Destinations Kilimanjaro Summit Night 28th October, 2024

We at Kandoo Adventures are adventure travel experts, operating small group trips to some of the most iconic natural landscapes around the world. In fact, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, was one of the very first adventure travel experiences we offered back in 2009 when Kandoo Adventures was created. Since then, we have helped over 12,000 people climb Kilimanjaro and it remains one of our most popular trekking destinations. With top quality equipment, the best guides on the mountain and a 98% success rate, we offer trekkers the best chance of successfully reaching the top of Kilimanjaro.

In this guide, we’ll talk you through what to expect during Kilimanjaro summit night, from the essential gear you’ll need to tips for summit success.

The highest point of Kilimanjaro is called Uhuru Peak, located on the volcanic cone of Kibo. It is the final destination for tens of thousands of trekkers each year who attempt the Kilimanjaro trek and where elated conquerors pose for photos with the iconic Kilimanjaro summit sign.

Our blog post ‘How Long Does It Take to Climb Kilimanjaro’ provides a detailed breakdown of the time it takes to climb Kilimanjaro on each of the seven routes up the mountain.

When choosing the best route to climb Kilimanjaro, you need to take a number of factors into account including acclimatisation, how busy the route is, what the accommodation options are and the success rate of the route. The trails are not overly technical and so long as you train and are physically fit, then you should be fine. Each route offers its own advantages and disadvantages, so the best route is totally dependent on your preferences and priorities.

The most popular Kilimanjaro route is undoubtedly the Machame Route, due to its accessibility, spectacular panoramic views and high success rate. The Machame Route’s popularity means that you’re likely to be trekking in the company of many like-minded souls. However, we think this is a minor downside that is balanced out by a route that is budget friendly, easier to get to than others and offers unrivalled scenery and a better than average chance of success.

Our blog post ‘Our Top 5 Routes to Climb Kilimanjaro’ provides a detailed breakdown of each of the routes to Kilimanjaro summit as well as our recommendation of the best route to climb Kilimanjaro.

Summit night is the part of the trek where you set out for the highest point of the mountain. It’s called summit night by some and summit day by others, and both are valid as the climb starts during the night and ends in the daytime. During this time, you trek up to Kilimanjaro summit for sunrise and then hike about halfway back down the mountain. It’s one mammoth day of trekking!

The Kilimanjaro summit climb begins around 11:30pm, and the first stretch is a steep rocky trail that leads to the crater rim. As trekkers make their way up the mountain, the temperature drops significantly, and the wind starts to pick up, making it essential to have warm clothing. The only source of light at this hour is the moon and the headlamps of the trekkers.

As the trekkers move closer to the summit, the anticipation of witnessing the sunrise from the top builds up excitement and determination. Then, after relishing your achievement of reaching the summit, trekkers descend to their camp for the night where they will enjoy their last dinner on the mountain as well as a well-earned sleep.

Firstly, the higher the altitude, the harder it is to sleep at night. This is because the reduced oxygen makes breathing more difficult. Instead of everyone lying awake in bed fretting over the major trek ahead of them, most tour operators bite the bullet and set out early for the summit.

Another of the main reasons for summiting Kilimanjaro at night is there is a lot of ground to cover. Regardless of the Kilimanjaro route you have taken and the base camp from which you start your ascent, you have to trek for hours to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro. Then, you must trek for hours more down the mountain to reach that night’s overnight camp.

On top of that, all the water used for drinking, cooking and cleaning during your trek is obtained from streams found lower down on the mountain. The summit’s base camps are in the alpine desert zone, where there usually isn’t flowing water. The longer trekkers stay at very high altitude on Kilimanjaro, the more water porters must carry up to camp, and they can only carry so much until more porters are required.

Lastly, at Kandoo, our guides try to time their ascent so that the trekking party reaches the summit just after sunrise. Among the different experiences that the mountain offers, summit at sunrise is undoubtedly the most beautiful and cherished one. The breathtaking view of the sunrise from ‘the roof of Africa’ is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that should not be missed.

Arriving at Barafu camp the day before, you will have the afternoon to relax, rest up and east before going to bed early, ready for your midnight wake up call. You will be woken with tea and biscuits before starting the push to the summit at around 11:30pm. With the light of your head torch to guide you, you’ll be climbing a steep path for between 6 and 8 hours to reach Stella Point on the crater rim if you are taking the Machame Route or Lemosho Route or Gilman’s point on the Marangu Route, Rongai Route and the Northern Circuit.

It’s not over yet though! From this point, it is another 45 to 60 minutes to Kilimanjaro summit.

There are five different climate zones on Kilimanjaro that change drastically as you ascend the mountain, each with unique weather as well as flora and fauna. The first and lowest is the cultivated zone with plantations and farms scattered over lush, fertile volcanic foothills. The second zone is the rainforest zone which extends from 800m up to 3,000m. The third zone is known as the Low Alpine Area and extends from 3,000m to 4,200m. The fourth zone is known as the High Alpine zone which extends from 4,200m to 5,000m. The highest area is known as the Glacial zone. This area is often covered in snow and the high winds at this altitude make the temperature feel far colder than it is.

What’s more, the higher up the mountain you get, the more unpredictable the Kilimanjaro weather is. One moment you can be trekking in baking sunshine, the next you’ll be layering up against bitter wind. As you set off for your summit attempt, it will be bitterly cold and there may be ice and snow under foot. Trekkers need to be prepared for warm, sunny conditions, and rain, win, cold and even snow.

