Kilimanjaro Climbing on your Tanzania gap year.

Climb Kilimanjaro on your Tanzania gap year.

Climb Kilimanjaro if you are looking for a serious adventure on your Tanzania Gap Year. Each year many people contemplate the Kilimanjaro climb because it is one of the most rewarding and easiest entry points into mountaineering. They either go it alone or Climb Kilimanjaro with a group or a friend.

I wanted to climb Kilimanjaro when I was on my Tanzania Gap Year, so I ended up leading a group of Africa Students up the mountain. Everyone in the group had different reasons as to why they wanted to climb Kilimanjaro, but my personal reasons was because it was there, looming over me for 5 months as I worked in Moshi, its snow capped peaks begging to explored, so I figured what the hell, I will give climbing Kilimanjaro a shot.

Climb Kilimanjaro on your Tanzania Gap year, because it really is the best time to head out there and do the trek, when else in your life time will you have the chance to do it? Kilimanjaro is not something to be taken lightly, and it is certainly not to be rushed either, so actually taking a Tanzania gap year and taking the time to properly plan and execute the trip is very worth while indeed.

There are plenty of Gap Year companies that will help you plan your Tanzania Gap year enabling you to climb Kilimanjaro, Xtreme Gap Year is one of them. They specialise in lots of Gap year activities like trekking and mountaineering

 

 

So when you climb Kilimanjaro what can you expect to happen? Well apart from getting very sore legs after 5 days of uphill trekking (unless you prepare properly) you will experience some incredible shifts in the landscape. From A dense banana plantation to rainforests with unique flora and forna to a wilderness that resembles something you would find on the moon, with rocks and dust and very thin air. Towards the top (when the climb starts to get pretty difficult the ground gives way to scree slopes and semi perma frost, this eventually gives way to the snowline and the roof of Africa Uhru peak!

Many people who climb Kilimanjaro on their Tanzania gap year choose to take an extra day up the mountain, this is not a bad options as the lessens the effect of Altitude sickness on the trek. Many people do not successfully reach the summit at all, instead they turn around at Gilmans point which is several hundred meters short of the top of the mountain. This is disappointing as the climb is the high light of the Tanzania gap year, and you want to be successful. Taking an e extra day may make all the difference and give you the boost you need to get up to the top. With only 40% begin successful this is really not a bad option. The ascent to the summit starts early with a scramble up a scree slope to gilmans point on the semi permafrost. Then it is a 3 hour trek to the top to the roof of Africa! The way down is not so tough, quite easy in fact. One day down and you can reward your self with a well deserved meal afterwards!

After the climb, you can go on safari to the Ngorogro crater, or masai mara game reserves the perfect way to finish off your Tanzania Gap year.