Standing on top of Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, is an absolutely incredible feeling and one that will live with me forever. 

Reaching the summit was difficult; far more difficult that I had ever anticipated. 

As I stood there, flanked either side by glaciers at 5,895m above sea level, I was able to see all the way down to the savannahs of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater for a few glorious moments as the clouds parted.

Climbing Kilimanjaro isn’t simply a 'long walk' - it’s one the most arduous and physically challenging endeavours anyone can attempt. As such, it will almost certainly be one of your most rewarding. 

By far the most popular of the Seven Summits due to its accessibility and relatively steady incline, climbing Kilimanjaro is something that should be one everyone’s bucket list.

To ensure that the 40,000 climbers each year leave as little impact as possible on the mountain, a total of 8 routes have been defined up to Uhuru Peak. When my close friend Christian and I climbed Kilimanjaro in 2014, we opted for the longest and quietest path, the Lemosho Route.

As anyone who has done some serious trekking before will say, 'expect to be out of your comfort zone'. There isn’t such thing as a luxury route! You can expect to be sleeping in tents, lugging your day-bag up scree and washing in a basin – it’s far too cold for a shower! That’s the whole experience though; if it was easy, it wouldn’t leave you feeling so fulfilled.

As we made our way up from the foothills up to the summit we passed through a series of different landscapes. Climbing Kilimanjaro is like walking from the equator to the North Pole in a week, providing dramatic changes in vegetation and wildlife each step of the way. Our guides were fantastic and kept us motivated by telling stories and anecdotes about the mountain’s flora and fauna.

Summiting Kilimanjaro requires a huge amount of perseverance, patience, peace of mind and physical effort. It remains the most rewarding challenge I’ve ever achieved. It is, however, something that is very achievable. The youngest person to summit the mountain was just 6 years old!

By far the most challenging day is the final summit climb. Waking up at midnight after too few hours sleep into a howling -20 degree gale, we climbed over 1,300 vertical meters, puffing our way up through the thin air to the peak. 

It’s when you look over your shoulder to see a commercial jet flying at the same height as you that you come to appreciate the immensity of this mountain. After 8 hours of hard trekking we finally made it to the summit and cracked open a small bottle of whiskey to toast our achievement (an essential item in any packing list!).

Sitting on the plane home after a 3-day safari through the Tarangire and Ngorongoro Crater, and a week decompressing on a beach in Zanzibar, I looked out of my window and saw Kilimanjaro basking in all its glory. 

A broad smile grew over me as I thought of the people struggling up to the peak looking back at me as the tiny speck in the sky.

If you’re interested in finding out more about climbing Kilimanjaro, don’t hesitate to send us an email at safari@bonamy.co.uk.