Sitting on the top of Kilimanjaro
On Saturday 31 August 2024 a very special South African made it all the way to the top of Uhuru peak on Mount Kilimanjaro.
With her usual grit, determination and self-belief, Nicola Theunissen summitted Kilimanjaro at about 8:30 in the morning after starting her ascend of Uhuru 12 o’ clock on Friday night. At 5895 meters above sea level, Uhuru is the highest point in Africa.
Nicola had to make some tough decisions along the way, but in temperatures measuring minus 20 degrees Celsius at some points, she persevered and kept the South African flag flying.
An amazing achievement in extreme climbing conditions.
Nicola joined our Road Trip on 25 August 2024 in Moshi, Tanzania with the aim to summit Africa’s highest point six days later.
Here she is at Barafu camp after her summit, celebrating her achievement with a group of great mountain guides and fantastic porters.
A reason to climb Kilimanjaro
David Martin wrote in 1999: “For everyone who has heard of Kilimanjaro there is a reason for remembering the mountain. Mine is rooted in the history of the past 50 years; a vision and dream to be realised, not a mountain to be conquered.”
Kilimanjaro is the highest point of Africa and one of the highest free-standing mountains in the world. It comprises three extinct or dormant volcanoes: Kibo (5,895m), Mawenzi (5,149m) and Shira (3,962m). Kilimanjaro rises 4800m from the plains, covers four square kilometres and at its widest is 40km across (source: Kilimanjaro Tanzania: Land, People, History – Into Africa Travel Guide).
Sitting on the top of Kilimanjaro
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Image credit: Leon Louw for WhyAfrica
