At 9:30 AM on February 9th, local Tanzanian time, six members of the China-Tanzania Joint Mountaineering Team successfully reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak at 5,895 meters. The six summiteers were Chinese team leader and renowned mountaineer Wang Yongfeng, along with team members Wang Yunlong, Wang Yonggan, Zhou Yun, Deqing Ouzhu, and Tanzanian team member Sasa.
In the early hours of the 9th, the China-Tanzania Joint Mountaineering Team set out from the Horombo Camp (at 3,720 meters altitude) but encountered a blizzard rarely seen in decades in the Kilimanjaro region. Despite bravely pushing toward the summit, the strong snowstorm forced the team to halt at Stella Point (the second highest point, at 5,739 meters). After several hours of rest and waiting for the weather to show slight signs of stabilization, the team selected the five members best suited for the final push. Led by Captain Wang Yongfeng, they made another attempt on the summit. Ultimately, all six members successfully summited Uhuru Peak at 5,895 meters, while the entire joint mountaineering team (66 members) reached Gilman’s Point at 5,681 meters.
Mount Kilimanjaro, located at the border between Tanzania and Kenya, is Africa’s highest peak and the world’s tallest freestanding mountain. Known as the “Roof of Africa” and the “Snows of the Equator,” this joint mountaineering event was held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Tanzania. The team included 59 Chinese members and 7 Tanzanian participants, among them former Tanzanian Ambassador to China, Charles Sanga. The team assembled in Tanzania on the fifth day of the Chinese New Year (February 4th) and planned to return by February 15th.