The king, the god. The majestic mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, is the symbol of this part of Africa. Not everyone knows that Kilimanjaro is a volcano. Or a volcanic system, consisting in three huge craters: Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira. Over 5890 metres high, Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest “single mountain” in the world.
A safari to Mt Kilimanjaro is not just another trip to discover nature and animals, it is a tribute to the local Creator! So plan it with respect, do it with respect. This incredible mountain will charm you with its mystery. It looks like an extinct volcano, but Crater Kibo is still “alive” and smoking. It is covered with an eternal glacier, but the lava is boiling just 500 metres below. Are you ready to face the king?
Kilimanjaro and its romantic names
Mt Kilimanjaro had been already spotted by Roman explorers in year 100 AD. They saw it at night, together with Mt Meru’s peak, so bright and white against the dark sky. So they called it “the Moon Mountain”. Local people also were impressed by the glacier on top, in fact “Kilimanjaro” means “the white hill”.
Kilimanjaro has romantic names and is a romantic place to visit. It means “Africa”, and it means wildlife. It was the main trip for explorers of the past. Tourists love it and the National Park created in order to promote and protect it helps its legend to spread in the world.
What to see on Mt Kilimanjaro
Besides Mt Kilimanjaro itself, you will enjoy many wonderful views, on your way there. You will cross forests, giant trees, high altitude deserts and lavic deserts. You will meet the classic African fauna. Elephants, rhinoceros, buffalos, leopards, giraffes. Over 140 types of mammals, 180 kinds of birds, 7 species of monkeys and many other animals will make your safari unique.
How to visit
How to visit a volcano like Kilimanjaro? Since it is still quiet, it is not a problem to climb and you can choose many itineraries. There are six which are perfect for tourists. But most people follow only one, the Lemosho Route. This is the longest one, but also the easiest.
The safari will take 8 days to get to the top. But the path is not hard at all, there are many stops on the way and people face better the change of temperature and altitude. We will tell about 5 more itineraries in another article. The easiest ways climb the southern side of Kilimanjaro. Expert climbers can also follow the northern side’s routes.
Get to Kilimanjaro National Park
In order to get to Kilimanjaro and its National Park, the closest airport is the one of the same name. You will land to Kilimanjaro Airport with an international flight from Amsterdam or with many local flights from Dar Es Salaam or Nairobi. Safaris to Kilimanjaro are usually organized in Arusha. Make sure you plan your trip during the dry season (January and February or from August to October).
