Why do people die on kilimanjaro

Although there is no firm agreement about the origin or meaning of the name, historical records dating back to claim that the name Kilimanjaro was used the local Swahili tribes and adopted by early European explorers such as Johann Ludwig Krapf.

The real origin and meaning of the name Kilimanjaro remains a mystery. As the highest mountain in Africa, Kilimanjaro is one of the top climbing destinations in the world. The mountain receives over 30, climbers each year and is one of the top attractions in Tanzania. However, not all who start the hike reach the summit.

The main reason for failure is altitude sickness and choosing the wrong route. Most who fail choose to use the shortest Marangu route which takes only 5 days. Another reason for failure to reach the summit is that many hikers are first time climbers.

As we already mentioned earlier, Kilimanjaro is made up of 3 distinct volcanic cones. The highest and largest is Kibo at 16, feet 5, meters while Shira is the lowest at 13, feet 4, meters. Kibo is dormant and scientist predict that it will erupt again one day.

Shire and Mawenzi are extinct. The Shira center saw its first eruptive activity about 2. Kibo and Mawenzi both begun eruption about one million years ago. The last activity in Kibo is dated to about , years ago and was responsible for creating the crater at the cone. Mount Kilimanjaro is divide into 5 climatic zones which influence the kind of vegetation and creatures therein. Bushland occupy the lower slopes between 2, to 5, feet.

The bushlands are followed by rainforest between 5, to 9, feet. Moorland or Heather follows next at 9, to 13, feet. Then there is the Alpine Desert Zone at between 13, to 16, feet.

Finally, there is the Arctic Zone between 16, to 19, feet. Mount Kilimanjaro is drained by several streams and rivers. Most of the rivers and streams are found on the more eroded southern park. The main waterbodies are Pangani to the south and Lumi to the west.

Buffaloes and elephants can be a real threat to mountain climbers. This is generally due to altitude sickness, which can strike anybody regardless of physical abilities and health. Nobody knew exactly why the cook died on the mountain when I was there. We were extremely lucky on our ascent as the weather took a turn for the better after several days of intense snow and freezing conditions.

This caused some of the snow to melt and for the body of the cook to be seen. He had gone missing 11 days before and his colleagues had been searching for him on the mountain. Nobody know why he had ascended to the top of the mountain, he had obviously gone alone, perhaps in a delirious state resulting from altitude sickness. When I climbed Mount Toubkal I saw the ruins from the Atlas Mountains air crash — we could even see the skeletons buried beneath the rocks! When you see things like this it really brings home how dangerous mountain climbing can be- deaths are not just statistics, they are a reality….

Knowing how dangerous the mountain can be definitely contributed to my love-hate relationship with Kilimanjaro , but I guess in a way it did make it a bit more of an adventure and a challenge. Tro-Peaks Adventures really took care of us and it was reassuring that they would periodically check our pulses and oxygen levels etc to ensure that we were fit and well.

BUT you do need to take the right precautions and be sensible. There are a lot of rogue companies who offer cheap climbing packages who do not take safety as seriously so it is important that you research your company first.

What safety precautions do you recommend when climbing mountains? Leave your comments below! Want to hear more about my climb? Click here to read about my love-hate relationship with Mount Kilimanjaro or watch my YouTube video below!

While everyone is susceptible to altitude sickness, there are some precautionary measures to take to prevent it:. Most of the routes up Kilimanjaro are perfectly safe to travel on, however the Western Breach area has risks of rock falls, which have lead to tragic deaths in the past. Book with a climb operator that practices fair porter treatment to help reduce the chances of porters developing hypothermia.

He founded Mountain IQ in with the sole aim to be the best online information portal to some of the most popular mountain destinations around the world. When not writing for Mountain IQ, Mark is out exploring the outdoors with his wife! Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked. Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro is rewarding experience specially for Nature lovers I did climb it on 15 March up to the top as part of Survival Techniques while attending both Certificate and Diploma in Wildlife Management Course Mweka College I was then 26 years but I would like to repeat again in a very near future before am 65 years old!

It was lovely climbing again today just by reading this informative page. Thanks I enjoyed it seemed as I was back in !.. Didn't know about some of these risks including ataxia. Reminded of a really cool book by John Krakauer. Does anyone know what the name of it is? Updated on December 9, The most common problems people experience while climbing include:.

This includes finding a guide who understands how to avoid AMS and treat it if symptoms start to occur. Doing your research can help with finding a qualified guide. Aside from picking an excellent guide, there are other preventative measures you can take, including:.

The best way to find a guide you can trust is through research. A good guide company will have years of experience, rave reviews from fellow travelers, and will be happy to bring medical equipment along for the trip.

References and reputation matter more than a price tag. It is better to be safe than to be sorry. Approximately ten people who attempt to climb Kilimanjaro die every year due to AMS, hypothermia, dehydration, or a mixture of these factors. Have There Been Deaths on Mt. Is Mt. Kilimanjaro Safe to Climb? Is Mount Kilimanjaro Easy to Climb?

The most common problems people experience while climbing include: Dehydration. Kilimanjaro is deceptive when it comes to the rate of water loss people get. As a result, you need to drink extra water when you are climbing. Otherwise, you may get sick from dehydration. AMS, also known as Acute Mountain Sickness , occurs when exposure to high altitudes begins to affect your body functions. Fifty percent of climbers will suffer some level of AMS. Those can be fatal and are often a cause of death on Kilimanjaro.

Oxygen Decrease.