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ClimateNE & Climate Change Schools Project support the move to a low-carbon, resilient economy and help businesses avoid risk and realise commercial opportunities. Posts by Jen Atkinson, Krista McKinzey and Harriet Thew » When it comes to climbing Kilimanjaro, there are several routes to choose from.
Neil and I have chosen the Macheme-Mweka, which is often referred to as the Whiskey route.
Before you get excited on my behalf, it is apparently because of the intoxicating views rather than the abundance of alcohol.
It climbs out of the forest and moorland to the edge of the Shira Plateau, where it traverses the mountain via the South Circuit with those all important stops at Barranco Hut and Barafu Hut and then onto Uhuru peak at the very top of Africa.
We will basically experience all seasons during our climb - from hot desert to the freezing arctic zone.
I knew my degree in Geography and Environmental Management would come in handy! The significant reduction in the amount of ice and snow nearing the summit is often cited as an effect of global warming, and sad though this is, it is fascinating to think I will get to see evidence of this for myself.
But I'll come back to that later as, before we reach the summit, we have to tackle five zones, each complete with its own personal climate!
Zone one is the Lower Montane Forest, where the gentle slopes (I like this part) have a cool, moist climate that combine with rich volcanic soil to form a dense forest.
Zone two is the Upper Montane Forest. Where, if we are lucky, we will get to see some forest mammals such as blue monkeys.
Zone three is Heath and Moorland. This is near the edge of the upper forest, where smaller trees begin to replace the tall, straight trunks of the lower elevations. The forest abruptly opens up into an area that is dominated by giant flowers such as groundsels and lobelia. The rhinos that once lived here are gone now but I am told lions still occasionally pass through.
Zone four is the Highlands Desert. Well, what can I say? The name says it all. This area is like a desert; there is intense radiation, high evaporation and huge daily fluctuations in temperatures ranging from well below 0úC to in excess of 40úC. The conditions are extreme, which makes it difficult for any plant life to exist. Animals are rarely seen in the area, but leopard and wild dogs have been spotted here.
And finally, conquering the summit. Extreme conditions dominate this arctic zone with temperatures well below freezing and an intense, burning sun during the day. Not much can survive here.
The oxygen at this level is half that at sea level. There is virtually no liquid and the little that exists immediately enters the porous rock. The rest is locked up in snow and ice.
Most people end their climb at Gilman's Point. This however is not the end as there is still plenty more if you have the energy.
Should you continue, you would eventually reach the 'real' summit, Kibo, where you can access Uhuru Peak, Reusch Crater, the Eastern Icefield and the Northern Icefield.
Uhuru peak is the highest point at 5895m. Here, not so long ago, you would be greeted by a huge ice cap. It is this ice cap that has become an icon of global warming, with pictures of Africa's highest peak losing 90 per cent of its ice cover, as shown in Al Gore's movie, An Inconvenient Truth, for the film buffs amongst you.
There has been much debate about whether this can be attributed to climate change or whether from another man-made cause such as deforestation.
Either way, one thing that is not up for debate is that fact that the ice cap has less than 20 years before it disappears completely.
Amidst all the climbs on behalf of charity or simply sheer determination, we possibly forget that the slopes of Kilimanjaro are home to half a million people. And if the statement above is correct, it is those very individuals who will slowly see their traditional water source fully disappear.
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