This famous wall is a ridge that stands at an elevation of about 257 meters for the Barranco Valley. This wall was formed when lava flowing cooled on the slopes of the Kibo cone of the Kilimanjaro Mountain. Due to many years of erosion the ridge shaped up to form a wall. The slope of the wall is steep and only the Kibo and Mawenzi slopes are steeper.
How to climb the Barranco Wall
Hiking the Barranco wall is almost the same experience as rock climbing. There is grabbing the edges and pulling yourselves up. The hiking of this wall can be an exhausting adventure and you will need to have some little experience in rock climbing and have the required equipment.
Location of Barranco Wall
The wall is located south of the Kibo cone of the Kilimanjaro. It’s along the trails of Machame, Lemosho and Umbwe trails. The fall is within a few meters of the Barranco campsite.
When do you climb the Barranco Wall
This will depend on the route you take. The Barranco wall can be accessed via the Umbwe, Lemosho and Machame trails. But in most cases it will be on the third or fourth day of the Kilimanjaro hike.
Best time to climb the Barranco Wall
The wall is steep and you will need to visit this area during the dry season. The dry season runs in the months of December to February and Mid June to September.
This area receives rain all year round and coming in the dry season won’t guarantee that the place will be dry.
The months to try and avoid are the wet ones of March to mid June and October and November. Consult your Kilimanjaro hiking operator to find the appropriate time to climb this all.
Barranco Wall Vegetation Zone & Weather
The Barranco wall lies on the border of the Alpine and Moorland vegetation zones. This makes the area share both characteristics of both vegetation zones. This area has a lot of frogs that hop around especially in the morning.
Is the Barranco Wall dangerous?
Hiking this wall is compared to rock climbing and depending on the weather, the wall can be a dangerous place and if you can avoid it, try as much as possible to use other routes.
How long is the Barranco hike?
The wall is a bit steep. The hike is about 300 meter but it can take you about 2 hours.
