Mount Kilimanjaro

Overview

Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain and one of the continent’s most beautiful sights, stands at 5896 meters and has three main volcanic peaks: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. The name “Kilimanjaro” itself is shrouded in mystery. It could refer to the Mountain of Light, the Mountain of Greatness, or the Mountain of Caravans. Mt. Kilimanjaro rises above the gently rolling hills and plateaus of northern Tanzania, its slopes and glaciers shimmering above the rising clouds.

Mount Kilimanjaro is located near the town of Moshi and is a protected area where climbers can enjoy themselves without leaving any trace of their presence. The ecosystems of the mountain are as strikingly beautiful as they are varied and diverse.

Much of the mountain’s lowland slopes are farmland, with coffee, banana, cassava, and maize crops grown for subsistence and cash sale. On the lower slopes, a few larger coffee farms remain, but much of the land outside the national park has been subdivided into small plots. Once inside the park, thick lowland forest covers the lower elevations and transitions to alpine meadows as the air thins. The landscape near the peak is harsh and barren, with rocks and ice dominating above a breathtaking African view.

Most visitors’ experiences in Tanzania revolve around climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. Few mountains can match Kilimanjaro’s grandeur and breathtaking views of Amboseli National Park in Kenya, the Rift Valley, and the Masaai Steppe. Hiking on the ‘rooftop of Africa,’ the highest point on the continent at 5896 meters, is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, especially because, if done correctly, everyone from seasoned trekkers to first-timers can scale the snowy peak.

Kilimanjaro’s name is shrouded in obscurity. It could refer to the Mountain of Light, the Mountain of Greatness, or the Mountain of Caravans. Or it may not. The Wachagga have no name for the entire massif, only Kipoo (now known as Kibo) for the familiar snowy peak that stands imperious, overseer of the continent, Africa’s summit.

Kilimanjaro, by any name, is a metaphor for East Africa’s captivating beauty. When you see it, you realize why. This is not only Africa’s highest peak; it is also the world’s tallest free-standing mountain, rising in breathtaking isolation from the surrounding coastal scrubland – elevation around 900 meters – to an imperious 5,895 meters (19,336 feet).

Kilimanjaro is one of the most accessible high summits in the world, attracting visitors from all over the world. Most climbers reach the crater rim with only a walking stick, appropriate clothing, and determination. Those who reach Uhuru Point, the actual summit, or Gillman’s Point on the crater’s rim, will receive their climbing certificates. But Kili is much more than just her peak. Ascending the slopes is like taking a virtual climatic world tour, from the tropics to the Arctic.

Even before reaching the national park boundary (at 2,700m), the cultivated foothills give way to lush montane forest, home to the elusive elephant, leopard, buffalo, the endangered Abbot’s duiker, and other small antelope and primates. The moorland zone is even higher, with a cover of giant heather studded with otherworldly giant lobelias.

A surreal alpine desert above 4,000m supports little life other than a few hardy mosses and lichen. Finally, the last vestiges of vegetation give way to a winter wonderland of ice and snow – and the breathtaking beauty of the continent’s roof.