African Mountain Climbing is one of the few things that people who are adrenaline hungry go for and what better way to do than grabbing a bag and traveling to East Africa to enjoy the exercise. East Africa is made up of six countries which include Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi and all these have various mountains that one can climb to kill stress.
The East African community has a lot to offer when it comes to mountain climbing and hiking and one should no miss the opportunity. You get to go to the Mountain of the moon and experience the snow caped john Speke peak, the Kilimanjaro Mountain with the glacier cape, the Elgon Mountain and her slopes and many ore other countries.
There are many tourist companies that can help you when it comes to organizing a mountain trek in any of the East African countries and these have different charges that normally depend on the time that you want to take on the trekking trip.
Kilimanjaro Mountain Climbing
Mountain Kilimanjaro is located in Tanzania and it rises to a height of 5895 meters above sea level and is the highest mountain in Africa. It is a volcanic mountain that has three volcano peaks which are kibo, Mawenzi and Shira peak. Kilimanjaro has several trekking routes both ascending and descending and these include Rongai, which is the easiest route to take, the Mweka, Machame, Umbwe, Marangu, Shira and Lemosho. Machame is the hardest route because it’s complete takes almost a week due to its step nature. Therefore for all those who plan on climbing the Kilimanjaro should brace themselves for a tiring but thrilling journey.
The Rwenzori Mountain is the highest mountain in Uganda with a height of 5109 meters above sea level and is located in the western part of the country. Rwenzori has different summits and they all offer a great view but the Magharita peak the mist frequented due to its snow caped nature. Actually hike up any of the peaks but done with the help of the tour guides who help you and pint put which trails are much better when it comes to the best routes to use for your trek. There also resting places as you are heading up the mountain.
Mountain Kenya the second highest mountain in Africa and found on the eastern province of the country. The mountain has three peaks with the highest being the Batian peak and it rise to a height of 5119 meters, the Nelion peak which rises up to 5188 meters and the Lenana peak which rises to 4985 meters. There are different routes that lead to the mountain and all these reward you with the glacier top at the top of the mountain.
The hike up the mountain takes roughly four days but it all depends on the trekking route that you use. The Sirimon route the most popular and it takes two days for all those who are in a hurry and the Burguret route takes three days although normally used by trekkers and these two routes normally used when one is ascending the mountain. The descending routes are the Chogoria route which takes three days for one to descend and Naro Moru route which takes two days while one is descending. The trek up the mountain is not for the faint hearted but you will enjoy the climb as you will be able to see the different animals and birds and the final reward of the glacier when you reach the summit.
Mount Meru is located in the western part of Tanzania and it is at a height of 4562 meters high. For all those who love trekking with few crowds this is the best Mountain to do it from since it is less visited by tourists. The best time for one to go hiking on Mount Meru is during the dry season and the hike normally starts from the Momella gate. The hike takes roughly three days although note that there are some illegal hiking routes that you cannot use especially those that are found in the Northern part of the Mountain although researchers can obtain special permits that allow them to use the trails that are illegal.
The Volcanoes Mountains in Uganda have two extinct volcanoes which are part of the eight spread out in both Rwanda and the Democratic republic of Congo. These two mountains are good when it comes to hiking and these are
The Sabinyo Mountain has peaks in the three counties of Rwanda, Uganda and Congo although the bet side to do a hike from is in Uganda. Sabinyo means an old man with crooked teeth and the shape of the mountain is how it earned its name. The terrain used in Uganda is far better and while on a hike you will be able to see the various golden monkeys found in the area. Note that hiking up the Sabinyo Mountain is a bit hard due to its rugged nature but there are a few trails you can take that are almost passable for your trek and do not forget that bottle of water because you will need it.
Mountain Muhabura rises up to a height of 4127 meters above sea level and it is located at the border of Uganda and Rwanda. The name of the mountain loosely translated as the Guide in Kinyarwanda. A hike up the Mountain gives you a beautiful site of the Crater Lake that is found at the summit.
Mountain Mgahinga is located in the western part of Uganda and it rises up to 3474 meters and it is part of the Volcanoes Mountain. It has a crater lake at the summit which will be your reward once you reach the peak and you will get a good view of the rest of the Volcanoes Mountain and the Batwa people once you descend the mountain. The hike up the Mgahinga is extremely short and not too tiresome as compared to other mountain hikes.
Mountain Karisimbi is one of the Virunga Mountains and it is located in Rwanda. It rises to a level of 4507 meters above sea level. Mountain Karisimbi has a white capped summit and that is why it is a good place for one who wants to go for a hike. The climb up Karisimbi takes over six hours and it usually starts in the morning. You need to be physically fit for this strenuous climb as it will need most of your energy. But the hike is worth it as you see various monkeys, gorillas and other wild animals as you climb up the mountain.
Mountain Lesatima is the third highest mountain in Kenya and is located in the Northern part of Aberdare in the Great Rift Valley. The mountain has seen many people hiking up to its peak and it is an experience that you don’t want to miss and the peak provides one with a great view.
Mountain Elgon is located in the Eastern Part of Uganda and it’s one of the few extinct volcanoes in the country and it rises up to a height of 4321 meters above sea level. Mountain Elgon was considered as the highest in Africa but the constant erosions have led to its reduction in height. You can join the mountain climbing on the Elgon Mountain with the hike up the Sipi falls since they are located in the same area. The best time to do a mountain climbing on the Elgon Mountain is during the dry season as this will ease the climb unlike during the wet season where the trails will be slippery.
Mountain Longonot is located in Kenya in the Rift valley region and it is a dormant volcano that last erupted in the 18s. There is a clear path that one can take when going for mountain climbing and it takes like four to five hours to trek this particular mountain. As you trek up the mountain, you will get a good view of the Lake Naivasha and the animals and birds found in the area. The hike is not that strenuous and you can easily get a potter to help you carry your luggage at a small fee as you enjoy the view the view.
Tororo rock is located in the Eastern part of Uganda and it is approximately 230 kilometers away from the capital city of Uganda, Kampala. The rock has a lot of tourist attractions to it including the various caves found in the area and it rises to a height of 1800 meters above sea level. Once you reach the summit, see the surrounding area clearly plus you get a good view of the Elgon Mountain. The hike up the rock extremely hard as it has narrow windy routes leading up to the summit and therefore one has to be strong enough or be an adrenaline driven person to go hiking on the Tororo rock.
Mountain Kinangop is located in the southern part of Kenya and it rises to an elevation of 3909 meters above sea level. The mountain is good for climbing and note that when you reach the rocky peak the weather is a bot cool and coupled with the bamboo forests that surround the mountain, you will need to carry warm clothes for when you make it up the peak.
Mountain climbing best done during the dry season because then you will have a lot of chances to trek without slipping due to the bad routes found in most parts of East Africa. There are other activities that you can carry out as you hike up the mountains like bird watching, gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, animal watching and you can also get a chance to swim in one of the mountains that have crater lakes as long as you receive permission. Some terrains on the mountains is not hard and therefore all ages of people can go and take up mountain climbing because it is good for one’s health and enjoyable.
There are various tools or requirements that everyone needs if they are to go for mountain climbing and these include the following.
The hiking boots will help you not to slide too much when it comes to climbing up the Mountain.
The rain jacket to help just in case it rains as the weather in mountainous areas is not predictable. So it is better to be prepared and for the warm clothes, it is better to carry some because the higher you climb up the mountain, the colder it becomes.
The gardening gloves are there to help you as you climb so that you do not get scratches on your fingers and hands in case you are to hold yourself on something sharp.
A camera used to keep the memories of the mountain climbing alive for you when you finally descend the mountain.
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