Translated by John Webley
Distributed from The Sumo Rules Bank by Mike Siggins
A race for 2-4 players of 7 or more from Reiner Knizia
At the foot of the snow covered peak of Kilimanjaro, lies a marvellous display of nature's diversity. Savanna and jungle landscapes are all mixed up together, while a mighty river winds like a fast moving snake through the rain forest.
Up to four expeditions are trying to make their way through this treacherous landscape. But who can be sure which method of transport will be quickest? Canoes along the river, riding stubborn mules through the jungle, on foot, armed with a machete or by jeep along the storm ravaged tracks. If you want to be first to the base camp at the foot of Kilimanjaro,then you must be prepared to organise your trip so as to use all of these, each where they are best suited.
Before the first game you must carefully remove the counters from their backing sheet. The playing figures are placed in the village next to space number 1. The chance counters are shuffled and dealt face downwards to the players. Each player should look at their counters and then, each in turn, place them onto a space on the board, face down. Each player places one counter at a time, play continues clockwise until all the counters have been placed. No two counters may be placed next to each other, and no counter may be placed on a village space. Now the cards are well shuffled and dealt to the players. Each player receives three cards, which they put face up in front of them, and a further three cards, which they keep in their hand. The remaining cards are placed face down in a deck next to the board.
The aim of the game is to be the first player to reach the base camp at the foot of Kilimanjaro (Space 100) or to be furthest towards the base camp when the game finishes.
The player to the left of the dealer starts. They must play one card from their hand and have two possible courses of action. Either, 1) They may lay the card on top of one of the three cards that they have in front of them. (normally so as to increase the distance they may move per turn.) or, 2) They may lay the card on top of one of the cards that the other players have in front of them, (normally to reduce the distance thay may move). They may only do this however to players whose expeditions have already moved as far, or further, than their own, not therefore to people behind them on the trail. The numbers on the cards and the four colours (types) of cards determine how far a player may move in their turn. 1) If all three cards in front of a player are of the same type (colour), then the player adds the numbers on the cards together to see how far they may travel.
For example, if a player had the 2 canoe, 4 canoe and 7 canoe face up in front of them then they could move 13 spaces per turn. 2) If two of the cards are the same, but the third different, then the player may move the distance given by adding the numbers on the two similar cards together, the majority rules. For example, if a player had the 1 jeep, the 5 jeep and the 7 mule, then they could move 6 spaces forward per turn. 3) If the cards are all of different types, then the highest numbered card gives the distance which the player may move. For example, a player with the 4 jeep card, the 6 canoe and the 3 mule could move 6 spaces. Once the player has laid a card, they move their playing figure forwards by the number of spaces that their cards allow. Only the uppermost cards on the three decks in front of them count. Any number of playing figures may be on one space. Finally the player draws another card from the pack. Play then continues with the player to the left.
The counters represent the various dangers and opportunities encountered along the trail. A player who ends their turn on a space with a counter on it, turns over the counter and carries out one of the following actions:
1) A Banana counter stands for a meal break and the consequent increase in energy. A player who ends their turn on a Banana counter may make a sevcond move of the same length as the first.
2) A Lion counter stands for danger. A player who ends their move on such a counter must move backwards to the next village for safety. 3) A player who lands on a change position tile must change places with one of the other expeditions.
The Banana and Lion counters are left face up once discovered, and affect any further expeditions who land on that space. The change position counters however, are removed from play once they have been turned over.
There are two stuations in which the game ends: either 1) If a playing figure reaches the base camp at the foot of Kilimanjaro, (Space 100) or moves beyond it, then they have won the game or 2) If all the cards from the face down pack, and from the players hands, have been played; then the player whose expedition has travelled furthest has won.
If two or more players have each travelled the same distance, then the winner is the one who would move furthest in the next, unplayed, round.
In order to reduce the luck factor in the game, players may prefer to alter the rule concerning change position counters. In this variant, instead of changing position, a player who lands on one of these counters may move a fellow player's expedition back to the next village.
On the trek through the jungle, the author and publishers were greatly aided by the following players. Gunthart von Chiari, Gabriella DreSSel, David Farquhar, Martin Geiger, Angela and Norbert Hansen, Martin Higham, Dieter and Barbara Hornung, Kevin Jacklin, Jannis Papakiriakodopoloulos, Karl-Heinz Schmiel. Karen and Andreas Seyfarth, Alison and Daniel Steel.