• Neck gaiter – protects your neck from the freezing wind and blistering sun. Make sure it is lightweight, quick-drying, breathable and absorbent.
  
• Warm hat – a lined and fleeced beanie style hat will keep your head and ears warm on summit night.
  
• Headlamp – the lighter the headlamp the better. Make sure it has a long battery life with a max beam length greater than 70 metres and a light output greater than 100 lumens.
  
• Sunglasses – at just under 6,000m, the UV intensity on Kilimanjaro is very high and without the right protection your eyes can be seriously damaged!
  
• Lip balm – it’s important to protect your lips against the sub-zero temperatures and intense winds of summit night. Be sure to choose one with a high SPF factor.
  
• Suncream – get the best sunscreen you can (high SPF factor and sweat resistant). Small bottles are fine as you only need it for your face and they’re lighter to carry.
  

• Long sleeve thermal top – ideally merino wool, not cotton, as merino base layers help to regulate your core temperature and are highly moisture wicking fabrics.
  
• Moisture wicking long sleeve shirt – should be breathable light weight, fast drying and comfortable. Can be layered over the top of thermals and base layers.
  
• Fleece or softshell jacket – Polartec is the best material and comes in 100, 200 and 300 weight fabrics. We would recommend the middle weight (200) as it is neither too light nor too heavy.
  
• Insulated jacket – a down jacket is a jacket which has been insulated with a synthetic material or the soft and warm under feathers from duck or geese. Down is a fantastic insulator as the loft (or fluffiness) of down creates thousands of tiny air pockets which trap warm air and retain heat, thus helping to keep the wearer very warm in cold winter weather.
  
• Hardshell jacket – should have a hood, as you will be able to pull this over your hat for extra head and neck warmth.
  

• Thermal leggings – we suggest you wear a pair of thermal leggings for insultation on summit night.
  
• Walking trousers – look for a sun-protective and water-resistant material, inner fleece material and a quick drying polyester outer layer for warmth.
  

• Lightweight gloves – ideally with great wicking properties (avoid cotton).
  
• Heavyweight gloves – should be waterproof and provide shell protection in the coldest part of the climb.
  

• Trekking boots – be sure your boots are comfortable, water resistant and broken in well.
  
• Breathable, high-wicking liner socks – avoid cotton or cotton blended socks as they hold moisture which will encourage rubbing.
  
• Thermal socks – we recommend high wicking thermal socks for summit night.
  

Here are 5 tips that will make your Kilimanjaro summit night that little bit easier:

• Eat well the night before
  

On summit night you will burn well over 6000 calories, and you need to fuel the climb. Even if you have lost your appetite because of the effects of altitude, you must keep eating. With Kandoo, our menus are designed to be varied and tasty but even if you don’t feel hungry you have to eat. It’s also a good idea to fuel your summit night with snacks that you enjoy, though you should carry snacks that are not going to be affected by the cold like snack bars, nuts, trail mix and dried fruit.

• Try not to worry if you can’t sleep beforehand
  

The higher the altitude, the harder it is to sleep at night due to the reduced oxygen making it more difficult to breath. As well as this, the evening before climbing to Kilimanjaro summit can be filled with excitement and anxiety, making it challenging to get to sleep. Instead of everyone lying awake in bed fretting, most tour operators including Kandoo Adventures start the summit climb early so you needn’t worry too much if you can’t sleep beforehand.

• Take the weather seriously and dress appropriately
  

As temperatures are subzero at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, layering clothing is key. Dressing appropriately for summit night on Kilimanjaro is crucial for both comfort and safety. It is also essential to ensure that all your equipment, including warm clothes and a headlamp, are readily available (and charged!) By preparing with the right clothing, you’ll be better equipped to enjoy the climb and focus on the views awaiting you at the summit.

• Pack suncream, sunglasses and a sun hat in your daypack
  

When preparing for summit night on Kilimanjaro, it’s essential to also consider sun protection as the sun can be harsh at high altitudes even first thing in the morning. Yes, you’ll be starting the ascent to the summit at night but when the sun comes up, you will need protection. We recommend packing high SPF suncream, lip balm, sunglasses and a sun hat in your day pack so you can easily access them as and when you need.

• Take it slow, but not too slow
  

Finally, take it slow! Your guides will set a pace that they think is best for you and you should try and maintain this pace. Going too fast puts you at higher risk of altitude sickness and going too slow will mean your walking day becomes impossibly long. Just keep plodding on and you will get there.

According to the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority, the Kilimanjaro summit success rate is only 66% on average. These statistics come from the nearly 30,000 climbers that attempt to summit Kilimanjaro every year. But don’t let this dishearten you, climbing Kilimanjaro is very much achievable. Don’t believe us? Just look at Kandoo’s Kilimanjaro success rate.

At Kandoo Adventures, our Kilimanjaro summit success rates are some of the best in the business at an average of over 98%. This is because we only use the best guides who carefully plan trekking itineraries to factor in plenty of time for acclimatisation. Spending more time on the mountain significantly increases your chance of summiting as your body has more time to adjust and acclimatise to the altitude. With over 15 years of experience, top quality equipment and the best guides on the mountain, we have helped more than 12,000 people reach the summit of Kilimanjaro.