Summit Science
Kilimanjaro's Glaciers — The Shrinking Ice Fields Explained
85% gone since 1912. What remains, why it is disappearing, and what it means to climb while the ice is still there.
What Is Left of Kilimanjaro's Ice
Standing at Uhuru Peak (5,895m), you are surrounded by ice. The Northern Ice Field stretches across the northern crater rim — a mass of ancient glacial ice with vertical walls up to 30 metres high. The Southern Ice Field covers the southern plateau. The Furtwangler Glacier sits isolated at the centre of the crater.
These glaciers are real, visible, and extraordinary. They are also smaller than they have ever been in recorded history. Since 1912, when the first comprehensive survey was conducted, Kilimanjaro has lost approximately 85% of its ice coverage. The total glaciated area has shrunk from roughly 12 square kilometres to under 2.
At current rates, most climate projections place the disappearance of the remaining ice between 2040 and 2060. The glaciers are not gone. But the window to see them is narrowing.
Why Kilimanjaro's Glaciers Are Shrinking
The answer is counterintuitive. Summit air temperatures on Kilimanjaro remain well below freezing year-round — typically -10°C to -20°C at night, rarely above -3°C even in daytime. The ice is not melting in the conventional sense. Air temperature is not the primary driver.
The primary driver is sublimation — ice converting directly to water vapour under intense solar radiation, without passing through a liquid phase. This process is accelerated by reduced cloud cover and reduced snowfall. When less snow accumulates to replenish the ice, and solar radiation continues to sublimate the exposed surface, the glacier shrinks.
The root cause of reduced snowfall over East Africa is debated among climate scientists — but the observed trend since the late 19th century is not. Drier air, reduced precipitation, and increased solar exposure at altitude have combined to produce the loss documented over 110 years of measurement.
The Three Remaining Glacier Systems
Northern Ice Field
The largest remaining ice mass on Kilimanjaro, covering the northern crater rim. The vertical ice walls here — some reaching 30 metres — are the most dramatic visual feature of the summit plateau. Climbers on the Lemosho and Northern Circuit routes pass closest to these walls on descent.
Southern Ice Field
Covers the southern crater rim between Stella Point and Uhuru Peak. Most climbers pass through or alongside the Southern Ice Field on summit day. The route from Stella Point to Uhuru Peak runs along its edge. This field has fragmented significantly since the 1970s.
Furtwangler Glacier
An isolated remnant at the centre of the crater floor, named after the German climber Walter Furtwangler who first reached the crater in 1912. The Furtwangler is now small enough that it may not persist beyond 2030. It is visible from the crater rim on clear days.
What This Means for Climbers
The glaciers do not make or break a Kilimanjaro climb. The summit experience — the altitude, the effort, the view, the achievement — is independent of the ice. Uhuru Peak will remain the highest point in Africa regardless of what happens to the glaciers above 5,800m.
But the glaciers add something irreplaceable to the summit experience. Standing in -15°C air, watching dawn light hit a 20-metre wall of ancient ice, is not something that can be replicated once the ice is gone. Climbers who have reached the summit describe the ice fields as one of the most otherworldly sights they have ever seen.
The argument for climbing Kilimanjaro now, rather than later, has always been about personal timing. The glaciers add a second argument — a feature of the mountain that future generations may not be able to see. That is not a marketing line. It is a documented scientific trajectory.
Which Routes Give the Best Glacier Views
The best glacier views on approach and descent. The western breach approach gives close proximity to the Northern Ice Field walls.
Circumnavigates the northern slopes — the closest extended views of the Northern Ice Field from below the summit.
Summit approach via Stella Point passes the Southern Ice Field. Most climbers' first sight of glacial ice at altitude.
Kilimanjaro Glaciers — Common Questions
Are the glaciers on Kilimanjaro disappearing?
Yes. Approximately 85% of Kilimanjaro's glacial coverage has been lost since 1912. At current rates, most projections suggest the remaining ice could disappear between 2040 and 2060. The glaciers are still there now — still visible and extraordinary — but the window is narrowing.
Can you still see glaciers on Kilimanjaro?
Yes. The Northern Ice Field, Southern Ice Field, and Furtwangler Glacier all remain. Climbers who reach Uhuru Peak walk past ice walls up to 30 metres high. The glaciers are smaller than they were, but they are not gone.
Why are Kilimanjaro's glaciers shrinking?
The primary driver is sublimation under intense solar radiation, not warming air temperatures — summit temperatures remain well below freezing year-round. Reduced snowfall since the late 19th century means less ice accumulates to replace what is lost. Drier conditions over East Africa have accelerated this process.
Climb While the Ice Is Still There
Mount Kilimanjaro Climb has been guiding climbers to the summit since 1978. The glaciers are part of what we protect by doing this well.
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