Conquering the 'roof of Africa'

Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, is an extremely attractive destination for those who love to conquer and explore nature, regardless of age.

Tourists conquering Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. (Source: The Guardian)

Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano in northeastern Tanzania, a country in East Africa, with three cones named Kibo, Mawensi and Shira. Kilimanjaro is the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. In terms of overall height, it is the fourth highest of the seven highest mountains in the world.

At 5,895m, Kilimanjaro is Africa's highest mountain, surrounded by forests and plains. The mountain is part of the Kilimanjaro National Park. In 1987, the area, along with six surrounding forest corridors, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna.

Mount Kilimanjaro has important cultural significance to the people of Tanzania, especially the Chagga and Maasai tribes, as it is considered a sacred mountain in local folklore and traditions.

Despite its proximity to the equator, Mount Kilimanjaro has a diverse climate, with different ecoregions, including lush tropical rainforests, alpine grasslands, and cold, Arctic-like wilderness near the summit.

Kilimanjaro has a diverse flora and fauna, including unique plant species. Wildlife is abundant on the lower slopes, including elephants, leopards, monkeys and buffalo.

Mount Kilimanjaro is a destination for climbers from all over the world, attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year.

Risk Management

Mount Kilimanjaro is now a major source of tourism revenue for Tanzania and neighboring Kenya, with around 35,000 people attempting to reach the summit each year. Climbing the mountain without internet access used to be a risk for both tourists and transporters, but that is no longer the case.

Tanzania’s telecommunications corporation has installed broadband Internet service on the mountain, which has been enthusiastically received by tourists and locals. When reaching Africa’s highest mountain, tourists can still comfortably update news on social networks or contact rescue in case of emergency.

Tanzania’s Information Minister Nape Nnauye declared the event “historic.” Thanks to wifi, professional climbers and adventurous tourists now have more support to conquer the mountain.

To serve tourists, Tanzania once planned to build a cable car to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. However, this plan caused a lot of controversy. The reason is that a tourist climbing the mountain can hire up to 15 people to serve, including a guide, a cook and 13 porters. If there is a cable car, thousands of local service workers will lose their jobs and income.

Conquering the 'roof of Africa'

Precious emotions

With determination, regardless of gender or age, people still have the opportunity to conquer the "roof of Africa".

In June 2024, Ms. Jaya Kumra (52 years old, Hong Kong, China) climbed for eight days to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro. Ms. Kumra and her two companions walked 6-7 hours every day. There were times when they felt exhausted and wanted to give up, but then tried to encourage each other to overcome.

Experiencing harsh weather with rain, strong winds and cold, this woman completed the trip that many people admired. She considered it a gift to celebrate her 52nd birthday.

Anne Lorimor, an 85-year-old woman from Arizona (USA), is one of the oldest people to have conquered Mount Kilimanjaro.

According to KTVK in Phoenix, Arizona, Anne Lorimor completed the climb of Mount Kilimanjaro with her grandchildren in August 2015. The trip lasted eight days. Before leaving, Lorimor told ABC 15: “I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time and told my grandchildren I really wanted to go, and they said yes.” She has been recognized by the Guinness World Records as the oldest woman to climb the world’s highest single mountain.

Ms Lorimor said she climbed the mountain to raise money for the Challenge Youth Fund, a charity she set up for poor children.

“Although I am not a professional climber, I have always loved this activity. When I can combine my love of climbing with my passion for helping children, there is nothing more wonderful,” Ms. Lorimor shared.

To reach the top of the “roof of Africa”, visitors must buy a tour with a local guide and porters. The tour price depends on the route, the reputation of the company and the number of people supporting. The time to conquer Kilimanjaro peak takes about nine days. The best season to climb Kilimanjaro is from July to September. The remaining months have a lot of rain, are difficult to travel and are cloudy, so there are not many beautiful scenes.

Mr. Hoang Le Giang, one of the few Vietnamese who have successfully conquered the “roof of Africa”, shared with the media: “Along the way to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro, you can easily come across trails crowded with tourists. The roads are named after the drinks sold along the way such as Coca-Cola Road, Whiskey Road”.

“The happiest feeling when successfully conquering Mount Kilimanjaro is that you suddenly feel small in the vast nature. At the foot of the mountain is a undulating glacier, sparkling when the sun shines on it. At night, you are immersed in the starry sky, a majestic scene like in a science fiction movie,” Giang said.

The famous Kilimanjaro has become a dream destination for adventure lovers. The days of conquering Kilimanjaro are a time that brings different emotions, from the feeling of wishing to climb to the top successfully while still having some energy to enjoy, to the moment of truly living in the vast sky and clouds…

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/chinh-phuc-noc-nha-chau-phi-283611.html