Tanzania

TANZANIA TANZANIA MOUNT KILIMANJARO NATIONAL PARK






Mount Kilimanjaro National Park


From the Serengeti to Zanzibar, Tanzania has more than its share of African travel icons. None, however, surpasses Kilimanjaro, whose snow-capped Uhuru Peak is the highest point on the continent. Rising in breathtaking isolation from the dusty scrubland along the Kenya border, Kilimanjaro, when measured from 900m base to 5,895-metre peak, also ranks as the tallest free-standing mountain in the world.

Scenically, Kilimanjaro can be something of a non-event, spending most of its time with its head shrouded in cloud. But when this veil lifts, typically in the late afternoon, it’s difficult to imagine a more inspirational sight than this distinctive snow-capped outline towering a full 5km above the likes of Moshi or Arusha National Park.

For hikers, the so-called Roof of Africa – its upper slopes protected in a 755 sq km national park – is one of the world's most accessible high summits, reached via a sequence of vegetational zones spanning everything from tropical forest to arctic waste. The ascent requires no expertise, but nor should it be underestimated - sub-zero temperatures and giddying altitude changes will test anybody’s physical and mental resources, and a successful ascent is for many the achievement of a lifetime.


 



Vegetation and habitats

Wildlife

Activities

Getting there

Where to stay

Nearby places of interest





Vegetation and habitats


  • Below 3,000 metres, jungle-like montane rainforest consists of tall hardwood trees draped in epiphytes and lianas.
  • Above 3,500 metres, the pastel heathers and ample wildflowers of the lower moorland zone give way to a bleak lunar landscape dotted with surreal stands of giant lobelias and senecios.
  • The Alpine zone above 4,000m receives just 250mm of rain annually, and ground temperatures might fluctuate from 30ºC to sub-zero in the course of a day, resulting in a low floral diversity dominated by mosses, lichens and other hardy species.     







Wildlife


  • Kilimanjaro is not primarily a wildlife destination, but black-and-white colobus and blue monkeys can be seen in the forest, which also supports elusive populations of elephant, buffalo, leopard, bushbuck and the endangered Abbott’s duiker.
  • At higher altitudes, you’re more likely to see tracks and droppings than actual wildlife – though two exceptional records above the 5,000 metre contour involve a frozen leopard discovered in 1926 and a pack of African wild dogs observed in 1962.
  • The forest supports a profusion of birds, most audibly silvery-cheeked hornbill and Hartlaub’s turaco. The limited range of species at higher altitudes includes ‘high altitude specials’ such as Alpine chat and scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird.       






Activities


  • The most popular activity is an attempted hike to the summit, which requires a minimum of five days using the Marangu Route, the most popular and easiest option, but also the most crowded and ecologically compromised.
  • Increasingly popular are half-dozen other ascent options, including the very scenic Machame and Rongai Routes, which are uncrowded by comparison to Marangu, but also costlier.
  • Extending the expedition over six or seven days will significantly reduce the risk of altitude-related illness, which is the most usual reason for an ascent being aborted.



Getting there


  • Kili climbs run through the year, but Dec-Feb offer the driest and warmest conditions, with above average visibility. July-Sep are also relatively dry but not as warm.
  • You can arrange a road transfer to any park entrances from Moshi, the nearest major town, or from Arusha. However, most tour operators include all transfers in the price of the hike.
  • Guides and porters are mandatory, and it is strongly recommended that all climbs are arranged through a reputable and accountable local or international operator the savings associated with arranging a hike ‘on the street’ are minimal compared to the increased risk of something going wrong.



Where to stay


  • Moshi has a full range of accommodation from basic local guesthouses to established tourists hotels, with snow-capped Kilimanjaro towering above the northern horizon.
  • Good hotel accommodation in more rustic surrounds can be found at the villages of Marangu and Machame, close to the eponymous trailheads.
  • On the mountain itself, the options boil down to basic hutted accommodation or camping.


Nearby places of interest


  • Visitors with no ambition to climb Kilimanjaro (or who want to acclimatise first) could do worse than spend a couple of days exploring the lush forest and lovely waterfalls on the breezy foothills around Marangu, where several pleasant country hotels offer scintillating views of the peaks in clear weather.
  • Turquoise Lake Chala inhabits a sheer-sided extinct caldera on the eastern footslopes of Kili – it’s a stunningly beautiful spot, but swimming in the invitingly clear water is inadvisable due to the presence of crocs.    


Checklist of conspicuous and noteworthy mammals: leopard, common eland, Abbott’s duiker, Harvey’s red duiker, common duiker, bushbuck, African elephant, African buffalo, bushpig, yellow baboon, blue monkey, black-and-white colobus, vervet monkey, tree hyrax, red forest squirrel.



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