.

Reaching Stella Point: The Final Push to Kilimanjaro's Summit

We continued on, threading through the glaciers, until we finally reached a waypoint on Kilimanjaro’s crater rim, known as Stella Point, which is a big milestone in the trek, as it is only about an hour’s walk from the summit.

We were nearly there! After a mini celebration involving some hot tea (and more Mars bars), and lots of group hugs, we pulled on some micro-spikes to help us walk in the snow and set off again for our final push.

Reaching the Summit: Triumph Over Exhaustion on Kilimanjaro

The final part of the trek was the most difficult. It felt like it was going on forever, and here I really had to dig deep.

Like a mirage, the iconic Kilimanjaro sign finally came into view and, even then it was seemingly out of reach, but at about 8.30am, after 9 hours of ascent, we finally made it to the summit

I couldn’t believe it. I looked around in a daze at the view, trying to take it in: clear blue sky and glittering snow all around, sitting above the clouds.

Happiness, pride and relief at having reached the top trumped my exhaustion and couldn’t wait to share this with my family back home.

Exhilarating Descent from the Roof of Africa

After more hugs, celebratory high fives, a few photos and a quick rest on the roof of Africa, it was time to hightail it back to our high camp, where we would rest for a couple of hours before continuing down the mountain to our campsite for the night.

All in all, we had about 6 more hours of descent to do that day – powered mostly by the adrenaline and, By the time we reached our camp, I can honestly say that I have never felt so tired! We settled in our tents; exhausted but happy.

Final Descent Through the Cloud Forest: A Journey's End

The next morning, our final day on the mountain, we hiked the final 10km down through the Cloud Forest and were treated to amazing views of Kilimanjaro above, and the valley below emerging from the clouds.

The thought of a warm shower and Kilimanjaro beers awaiting us kept us going we chatted away happily as we went.

Embrace the Challenge: Climbing Kilimanjaro

It was the adventure of a lifetime, and to anyone who is thinking of climbing Kilimanjaro, I say, do it!

It was hard at times but discovering that I could achieve something so challenging left me with a feeling of such accomplishment that I will never forget it. All you need is an adventurous spirit, the right support from a great team around you, (and OK, a little training!), and you will be well on your way.

I could not recommend this adventure more.

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Check out a short video montage of Victoria's summit night on Kilimanjaro here

Are you interested in climbing Kilimanjaro? Join us on our next trip to the roof of Africa

With a success rate of over 99% (258 summits with 260 clients) City Mountaineering has one of the highest success rates on Kilimanjaro. This, in part, is due to us including a highly experienced UK leader (he's summited Kilimanjaro 20 times!) on all our treks, pre-trip support & online preparation meetings, and the offer of 10% off all UK trips to enable you to train hard for the big adventure.