Why do people fail to summit Kilimanjaro?

Altitude-related maladies such as altitude sickness, dehydration, and exhaustion are the main factors contributing to failed attempts on Kilimanjaro. Often, maladies arise from inadequate acclimatization and inadequate physical preparation.



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The Statistics of Kilimanjaro Summit Struggles This sobering statistic is due to a number of factors, ranging from altitude sickness to even the climber's own attitude. The success rate of climbers attempting Kilimanjaro is estimated to be between 45% and 65%.

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Overall summit rates on Kilimanjaro (across all routes & climbers) are estimated to fall between 45% and 65%. Summit success rates by climbing duration – don't try to do Kilimanjaro on an itinerary that is shorter than a week or you'll set yourself up for failure.

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People With Poor Physical Fitness: While fitness levels vary among individuals, it's important to recognize that Mt. Kilimanjaro is a strenuous climb. It requires days of hiking up the mountain under extreme conditions, so those who are not fit enough to endure such an experience should not attempt it.

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You want to be in good physical shape to climb Kilimanjaro, but there's no need to be super-fit. This is a trek, not a climb after all, and if you can run for 30 minutes two to three times a week, and enjoy an all day hike at weekends, you should be fine. That said, many people do underestimate Kili.

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As we have said, Kilimanjaro is not a technical hike and is perfectly suitable for beginners with little or no experience. The most difficult part of the climb is dealing with altitude and also if your not use to camping it's going to be a challenge.

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Compared to other major mountain chains, Mt. Kilimanjaro is remarkably safe. Statistics show that there is only a 0.03% chance of dying on the mountain—a far cry from mountains like Everest. Around 30,000 people climb Mount Kilimanjaro every year.

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How many people per year die on Kilimanjaro? Most Mount Kilimanjaro deaths are attributed to altitude sickness, particularly Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE), and High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE).

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Climbing Kilimanjaro does require a certain level of fitness, but the average active person can achieve the summit if they're prepared both physically and mentally. summit day is very long, up to 15 hours.

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Can smokers climb Kilimanjaro? Of course they can! While there is a popular myth that smokers (whose lungs are accustomed to oxygen deprivation due to smoking) suffer less from high-altitude sickness than the people without this harmful habit, this has not been proven at all.

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Climbing Kilimanjaro most days are not very hard because the trails are not steep it's mostly dealing with the altitude, however the summit night is extremely difficulty as this is the coldest, windiest section of your adventure. An ascent of 4,084ft with 49% less oxygen and a descent of nearly 6,870ft.

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At this height, the air pressure (and the amount of oxygen it contains) is less than half that at sea level, and has been said to be comparable to 'working with only one lung'.

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Apart from Acute mountain sickness, other dangers climbers are warned against while climbing Kilimanjaro are:
  • Hypothermia (loss of heat due to cold)
  • Slipping and falling off rocks.
  • Getting hit by avalanches.
  • Falling off cliffs.
  • Heart attacks.
  • Diarrhoea.
  • Cold and respiratory infections.
  • Twisting your ankles.


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Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is not without risks and considered dangerous. Every year, about ten climbers fall to their deaths, and the number is estimated to be much higher, while another 1000 are evacuated to safety from the traps of the mountain.

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Nevertheless, it is worth noting these figures for informational purposes. The overall success rate on Kilimanjaro is 65%, while the success rate on 5-day routes is just 27%. 6-day routes have a 44% success rate, 7-day routes a 64% success rate, and 8-day routes a success rate of 85%.

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Most people agree that Kilimanjaro is harder than Everest Base Camp. While there are aspects of the Everest Base Camp trek that are harder than Kilimanjaro, the general feeling is that Kilimanjaro is the harder of the two treks. The main reason for this is summit night – it's a biggie.

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You can have temporary weight loss after your Kilimanjaro Climb. This weight loss is a result of dehydration and may be regained after you are finished the climb. For some people Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is a way of losing weight. People must deliver the goods weight loss through the hiking training.

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The official minimum age to summit is set by the Kilimanjaro National Park authorities, although the risks of trekking at altitude mean it is advised against rushing into this trek with a child. For this reason, most tour operators only offer this trek to children aged 12 and upwards.

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The average cost to climb Kilimanjaro is $2000 to $6000, the price varies from cheap, budget operators to large Western travel agents selling outsourced climbs at an inflated price. There are various, unavoidable fixed costs to any tour operator and if a climb seems too cheap, you've got to ask yourself why.

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Kilimanjaro's altitude is a significant challenge, but climbers do not need supplemental oxygen to climb Kilimanjaro or reach the summit. To reach to the summit you use the acclimatization method of walking slowly “pole pole” climb high, sleep low.

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More than 75% of climbers will experience mild symptoms of altitude sickness when climbing Kilimanjaro. That said, while you can't necessarily avoid altitude sickness altogether on a Kilimanjaro climb, you can reduce its severity.

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How long Does it take to descend Kilimanjaro? It takes around two days to descend Kilimanjaro from the Uhuru Peak Summit to the Finish point. The descent can take up to 5hrs to reach to Camp for overnight and the following day 4hrs to 6 hrs depending on the route and trekkers experience.

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