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Scaling Kilimanjaro: List Of Famous People Who Have Conquered The Treacherous Peak

Shrijan Published On Sun Dec 08 2019   Modified On Sun Dec 08 2019
Scaling Kilimanjaro: List Of Famous People Who Have Conquered The Treacherous Peak

Mount Kilimanjaro, standing at 5,895 meters, is the highest peak in the continent of Africa. After being first scaled in 1889, there has been a cluster of people clamoring to etch their names in the history books. 

Since being integrated in the Kilimanjaro National Park in Tanzania, the dormant volcano is a place where people go to prove their physical and mental fortitude. In recent years, there have been a number of famous people who have tried their hand at taming the peak. This list looks at some of them.

1. Jessica Biel

The veteran of the film business, and the wife of singer/dancer/actor Justin Timberlake, Jessica was part of the crew that summited Kilimanjaro in 2010. Other members of the crew included musician Kenna, rapper Lupe Fiasco, and the actor Emile Hirsch. 

The climb was an initiative by the United Nations Foundations to raise awareness of the global water crisis. 

2. Mandy Moore

Do not let Mandy's cheery disposition and mild-mannered demeanor fool you! She holds the special distinction of scaling Kilimanjaro. The 35-year-old actress/singer/philanthropist made the treacherous climb across five different ecological zones and terrains that went from rain-forest to desolate desert-land in 2018.

A picture of Mandy Moore with friends atop Kilimanjaro
Mandy Moore with her friends atop Mt. Kilimanjaro

Never the outdoorsy type, no one was perhaps more surprised than the actress was when she stood atop Africa's highest peak.

3. Isabel Lucas

Isabel Lucas may have appeared in such movies as Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Red Dawn, but perhaps her most impressive accomplishment is her 2010 climb to the top of Kilimanjaro. The 34-year-old Australian actress and model is a vegan, and only 25 at the time she successfully scaled Kilimanjaro.

A proponent of healthy diet and exercise, she notes that climbing Kilimanjaro was the hardest thing she had ever had to do. 

4. Chris Long

Climbing Kilimanjaro is feat enough for a lifetime, but some people are not satisfied with climbing the peak once. Chris Long is one of those individuals.

The former American football-player has been part of numerous expeditions starting from 2013. He first summited Kilimanjaro in 2013 as part of the Conquering Kili charity expedition which raises awareness and funds to battle the water crisis in Tanzania. 

Since then, he has scaled the peak several times with his peers.

5. Haloti Ngata

Ngata joins the ranks of other professional athletes that have scaled Mount Kilimanjaro. 

He reached the peak of the mountain in 2019, whereupon he took to his Instagram to announce his retirement from professional football.

A snippet of Ngata's retirement post
Haloti Ngata announcing his retirement from atop Kilimanjaro

He was 35 at the time, and in excellent physical and mental shape when he chose to announce his retirement from atop the highest peak in Africa.

6. Brian Blessed 

Brian may very well be the one to start the trend of famous people climbing Kilimanjaro. He successfully summited in 1988, one of the earliest celebrities in recorded history to have made the climb.

Hardly a novice at mountain-climbing, he has attempted to scale Mt.Everest three times, successfully scaled Aconcagua, and holds the distinction as the oldest man to hike to the North Pole.

He also took his daughter on one of his expeditions to Kilimanjaro.