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It is Africa’s highest mountain, at 5,895 metres, and one of the world’s great iconic peaks – it is Kilimanjaro. Trekking up this majestic volcano can be a personal aspiration for lovers of the outdoors, and tens of thousands of visitors flock there each year to take on the challenge. While the numbers of people ascending the mountain have increased greatly in recent decades, the mountain has a long and rich history of being explored, and each new trekker joins the ranks. Taking some time before embarking on your Kilimanjaro trekking adventure to learn about those who have gone before, will mean being able to fully appreciate a legacy as awe-inspiring as the summit itself.

Early History

Very little is known about the first inhabitants of Mount Kilimanjaro, but that it was inhabited at least as far back as 1000 BCE is in no doubt. Stone bowls found on its slopes bear witness to those early inhabitants, and if the area’s abundance and biodiversity today is anything to go by, they would have maintained a good lifestyle from hunting. They, just like modern participants in Kilimanjaro trekking expeditions, might have looked up to the imposing peak and felt its power. They, too, had to contend with nature’s extremes; though their lives are hidden in ancient history, their endurance and survival in the region can inspire today’s adventurers.

Increasing Interest

There are few other local records of inhabitants or explorers following these first settlers. The Chaga, Tanzania’s largest ethnic group, cultivated the land around the mountain’s lower slopes, but did not often make the treacherous ascent into higher, colder lands. There are scant references from Chinese, Arab and European travellers and scholars – many of whom only allude to rumours of a great mountain, rather than having seen it for themselves. Then in 1848 a German missionary, Johann Rebmann, caught sight of Kilimanjaro from his route across the Tsavo plains, and was astonished to see that it was capped with snow. Despite warnings that it was protected by dangerous spirits he was determined to explore it, and in 1849 almost managed to reach the snow line – but had to turn back, being unequipped for any more serious mountaineering.

The Summit Conquered

Following Rebmann’s reports, several Europeans made attempts on the summit. None succeeded until 1889, when a group commanded by German Hans Meyer and led by local guide Yohani Kinyala Lauwo made a slow and strategic ascent. It took three attempts, but eventually, building on what previous pioneers of Kilimanjaro trekking had learned about the terrain, and placing camps at carefully chosen locations, they reached the top. Thanks to the meticulous planning of this expedition and the establishment of camps along the way, more explorers could achieve the summit; over time the well-worn routes up the mountain developed, and today’s visitors can thank their predecessors for their forethought as they make their own ascent.

Jude Limburn Turner is the Marketing Manager for Mountain Kingdoms, an adventure tour company who are specialists in Kilimanjaro trekking holidays. They now offer treks and tours worldwide, including destinations in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Central and South East Asia.

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