"YouTube Video - Hiking Kilimanjaro at age 70 – Jungle to Glacier – 46.1 miles over 7 days – Moonlight ascent - The Machame Route https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5prrB3M8Ww0 Preparation: I have been thinking of hiking Kilimanjaro for the last 12 years, to celebrate turning 70. Kilimanjaro is the roof-top of Africa! It is the highest free-standing mountain in the world, reaching 19,341 feet. To celebrate turning 60, I hiked Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 49 states. To celebrate turning 65, I hiked Mount Elbert, the highest peak in Colorado and 2nd highest peak in lower states. I tried to get family and friends to go with me, but could not. I experienced one of the hardest moments of the entire event, I got my GRIT together, and on the morning of June 5, 2025, 95 days before the peak top, I decided to go by myself. To make the final ascent to the top of Kilimanjaro one has to get up at midnight. My top priority was to have that event on a full moon night, and during the dry season in September. You cannot climb the peak by yourself; you have to go with a group. It is part of Tanzania’s economy. A friend’s cousin went with the group Climb Kili and was very satisfied. I..." — Phil-Robinson • Sep 6, 2025

"We took the 7 day Machame route. Acclimating was difficult but the guides were very helpful. We didn't have any wind or clouds at the top, so the weather was beautiful, although cold. " — matthewanderson • Jan 6, 2025

"Intending to challenge ourselves, we took the most direct and steepest route, Umbwe, with minimal porters (1 per two people), set up and dismantled camp ourselves, cooked our own meals and climbed within the mountain's winter season (Nov & Dec). We had roughly only 5 other teams on the mountain due to Covid travel complications, and had day 1, 2, summit day, and final decent day all to ourselves. We had food for 8 days but in the end only spent 6 days on the mountain, summiting on day 5. Our plan to acclimatize properly by spending more time at the highest camp (Barafu) was foiled as we learnt that one may only spend a single night at this camp unless being rescued. We therefor attempted the summit not sufficiently acclimatizes and exhausted from the heavy packs we were carrying ourselves. (Exhaustion results in oxygen depleted blood). We all incurred severe altitude sickness symptoms en-route, (vomiting, throbbing pain resistant headaches, loss of appetite, weakness, sleepiness), I hyperventilated on the summit and needed to descend rapidly, Wade developed HACE (symptom was onset of significant drunkenness) and had to be assisted down the mountain. We were happy to have ach..." — CraigBurnsStellenbosch • Dec 11, 2021

"6-day Machame route. Rained all of day 1 to Machame Camp, but dry each day after. Couple of windy days in the middle, but clear skies and low winds on summit day. Just an awesome 6 days, really loved being on the mountain." — jodola • Sep 14, 2019

"Speed climbed Kili on a short trip to Tanzania. We reached the summit through Umbwe route in 33hours (including an overnight at Baranco camp), Total time spent from start of ascent to exiting through Mweka was 48 hours 37 minutes." — shulmani • Dec 2, 2016

"Via the Lemosho route I climbed Kilimanjaro my first mountain outside of the island of Ireland, I was the youngest in my group at age 13 Took 5 days up. 2 days down I will climb more and I’m happy I was at the roof of Africa " — Tom/Guardian • Jul 15, 2016

"Traveled with Alpine Ascents, with a group from Gainesville, Fl. We were summitting for Climb for Cancer, a group started by Ron Farb. The trip to seven days. This was a once in a lifetime amazing adventure." — jaycochran • Jan 30, 2016

"7 days, stunning walk, first really big summit and first time over 4000m. 10 friends met from around the world to undertake the adventure - 9 summited to the top and 1 just made the first summit. 1 summited to the very top but was carried off the mountain - he was determined but should have stopped earlier. The one that didn’t top summit recovered quickly and enjoyed rest of trip. Mild altitude sickness was experienced by most over the hike but overall pretty successful trek! Zanzibar after was well worth the reward! Beautiful Tanzania 🇹🇿 " — Chefinthecity • Sep 16, 2015

"Did the trek to the roof of Africa. Once-in-a-lifetime experience Mount Kilimanjaro Photo Album: http://dimitriosfan.com/2016/12/28/mount-kilimanjaro-tanzania-%E2%80%A2photo-album%E2%80%A2/" — DimitriosFan • Jun 25, 2015

" Our team did extraordinarily well, especially given the circumstances, and everyone showed a huge amount of strength and courage during our ascent up Mount Kilimanjaro. Wikipedia suggests that the success rate percentage for reaching Uhuru Peak is 41%, and our team achieved 52% (with 82% reaching Gilmans Point). Day 1 – Qwine Hotel, Moshi Our first day started with collection at Kilimanjaro International Airport – a pretty impressive name for what is in fact little more than a small single-story building with a runway. Most of our group arrived on a Qatar flight from Doha (via a 1hr stop at Dar Es Salaam where we had to remain in our seats) at the end of a three-flight journey, and we were looking forward to just getting into our accommodation to relax before the trek ahead of us. Our guides had booked us into a small (but 5-storey) hotel in the centre of the town of Moshi, called Qwine Hotel. As far as low-budget accommodation goes (remember we’re here as a charity event, not a luxury holiday), it was okay – the rooms are a decent size and there is free wi-fi, albeit a bit patchy (as it seems to be everywhere in Tanzania). The highlight of the hotel is a 5th floor ..." — mproudfoot • Oct 9, 2014