Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing, Trekking and Hiking Tours || Afritreks:

Nature Of Mount Kilimanjaro

Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa's highest mountain at 5895m/(19,341feet), It is the world's giant free-standing mountain that began forming about a million years ago and is composed of many layers of hardened volcanic ash, and lava, which made fragmental material that is the fallout from a volcanic eruption. Mount Kilimanjaro is the fourth of those Seven Summits, the highest peak on the seven continents Kilimanjaro mountain is found in Tanzania East Africa. The mountain lies within 756 square kilometers and forms Kilimanjaro National Park. Kilimanjaro rises from its base plains Tanzanian municipality of Moshi, making it the tallest free-standing mountain in the world.

Kilimanjaro mountain encompasses wide variety of ecosystems, including tropical jungle, savannah, and desert to montane forests, subalpine plants, and the alpine zone above the treeline. Kilimanjaro is the lack of a bamboo zone, which occurs on all other tall mountains in East Africa with similarly high rainfall. Because there is no bamboo zone there is a limited supply of food for animals. However, several species thrive in the area.

Kilimanjaro mountain is bordered by two Kenyan national parks, which make big wild animals climb up and down the mountain for food, water, and mineral salt plus shelters in the forest, keep in mind that it will be possible to see the big animal in the eastern side and western side of the mountain such as caped buffalo, elephant, eland, leopard, giraffe and many other big animals

Kili Flora and founa

Mount Kilimanjaro has five distinct ecological zones, almost each 1000m in ‘height’. From 1000m to 1800m is bushland with villages, farms, and grassland mainly known as cultivated zone. The next zone is rainforest starting from 1800m – 2800m. Tourists will see huge tree ferns, sycamore trees, junipers, as well as moss also known as “old man’s beard”. This humid zone is the perfect place for the multitude of plants, some of which are endemic like the “impatiens kilimanjari”.

The other zone is semi-alpine heath and the moorland zone is found from 3000m to 4000m. Tourists will see the strange giant groundsel, Senecio trees, Lobelias, and the colorful red hot pokers. The main source of the indirect precipitation in this zone comes in the form of mist which can envelope you without warning. The next zone is from 4000m-5000m, Tourist will enter the alpine desert zone with little rainfall and extreme temperature variations from night to day. From 5000m tourists will enter the frozen moonscape of the arctic zone. With only rock and ice, nights are very cold and the sun’s radiation is extreme.

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro Best Routes Options

The 8 or 7 days and 6 days Marangu route itinerary provides more time for acclimatization compared to the 7 Lemosho route or other 6 days and 5 days Marangu route option, further more, best choice will boosting your chances of success in climbing mount Kilimanjaro. Marangu route used hut for accommodation, Unlike other routes that require camping equipments, Note that; Marangu Route offers hikers the comfort of staying in basic huts at each station, Mandara hut 2723m, Horombo hut 3730m, and Kibo hut 4725m. Both ascend and descend will be through the same route,Unlike other routes.

We are confident to recommend the three routes below as your best choice for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro they may give you the best acclimatization protocol with a highly successful rate on Mount Kilimanjaro. These routes are 8 days lemosho route, 7 days Machame route and 6 days Marangu route. Others are 7 days shira, 7 days Rongai and 7 days Umbwe routes are related one.