Kilimanjaro Facts


  • 5995m (19,710ft) above sea level; up to 40km across

  • Tallest freestanding mountain  in the world
  • Highest point Uhuru ("Freedom") Peak

  • Dormant volcano composed of 3 peaks: Shira, Kibo and Mawenzi; last volcanic activity 200 years ago, magma presnrt 400m below surface!

  • Glaciers have shrunk by 82% since 1912 and predicted to be ice-free within two decades 

  • First successful ascent 6 October 1889- Dr Hans Meyer

  • Homeland to the Chagga people

"kilimanjaro" has questionable etymology

    • Chagga dialect 'kilelema' means difficult/impossible; 'njaare' means bird or  'jyaro' means 'caravan' ('that which is impossible fo the bird' or 'that which defeats the caravan'). But the Chagga people have no name for the mountain itself seeing two distinct peaks Mawenzi ('kimawenzi'-having a broken summit) and Kibo ('kipoo'-snow)

    • in Swahilli the meaning of Kilima njaro is unknown

    • the Masai of  Kenya call the mountain 'Oldioinyo Oibore'  or 'White Mountain', and Kibo is the "House of God"

Flora and Fauna
  • 4 vegetation zones:
  • Cultivated zone and forest (800-2800m)
    • Camphorwood, wild mango and African redwood trees; Impatiens kilimanjari, African Violet Viola eminii.
    • Colobus monkeys; bush pig; honey badger



  • Heath and moorland (2800-4000m)
    • Giant heather Erica excelsa and E. arborea; St Johns Wort Hypericum revolutum; Everlastings Helichrysums spp. ;giant groundsel Sencio spp.
    •  four-striped grass mouse, red duikers, elands, bushbucks.



  • Alpine desert (4000-5000m)
    • Everlastings dominate;yellow star Ranunculus oreophylus;alpine rock Arabis alpina

  • Ice cap (5000-5895m)

    • Helicrhysum newii; lichens present which could be some of the oldest organisms on earth













Taken from "Kilimanjaro: The Trekking Guide to Africa's Highest Mountain" by Henry Stedman 


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