Kilimanjaro Tanzania

Mount Kilimanjaro- Overview
Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain and one of the most instantly recognizable landmarks on the continent. Its distinctive snow-capped peak and profile form one of the most breathtaking sights on the continent. Kilimanjaro, the highest ‘walkable’ mountain in the world doubles as the most magnificent and spectacular undertaking as well as the highest permanently snow-capped free standing mountain in Africa. The mountain has 3 peaks namely Shira to the east, Mawenzi to the west and Kibo (the tallest) in the middle of the other two.
Because of its notable dramatic geographical features as well as beautiful vegetation, plentiful bird life, and abundant game, many people travel to Tanzania just to climb this mountain. You can either organize your trek up the mountain from your home country through a travel agency, but you’ll pay a lot more for this convenience, or, if you’ve got a bit of time, hop on plane and save some money by organizing it in Arusha or in Dar.
There are different routes used to ascend to the roof of Africa including Machame Marangu, Rongai, Shira and Umbwe. Mountain trekkers who have less absolute confident about their fitness, or who are pressed for time normally start with the Rongai route.

Kilimanjaro Holiday Trekkers

Those with absolute confident in their fitness and willing to spend longer on the mountain to increase the chances of summit success usually start by taking a look at the Shira route. And trekkers not too worried about costs but who simply want the ultimate trek commonly look at the North route.
Climb Kilimanjaro
The biggest worry for those climbing Killimanjaro, is the altitude sickness. For climbing Kilimanjaro is not a battle against the slopes (physically the climb is easy), it’s a battle against altitude sickness. If you don’t get it you are lucky – it has nothing to do with fitness. If you do get it, you are piteous. I saw a party of young physically fit young men stumble vomiting down the mountainside.

Kilimanjaro Trekking Routes
There are five ways up the mountain, each requiring different degrees of skill. Marangu route is the easiest. Other routes are Mweka, Umbwe, Shira, and Machame. These other trekking routes however require special permits and greater endurance. As an independent traveler, you can barter for guides and porterage at the base of Kili but beware – porters can be unreliable and you should choose your route carefully.
Although it can be climbed anytime of the year, the best times to climb Mount Kilimanjaro is in the cool, dry months of June-October, or the hotter, dry months from December-March. It is advisable to avoid the rainy months of April, May and November.
Kilimanjaro National Park
Kilimanjaro National Park covers the area above 2700m on the mountain and is located approximately 340km south of the equator. Its vegetation varies from Montane rain forest, to heath and moorland to highland/ alphine desert presenting a symphony of awesome landscapes and scenery.
The national park includes the moorland and highland zones, Shira Plateau, Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. In addition, the Park has six corridors through the Kilimanjaro Forest Reserve. The Forest Reserve, which is also a Game Reserve, was established in 1921; the Park was established in 1973 and officially opened in 1977.The Kilimanjaro National Park however does feature the great ice-caped Equatorial Mountain, the Kilimanjaro.
Kilimanjaro Wildlife Tours
There is an amazing quality of wildlife and flora in this region and a trek to Mount Kilimanjaro can be one of those precious moments of your life, which you would never like to forget.
Inside the park, a number of mammal species have been recorded above the tree line. Wildlife present includes elephant, buffalo, the endangered Abbott’s, leopard, lion, and serial cat, eland, and bushbuck, duiker, hyrax, bush pig, colobus and blue monkeys.
A visit to the highest mountain of Africa and exploring the flora and fauna of this region should be a must on your cards if you are looking forward to a visit to Tanzania in the near future.
Bird species like lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus, hill chat Cercomela sordida, Hunter’s cisticola Cisticola hunteri, and scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird Nectarinia johnstoni have also been found but most of them are few in numbers. The limited range of species at higher altitudes includes ‘high altitude specials’ such as Alpine chat and scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird.