A little about Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro is one of the world's most famous mountains. It is the highest free standing mountain in the world and lies a few degrees from the Equator (330kms south of the Equator).

When climbing from the Kilimanjaro National Park Gate to Uhuru Peak you will see similar vegetation that is seen when walking from the Equator towards the North Pole - rain forest (equitorial), moorland (savannah plains), Alpine Desert & ice glaciers (North Pole).

Kilimanjaro is a volcanic mountain which means it erupted at various times throughout history. There are 3 major volcanic core zones: Shira was the first to develop, then Mawenzi & Kibo.

How did it get the name Kilimanjaro?
Tanzania has more than 120 tribes. The Chaga People, traditionally agriculturalists on the slopes of the mountain, claim they had no name for the mountain itself, just 2 peaks they called Kipoo (Kibo) & Mawenzi. 

Some historians think that outsiders may have changed the Chaga word 'Kilema Kyaro' which means 'difficult journey' to Kilimanjaro. Another theory is that travellers to the mountain may have asked the Maasai living on the plains what they called the mounatins & the Maasai may have answered that it was the source of water using the word 'Ngare' that then evolved to Njaro.

Rainforest

Moorlands

Alpine Desert

Ice Glacier