Climbing Kilimanjaro on your Tanzania gap year.
by habits on Sep.08, 2010, under investment
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.
Taking time out to have a Tanzania gap year is the perfect solution for people considering the Kilimanjaro climb, after all it is not your every day activity and it is quite hard to plan and do if you do not have the time to spare on a normal holiday. The Fact remains that a Tanzania Gap year is the best time to take the plunge and trek up Kilimanjaro
Climbing Kilimanjaro on your gap year is easy if you know which Tanzania gap year company to use to help you organise the climb, Xtreme Gap Year is one of these Gap Year companies. Specialists in Mountaineering and high alpine treks (as well as many other adventure sports) you are best off taking to them.
The mountain has lots of different zones which you will discover as you progress up the mountain. When you climb Kilimanjaro on your Tanzania Gap year, you will start off at the bottom (obviously) where there is a thick jungle, loaded with green bushes, trees and 42 different types of banana tree! Yes there is a use for all of them in case you were wondering. Then as you climb Kilimanjaro the air thins and you will get to a lunar like rocky landscape, with very little but rocks and dust! Then finally you get to a scree slope and then the snow line. It is a pretty cool experience all things considered.
The Kilimanjaro climb typically takes four days to reach the summit although you may want to spend the extra money and have an acclimatisation day up the mountain. This can be expensive but ultimately worth is at only 40% of people successfully summit (most turing around at gilmans point 300 m short of the summit and about 3 hours trekking). By the time you reach the top your head will be pounding and you will be tempted to turn back with every step you put forward, so the extra day is not a bad option, especially when you consider this will be one of the highlights of your Tanzania Gap Year. Once you turn around you will notice it is only 1 day down the mountain and pretty easy going, although you will burn a whole new set of muscles.
After the trek many people choose to take a safari in Tanzania to the ngororgoro crater, lake manyara and Masai Mara, this is the perfect way to en you Tanzania Gap year or really get involved in some wild life conservation.
