The highest mountain in Africa, otherwise known as Kilimanjaro, or ‘everyman’s Everest’, is a dream to climb for many. The nickname ‘everyman’s Everest’ comes from the fact that although the mountain is high, it isn’t as difficult to climb and people as young as 6 years old have scaled the mountain successfully, with the oldest climber being in their 80’s. Climbing Kilimanjaro can be for many reasons; charity, fitness, life experiences, or even to mark a big occasion in your life such as a marriage or divorce. With that in mind, let’s learn a little more about Africa’s highest mountain:
- The Highest Mountain in Africa – Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzaniaeir@si / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND
Fun Facts About Mount Kilimanjaro
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Kilimanjaro is located in Tanzania in East Africa, and is 19,340 feet elevated above ground. That’s 5895 meters!
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The first 3 people to climb this mountain were Hans Meyer from Germany, Yoanas Kinyala Lauwo from Tanzania, and Ludwig Purtscheller from Austria on the 5th of October 1889.
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The name ‘Kilimanjaro’ isn’t widely known, but many people think it’s derived from the words Kilima (Swahili) and Njaro (Kichagga) meaning ‘White Mountain’.
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Kilimanjaro is the 4th highest of the 7 summits, the highest mountain in Africa, and the tallest freestanding mountain in the world. That’s why it’s such an achievement to climb!
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Kilimanjaro is actually a huge stratovolcano that began to form 1 million years ago. Kibo is the highest peak, and is dormant which means it could erupt again. The last major eruption was 360,000 years ago, but the latest activity was 200 years ago. This makes climbing Kilimanjaro all the more daring.
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Kilimanjaro has 2.2 square kilometers of ice but is losing it because of global warming.
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Kilimanjaro lies within Kilimanjaro national park, which is an UNESCO world heritage site. Here you’ll find a tropical jungle, rain forests, savannahs, and more.
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When climbing Kilimanjaro, there are 5 common routes. These routes are the Marangu route, the Machame route, the Rongai route, the Lemosho route, and the Mweka route.
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The two most popular routes are the Machame and Lemosho, as they are the most attractive. Marangu is the easiest route!
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Climbing Kilimanjaro can be fairly easy and you don’t need any extensive climbing experience. The biggest danger is the high altitude! More people die from altitude sickness than from falling.
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You can’t simply climb Kilimanjaro on your own – you need a licensed guide and porters to help you carry your equipment.
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In 2001, the mountain saw it’s fastest ascent in 5 hours and 38 minutes.
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Mount Meru is an active volcano not lying far from Kilimanjaro, and people often use this as a training peak to help them practice for the main climb!
Although Kilimanjaro is one of the highest mountains in the world, it isn’t an impossible dream. Many people have proven that climbing this mountain is doable, so if it’s something you want to do you should go for it! However, just because many people have successfully reached the summit doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the mountain seriously. There are still risks, hazards, and things that can go wrong. Take the proper safety precautions, train accordingly, and you could cross something amazing off your bucket list!
