Mount Kilimanjaro (Kilimanjaro national park - Facts and Climbing Kilimanjaro)
It is the highest mountain in Africa, world's highest free
standing, snow-covered equatorial mountain, its an extinct volcano located in
Northeast Tanzania, near the Kenya border. A 753 square km area around the
mountain is declared as Mount Kilimanjaro national park and was declared a World
Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987.
Mount Kilimanjaro is a complex volcano, it is a triple strato volcano and has undergone a series of changes since it was born, developed and became less active over time. There were a number of different types of rocks produced from basalts to phonolites to rhomb porphyries.
Quick facts about peaks:
As said earlier, Kilimanjaro is that firstly it is actually 3 volcanoes - Shira, Mawenzi and Kibo. Kibo is the highest of those three volcanoes and Uhuru Peak is the summit. Being called a 'strato volcano'. Stratos means layer in Greek and describes the layering of ash and lava. That means that Kilimanjaro has a series of layers of ash and lava as the volcanoes went through different eruptive phases.
To summarize, Mount Kilimanjaro is:
* Oldest is Shira, collapsed caldera.
* Middle aged is Mawenzi.
* Youngest and still dormant is Kibo.
* Highest point, Uhuru peak is on Kibo (5895 meters).
Shira and Mawenzi both have suffered considerable erosion and only jagged peaks remain. Kibo, the central, youngest and highest peak has survived as an almost perfect cone.
Getting there:
128 km (80 miles) from Arusha. About one hours travel by car from Kilimanjaro airport.
When to travel:
Clearest and warmest conditions from December to February, but also dry (and colder) from July-September.
Climbing Kilimanjaro - The most exciting tourism activity:
Most routes up to the highest point in Africa are really treks rather than climbs, i.e. there is no hitching up to ropes, and no technical experience necessary but its is advised to take general precautions and take a guide if you are not comfortable. Most climbers reach the crater rim with little more than a walking stick, proper clothing and determination. Climb slowly to increase your acclimatization time and maximize your chances of reaching the summit. To avoid altitude sickness, allow a minimum of five nights, preferably even more for the climb. Take your time and enjoy the beauty of the mountain. And those who reach Uhuru Point, the actual summit, or Gillman's Point on the lip of the crater, will have earned their climbing certificates.
While the volcano is dormant, events on the summit of the mountain draw global attention. The top of the mountain has retreated from the most recent covering of glaciers. The most recent ice cap volume dropping by more than 80%. Some researchers predict that ice on top of Africa's tallest peak would be gone between 2015 and 2020.
