Elevation: 19,340 feet
Location: Tanzania, east Africa
Location: Tanzania, east Africa
The meaning and origin of the name Kilimanjaro is unknown.
It is thought to be a combination of the Swahili word Kilima, meaning
“mountain,” and the KiChagga word Njaro, loosely translated as
“whiteness,” giving the name White Mountain.
Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa
and fourth highest of the Seven Summits, is considered the tallest
freestanding mountain in the world, rising 15,100 feet (4,600 meters)
from base to summit.
Kilimanjaro is composed of three distinct volcanic cones:
Kibo 19,340 feet (5,895 meters); Mawenzi 16,896 feet (5,149 meters);
and Shira 13,000 feet (3,962 meters). Uhuru Peak is the highest summit
on Kibo’s crater rim.
Kilimanjaro is a giant stratovolcano
that began forming a million years ago when lava spilled from the Rift
Valley zone. The mountain was built by successive lava flows. Two of its
three peaks—Mawenzi and Shira—are extinct while Kibo, the highest peak
is dormant and could erupt again.
Kilimanjaro has 2.2 square kilometers of glacial ice and is losing it quickly due to global warming. The glaciers have shrunk 82% since 1912 and declined 33% since 1989.
Kilimanjaro lies within the 756-square-kilometer Kilimanjaro National Park,
a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is one of the few places on earth
that encompasses every ecological life zone including tropical jungle,
savannah, and desert to montane forests, subalpine plants, and the
alpine zone above timberline.
Kilimanjaro has five common routes to its highest summit: Marangu Route; Machame Route; Rongai Route; Lemosho Route; and Mweka Route.
Climbing Kilimanjaro is easy and requires no technical climbing
or mountaineering experience. The biggest challenge and danger is the
high altitude. Climbers die from improper acclimatization and altitude
sickness rather than falls.
Kilimanjaro is not a peak you can climb
on your own. It is mandatory to climb with a licensed guide and have
porters carry your equipment. This sustains the local economy and allows
local people to reap the rewards of tourism.
The fastest verified ascent time was by Italian Bruno Brunod in 2001.
He climbed Uhuru Peak from Marangu Gate in 5 hours, 38 minutes, and 40
seconds. The fastest round-trip time was by local guide Simon Mtuy who
ran up and down on December 26, 2004 in 8 hours and 27 minutes.
Mount Meru, a 14,980-foot volcanic cone,
lies 45 miles west of Kilimanjaro. It is an active volcano; has a
snowcap; lies in Arusha National Park; and is often climbed as a
training peak for Kilimanjaro.
