DAY 8: CLIMB TO SUMMIT UHURU PEAK

MOUNTAIN ROUTE OVERVIEW

Summit is an 11 to 16 hour day. Climbers go to sleep after an early dinner the night before and are woken up around midnight to being their summit attempt. After a light snack, they ascent into darkness, cold, and wind. Temperatures usually range from -4° to 5° fahrenheit. This is where climbers feel the altitude, so they’ll carry as little as possible, hike slowly, and take many rests to ease the symptoms. They’ll make their way up a trail that is flanked by the Ratzel and Rebman Glaciers. After climbing for around six hours, they’ll reach the edge of Kilimanjaro’s crater between Stella and Hans Meyer Points. They’re just an hour from the summit when they get here! After a hot cup of tea and rest, they’ll begin climbing on a rocky and icy trail to the summit, Uhuru Peak, at 19,344 feet which is the highest point on the continent of Africa. Once they reach the summit, they’ll spend a few minutes making sure they touch the sign, celebrating with the group, and taking pictures before descending to Kosovo Camp. Once they reach camp, they’ll eat lunch and take a short nap before continuing their descent to Mweka Camp. Once they arrive at camp, they’ll have dinner and go to bed early after a 13 to 19 hour day of hiking!

MOUNTAIN ROUTE STATS

ASCENT

Starting elevation 16,000 feet

Ending elevation 19,344 feet

Elevation gain 3,344 feet

Distance hiked 4.5 miles

Average hiking time 8 to 10 hours

DESCENT

Starting elevation 19,344 feet

Ending elevation 10,200 feet

Elevation loss 9,144 feet

Distance hiked 8 miles

Average hiking time 7 to 9 hours

All climbers made it to the top! Updates to come!