Mount Kilimanjaro – Beloved Planet

Mount Kilimanjaro is a volcanic mountain on the East African plateau, located in Tanzania, Africa’s most tourist-attracting region, close to the Kenyan border.

Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the highest free-standing mountains in the world.

Kilimanjaro is most often photographed from the Kenyan side. This is often the starting point for tourists attempting to scale the white roof of the black continent.

The highest peak in Africa

For decades, tourists from Western Europe have been enjoying their holidays in Kenya, visiting the Serengeti National Park and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Until 1977, there were no problems. It was enough to get on a jeep, cross the green border and admire the natural beauty of the neighboring country. But in this case, all the profits went to Kenya, where tourists vacationed and paid for services, and Tanzania got nothing, although it provided most of the entertainment related to safaris, lions and elephants around Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara and Mount Kilimanjaro. Tanzania closed the border on February 4, 1977 and began to work on developing its own tourism – anyone who wanted to enjoy the natural beauty of Tanzania had to stay in Tanzania. Unfortunately, this ambitious plan failed – the profits were much lower than expected, and the border was reopened six years later. The roads in this area are in such condition that only off-road vehicles can travel, but the driver-guides are highly trained and take great care of tourists.

So far, the tourist hotels in Kenya are very well serviced, while tourists who wish to visit the Kilimanjaro region and the national parks of Tanzania mainly arrive in Kenya first. As tourists who have been to these places say, Kenyans are more down-to-earth, while Tanzanians are friendlier. The colonial legacy is reflected in the fact that almost all the population in the areas through which the tourist routes pass speaks English. This is because even in the poorest villages, children go to schools where they learn English.

Majestic Mount Kilimanjaro is a solitary mountain that rises high above the East African plateau, near the northern border of Tanzania. Its snow-capped peak can be seen from hundreds of kilometers away.

Many tourists go to Tanzania to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. In this case, you do not need any special mountaineering skills. The slopes are not steep, and there are routes that allow you to reach the eternal iceberg without equipment. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is unforgettable – thanks to the diverse landscapes and rich flora. Here one passes through several climatic zones. Savannahs and fertile lands extend to an altitude of 1800 meters, tropical forests reach up to 4000 meters, alpine meadows reach up to 4400 meters, and at high altitudes there are eternal snow and glaciers.

There are several national parks here. One of the most beautiful parks is Ngorongoro – is a crater with a diameter of 19 kilometers, the bottom of which is the habitat of many animals and provides them with natural food and water sources.

Many tribes have ascribed sacred meaning to Kilimanjaro. For the Maasai, for example, Kilimanjaro is the “shining mountain.” The area was made famous by Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Snows of Kilimanjaro, in which the author wrote: “Near the top of the western summit lay the frozen body of a leopard. No one could explain what the leopard needed at such a height.” Hemingway was writing about the real truth. In 1926, two British monks encountered a frozen leopard at what became known as Leopard Point.

There are many different opinions about the origin of the name of Mount Kilimanjaro. Johann Ludwig Krapf, the missionary who discovered Mount Kilimanjaro to Europeans in 1848, translated Kilimanjaro as “Mountain Caravan”.

General information

• Tribes living in the foothills: Maasai, Chaga.
• The largest settlement: Moshi Town.
• Peaks: Uhuru (Kibo) (5895 m), Mawenzi (5149 m), Shira (3962 m).
• Diameter of Kibo crater: 2 km.
• Subglacial area: 4 square kilometers.

economy

• Agriculture: Bananas, coffee and cotton are grown on the lower slopes of the mountain.
• travel.

Climate and Weather

• The climate is equatorial mountainous.
• Mount Kilimanjaro offers an opportunity to observe the climate change from tropical to arctic as one reaches the summit.
• The heaviest rainfall is from March to May, while the least rainfall is from November to December.
• The driest period is from August to October.

Attractions

• In ancient times, tribes living around Mount Kilimanjaro believed that it was the abode of evil spirits and did not dare to risk climbing to the top of the mountain.
• The highest point of Kibo, the highest peak in the Kilimanjaro range, is known as Uhuru Peak.

Interesting Facts

• In 1977, the border between Kenya and Tanzania was closed, leaving more than 1,000 tourists stranded and 200 jeeps and 29 aircraft confiscated.
• The famous animated film “The Lion King” was filmed in the Kilimanjaro region.
• In 1952, Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Snows of Kilimanjaro was adapted into a hugely successful film (starring Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner).
• Hans Meyer first climbed the highest peak of Mount Kilimanjaro in 1889.