Daudi Kibona

Mount Kilimanjaro became a national park in Tanzania in 1976, opening to the public in 1978. Kilimanjaro is among the seven wonders of the world. It has six different routes: the Lemosho, Machame, Marangu, Rongai, Umbwe, and finally, the Mweka route, which is only used on the descent.

This mountain has five zones. Each is interesting. The first zone is the cultivation zone where the locals live, and they earn their main income from agriculture, including the plantation of crops such as coffee and bananas.

The next zone is the rainforest zone, where you can find animals such as jackals, Colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, and blue monkeys. You can also find birds in this region, such as the turaco and various doves.

The heath and moorland zone is the third zone, with trees like the Giant Kilimanjaro, Lobelia Decamia, and Plateau. Birds found in this region include the sunbird and Alpine chat.

The Alpine zone is the fourth zone, with birds like the lammergeier, striped black and white alpine chat, and the black and white raven. The last zone is the summit zone, from 4600m to 5895m. This is where you can find snow and huge glaciers.

My favorite route is the Lemosho; I walked for over eight days. When you climb the Lemosho route, you can see many animals in the forest, such as monkeys. You can also see birds such as the turaco. You will also see the three peaks of Kilimanjaro called Shira, Mawenzi, and Kibo Peaks. You get great views of Mount Meru, which is inside the Arusha National Park and the second-highest mountain in Tanzania. You can also get the chance to see the Ngorongoro Highlands and Oldonyo Lengai, which is a volcanic mountain near Lake Natron.

Easy Travel is the best choice for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro because it provides the best experience for trekkers and crews. The company carries out training with its crew members.

My favorite month of the year for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is in October. October is a summer month, and the weather makes seeing the mountain’s attractions easy. It is one of the months with a high summit success rate. The Lemosho route in October is my preference.

My favorite part of Mount Kilimanjaro is the montane forest, where you see blue monkeys, white and black colobus monkeys, and vervet monkeys. Flower species such as Impatiens Kilimanjaro and Gladiola will be seen here. Another of my favorite parts is the summit, where you can see the biggest glaciers and the famous ash peak. You can also see Mount Meru when you reach the top.

For many, it is a surprise that Mount Kilimanjaro has glaciers and ice at the top, even though it is located in the equatorial region. There are changing trails and landscapes depending on your climbing route and area.

My favorite culture in Tanzania is that of the Hadzabe tribe. These people are located in the Lake Eyasi region. I like how they dance and speak, and their daily activity is hunting birds and the Thompson’s gazelle. They are real hunter-gatherers and dress with little clothing material made of monkey skin. I visited, hunted, and danced with them while traveling with my friends to their region.

Trekkers should learn some of the common Swahili words, such as:
‘Jambo,’, which means hello.
‘Hakuna Matata,’, which means no worries.
‘Mambo Vipi?’, which means hello, and how are you?

I am among the crew members who can carry up to 20kgs of luggage and equipment while hiking to the top. Another thing that will surprise trekkers is to learn that I am one of the few men from the southern region of Tanzania who has found a job as a guide in the northern part. Though the Songwe region (where I come from) is at a high elevation, it was still challenging for me to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

Every trekker must ensure they are physically fit by doing exercises such as jogging and running. This helps your body to become stronger and your breathing to improve. It is another way of strengthening your lungs.

Preparation of your gear is very important such as having a good sleeping bag, rain gear, and good shoes for hiking. Having the right clothing material for climbing to the summit is essential.

It is important to have your prescribed medication (if advised by your doctor), such as Ibuprofen and Diamox. Having the right snacks, which give you energy and strength, is also sensible.

I have climbed Mount Kilimanjaro more than 50 times since I was 24. I have trekked all the routes. Although I struggled to reach the summit my first time as a guide, I managed to get to the top by having a positive mindset and working hard.

There are many challenges during a Mount Kilimanjaro climb. Getting to the summit is the hardest part. You can face medical issues such as headaches, vomiting, and diarrhea. Loss of appetite is common due to the high altitude, a new experience for most bodies. Due to insufficient or inappropriate gear, you can also feel very cold during the summit part. When descending from the summit, most trekkers feel like their legs are not working properly.

My best advice to hikers is to ensure you share how you feel with your mountain guide about anything, for example, mountain sickness. This will help you to sort out any problem at the earliest opportunity. Do not hide how you feel!

Another important piece of advice is to care about your health and prioritize your safety. Life is more important than forcing yourself to trek to the top if you are not feeling well or your health conditions are abnormal.

There are many challenges I have faced. Some areas are difficult to pass through due to the landscape and graduation of the trail. Some trekkers cannot pass or become afraid of some sections, such as the Barranco Wall, which can be slippery and is effectively a high wall that must be climbed.

Some trekkers or crew members become sick during the climb to the summit, and if this happens, the crew members have to go back down. This means the luggage weight increases for the remaining crew members who are still responsible for taking the rest of the trekkers to the summit.