If you have been doing a lot of research on climbing Kilimanjaro, like me, you might have wondered if you can bypass actually climbing the mountain physically and drive up the mountain instead. So is it possible to drive up t
You can drive up a section of Mt. Kilimanjaro but you can’t get to the summit of the mountain using a vehicle. The closest you can get to the top of Kilimanjaro using a vehicle is by taking the Shira route which will drive you up the slopes of Kilimanjaro to 11,000 ft. After this, you will need to hike up the rest of the way to Uhuru Peak which is at 19,3000ft. Let’s talk about why you don’t want to use this method to get up Kilimanjaro and the alternative ways that ensure that you actually summit to the top of the mountain.
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Learn MoreCan you drive up Kilimanjaro?
The Shira Route is the easiest way of getting to the highest point possible by a vehicle in Kilimanjaro. The route starts off with a drive through the rain forest and up into the moors where you can start your hike at an elevation of 11,000ft.
So the answer is that you can drive up Kilimanjaro but you can’t get to the summit of the mountain using a vehicle. The terrain is too rugged, unstable and unforgiving for a drive up Kilimanjaro. Also, proper driving roads don’t exist to allow a vehicle to pass and this adds to the reason why you will not get a chance to drive to the top of Kilimanjaro.
Why driving up Kilimanjaro is dangerous.
As a beginner, you may be thinking that this is a great route to start your Kilimanjaro climb. You may be thinking that the long walk it will save you and the altitude you will gain will help you get ahead of anyone who would start their hike at the base of the mountain.
Ironically though, it’s actually one of the worst routes you would choose when climbing Kilimanjaro as a beginner. You are less likely to get to the summit of Kilimanjaro if you use this route and you will actually be at a disadvantage to anyone who starts off at the base.
As I have written in the article on how fit you need to be to climb Kilimanjaro, a successful summit of this mountain does not necessarily depend on our physical fitness but by how well your body is able to adapt to high altitude.
Altitude sickness ( a condition that develops when the body is deprived of its normal supply of oxygen due to thinner air at high altitudes) affects about 50% of the climbers on Kilimanjaro and it does not matter what level of physical fitness they had or what route they used.
According to the High Altitude Medicine & Biology.Oct 2010 journal, Acute Mountain Sickness affects nearly 47% of climbers no matter what itinerary they take.
47% (89/189) of climbers from all itineraries were AMS positive at 4730 m
When you start your climb at a higher altitude like the Shira Route, your body will have had less time to get to adapt to the higher altitudes than the person who started at the base.
The possibility of developing altitude sickness is more with someone who started their hike at the bottom of the mountain.
The advice normally given on such a route is for you to give yourself 1-2 days to acclimatize at lower elevations before attempting to go higher or make your summit bid. These extra days will give your body time to adjust to the lower oxygen levels it’s getting at these altitudes.
When it’s possible to drive to the Shira Route
Even though it is possible to drive up Kilimanjaro through the Shira route, it’s not always open since it depends on how good the weather is and the risk of rain along the roads.
The best time of the year to use the Shira route is the dry season of June to August. The weather conditions are dry enough to allow the 4-wheel drive vehicles to make it up the mountain with fewer difficulties than when it’s rainy.
Here is an example of how it would look when its the rainy season and you need to drive up the mountain.
How to make the Kilimanjaro climb easier on your body
The Kilimanjaro climb will take a lower toll on your body if you prepare in advance for the climb, climb very slowly and give your body enough time to acclimatize to the changing elevation.
- Preparing in advance: Preparing for your climb by working out and visiting other high altitude areas will be the most effective way of ensuring that you make it to the summit of Kilimanjaro. I have seen recommendations that you do a lot of stairs and hills.
- Climbing very slowly: One of the things that exacerbate mountain sickness is climbing too fast. Your body will be consuming a lot of oxygen and will react more quickly to the low oxygen concentrations if you have a high degree of physical exertion.
- Giving your body time to acclimatize to the changing elevation: As I mentioned earlier, avoid gaining elevation too fast. Each day you stay at one elevation level ensures that you increase your body’s ability to deal with lower oxygen levels.
Guides and porters do all of the hard work
If you are afraid of climbing Kilimanjaro because of all the gear you will carry, you will be happy to know that all you will be carrying up the mountain will be your day pack. The rest of the camping gear and your luggage will be carried by the porters.
As I wrote in my article about why Kilimanjaro is so expensive to climb, labor costs make up the largest proportion of the price you pay to climb up the mountain.
So just in case you were afraid of carrying heavy loads of luggage and that is why you are curious about driving up Kilimanjaro, you don’t need to worry since you are unlikely to carry any heavy loads.
Shira is an expensive route
If you still insist on climbing Kilimanjaro using the Shira route to allow you to drive up a section of the mountain, you will soon discover that Shira is one of the more expensive routes.
This is because, since it is not popular, many companies offer it as a private climb and with anything private, you should expect to pay a lot more than those that are going up in groups. The long drive will also be passing through rough roads and the eventual cost of repair of the damage caused by the vehicle will be passed on to you in the price to climb.
The other thing about this route is that it finally connects to the Lemosho route where people start off from the base of the mountain on foot. This means that you will not see very unique terrain for long before connecting with what others see that are spending less to get up the mountain. This may not be a factor for you but I think its good to put into consideration.
Do evacuations from Kilimanjaro use vehicles?
From what I have gathered, most evacuations from the summit use stretchers to get people to lower elevations since you will not find a road suitable for vehicle use on the high elevations where emergencies happen.
However, I found that this road that gets you to the Shira Route is the one that is used for emergency evacuations for the Western routes.
I didn’t find any elephants of Kilimanjaro that have road evacuations apart from the Western ones or Lemosho and Shira
If a case is direr, I found some companies using helicopter rescue to evacuate their climbers.
Conclusion
I would not recommend driving up the Kilimanjaro on the Shira route since the disadvantages outweigh the advantages for me. I would prepare for the climb by working out and climbing other elevations before I embark on Kilimanjaro since, if I am crossing international borders to climb a mountain, I will feel more satisfied having actually climbed the entire way.
