Only ice and volcanic rock are found in Kilimanjaro’s Ashpit. Somewhere past the snowline of Kilimanjaro, deep inside a mysterious, hidden crater, a massive elephant graveyard lays tucked away amid the snowdrifts. Countless tons of elephant remains and ivory stretch across the crater floor, if you believe the legends of Kilimanjaro’s Chagga people. When…
Living or not, glaciers are being called an endangered species by members of the scientific community. Why? Because around the world fields of ice are retreating – many at unprecedented rates. Here are the facts about Kilimanjaro’s glacier loss Kilimanjaro’s glaciers are shrinking in surface area and becoming thinner. Glacier surface area shrank by 1…
A 33-mile round-trip run up 15,177 feet, through jungle, beyond glaciers and past clouds to the highest point in Africa – then back down again. It takes the average trekker seven days. Kilian Jornet and Karl Egloff did it in around seven hours and set records for fastest ascent and descent on Kilimanjaro. Here’s…
Below the arctic peak of Kilimanjaro, a misty jungle covers the mountain slopes. Moss-covered trees, seas of ferns and elusive monkeys abound in one of the Seven Summits’ only rainforests. This is where every Kilimanjaro trek begins. Lemosho, Umbwe, Machame, Marangu, Rongai – your first step is always into a sprawling jungle filled with…
You’re never more than an inch from success and failure on Kilimanjaro; we’re talking about footwear of course. That inch of rubber and leather between your feet and the mountain is critical for the trek. Luckily, your trip doesn’t have to fall to pieces if your hiking boots do. Two of our most popular stories…
Karanga camp, elevation 13,249′ – Kilimanjaro, Tanzania Photo: David Kotz Kilimanjaro’s majesty is almost impossible to describe, but they always say a picture is worth a thousand words; photos of Africa’s highest peak convey the wonder and strange beauty of Kili immediately. Thomson Kilimanjaro trekkers regularly capture breathtaking images during their time on the mountain. The…
Thomson sets “the premier standard for ethical treatment of Kilimanjaro porters,” according to the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP). What does that mean? Let’s talk about the specifics: pay, equipment and accountability. Some of the Highest Wages for Guides and Porters on Kili Paying guides and porters well is incredibly important to…
Silhouette at sundown – Kilimanjaro, Tanzania Photo: Roger Pelissier Kilimanjaro’s majesty is almost impossible to describe, but they always say a picture is worth a thousand words; photos of Africa’s highest peak convey the wonder and strange beauty of Kili immediately. Thomson Kilimanjaro trekkers regularly capture breathtaking images during their time on the mountain. The photographs…
You can see Africa unfurl for hundreds of miles below a sea of clouds from Kilimanjaro’s peak. Robert (Vince) Greece wanted a unique backdrop for his proposal, and this was it. His plan was to reach the summit, pop the question and officially begin his life together with his longtime girlfriend Brittany Thomas. Of course,…
John with his son and grandsons at the start of the trek John Thelen is an 82-year-old Southern California native who likes golfing and relaxing with his family. It just so happens he can also summit Africa’s tallest mountain with no problem. “I didn’t seem to have trouble going up!” John told us when…
