There are many adventurists out there in the world and there comes a time when they have to make a very large decision, like whether they should hike Mount Kilimanjaro or the Inca Trail. Both hikes are extremely difficult, slightly dangerous, and very much above sea level. The highest point of Mount Kilimanjaro is 19,341 feet above sea level, while the Inca Trail’s highest point is 13,800 feet above sea level. While that does seem like a huge difference, it is made even larger by the fact that people hiking Mount Kilimanjaro start their hike at 16,000 feet above sea level and at approximately 8,500 feet above sea level for the Inca Trail.
Altitude sickness is a common occurrence for both of these trails, due to how high they are above sea level. Hikers need to physically and mentally prepare themselves for the elevation challenges, as well as the weather and other unknown factors that may arise during any hike.
Mount Kilimanjaro has seven different hiking routes and while each on is unique, they are all different when it comes to difficulty and the number of people on the trail. Machame is the route that is the most scenic, but it is also the steepest one. Rongai is the easiest route, but hikers will not see as many panoramic views of the areas that surround the mountain. Marangu is the route that always has a lot of people, because the route is the same going up and down and there are shared huts for the hikers to sleep in.
There are only three hiking routes on the Inca Trail and they all overlap. Mollepata is the longest route and has the highest mountain pass of all of the routes. The Classic Trail is the one that many people take and it normally takes between four and five days to complete.
While only approximately 35,000 people attempt to hike Mount Kilimanjaro every year, almost double the amount of people hike the Inca Trail. People need to plan ahead for both of these hikes, but they really need to plan ahead for the Inca Trail hikes. Only 200 hikers are allowed on the Inca Trail every day and the tickets for the hikes sell out months in advance.
Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the Seven Summits in the world and while the Inca Trail does not have a comparable title, that does not mean that the Inca Trail is less exciting, exhilarating, or difficult. Each trail is unique and they both present challenges for the hikers that choose to hike them. A hiker will not be disappointed, no matter which trail or which route they choose.
Learn more about inca trail trekking at
Http://www.alpacaexpeditions.com
No comments:
Post a Comment