Mountain Kilimanjaro National Park

Mount Kilimanjaro National Park is home to Mount Kilimanjaro. At 5,985 meters, it's the highest peak in Africa and the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. It's one of the best-known sights in Africa, and it lies east of Arusha and north of the town of Moshi.

The plants change step by step as you climb toward Kili's peak. The vegetation runs from savannah grassland at the bottom, through montane forest, to heath and moorland, and finally to high alpine desert near the summit.

A Brief History of Mount Kilimanjaro National Park

Mount Kilimanjaro began to form more than 3 million years ago, when volcanic activity built the three cones that make up the mountain:

• Kibo – The tallest cone and the only one with a permanent glacier.
• Mawenzi – A rugged peak, the second-highest of the three.
• Shira – The oldest and most worn-down cone.

The first recorded climb to the summit was made in 1889 by the German geographer Hans Meyer and the Austrian mountaineer Ludwig Purtscheller.

Mount Kilimanjaro National Park was set up in 1973 to protect the mountain's special ecosystems, and it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

Best Time to Visit

• Dry Season:
  • January to March – Cooler, with fewer climbers.
  • June to October – Warmer and busier, with more settled weather.
• Wet Season:
  • April to May and November – Heavy rain makes the trails muddy and harder going.

Activities To Do

Besides climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, here are some other things you can do in Mount Kilimanjaro National Park:

• Short walking safaris
• Birdwatching
• Camping
• Cycling
• Paragliding

What to See

As you go up, you pass through several zones, each with its own plants and animals:

Rainforest Zone (800–3,000 meters)

• Thick forest with mossy trees and dense undergrowth.
• Wildlife:
  • Blue monkeys
  • Colobus monkeys
  • Bush babies
  • Leopards (rarely seen)

Heath and Moorland Zone (3,000–4,000 meters)

• Shrubs and giant heathers.
• Wildlife:
  • Bush duikers
  • Sunbirds

Alpine Desert Zone (4,000–5,000 meters)

• Dry, rocky ground with very few plants.
• Wildlife:
  • A few tough insects and birds

Arctic Zone (5,000–5,895 meters)

• Permanent glaciers and snowfields.
• Freezing temperatures and low oxygen.
• Wildlife:
  • Almost no animal life, because conditions are so extreme.

How To Get There

Safari Van:

From Arusha it's a two-hour drive. From Moshi town it takes about one hour to reach the Marangu Gate of the national park, and from Kilimanjaro International Airport it's only about 90 minutes.

Flight:

You can fly non-stop to Kilimanjaro International Airport with major European airlines, and domestic airlines fly there too.