With an altitude of 5,895 m (19.340 ft), it is the highest peak in Africa

Mount Kilimanjaro is the crown of Tanzania. With an altitude of 5,895 m (19.340 ft), it is the highest peak in Africa, the highest freestanding mountain in the world and one of the largest volcanoes. The base of the immense mountain has a diameter of about 70 km. On a clear day its impressive formation can be seen from more than 160 km away, and although it is only three degrees below the equator, the peak is permanently covered with snow and ice. Elephants, leopards, lions and colobus monkeys are among the residents of the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park. The encircling rain forests ensure the fertility of the lush, lower lying countryside, where the Chagga people cultivate their coffee, maize and bananas.

Brief Background

The mountain is a mere 3 degrees south of the Equator, and is furthermore unusual in the fact that it has a permanent snow-cap all year round, despite its locality. A combination of height and geographic features means that Mount Kilimanjaro represents all of the earth’s climate types – from the tropics to the arctics, with climbers passing through cultivated slopes, wild rainforests, moorlands, alpine deserts and glacial fields. Along the way, elephant, leopard, buffalo and various antelope can be spotted, and the view from the top is considered to be one of the best in the world…the whole of Africa’s wilderness at your feet! Kilimanjaro is the only walkable mountain of the Seven Summits (the highest peaks in all seven continents), and provided you have a reasonable degree of fitness and some determination under your belt, reaching the summit is something that can be achieved without any previous technical experience or knowledge. There are currently six routes up the mountain, from the popular and safe Marangu route, to the Umbwe route that requires actual rock climbing. Each has its own advantages and the choice is largely down to preference (some are more scenic, others have a greater success rate, or different approach methods) and availability of expeditions. Our guides have been climbing Mt Kilimanjaro, Mt Kenya and the Rwenzoris since 1990. Since 1993 they’ve taken 8000 climbers up Mt Kilimanjaro! The average success rate of our groups is 95%, on many other climbs the average is 60%!