Kilimanjaro

Mount Kilimanjaro, a dormant volcano, stands 5895 metres high, the highest mountain in Africa, and is still ice capped almost all year round. It has been a magnet for explorers over many centuries, the first person to ascend Kilimanjaro, according to legend, being King Menelik 1, the son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. There are 6 routes to the summit and approaching 25,000 people come to Tanzania to climb it each year. Mount Kilimanjaro rises from vast open plains where you can see elephant, rhino and buffalo.

What makes the climb particularly interesting is the fact that Kilimanjaro has five vegetation zones. The first of these comprises old lowland forest, which is now cultivated and settled. The next zone consists of tropical forest, which is then followed by heath and open moorland. Next comes a striking alpine desert, with weather fluctuations so dramatic that only mosses and lichens can survive here. The actual summit is bare of almost all plant life.

Contact TanzaniaAway for further information on climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.