KILIMANJARO MOUNTAIN

The world's tallest free-standing mountain, which standing vigil over Tanzania's untamed landscapes, attracts mountaineers and nature enthusiasts from all over the world. Mt Kilimanjaro rises above the clouds, reaching a height of 5,895 meters (19,340 feet), and offers a variety of habitats, including lush montane forests and an alpine desert, as well as sparkling vistas of ice and snow. Despite its awesome height, Kilimanjaro is a relatively easy hike; however, guides recommend basic fitness because the main challenge is the altitude. Special excursions cater for short hikes and picnic lunches on the slopes for those who want to explore the mountain without climbing to the very top.

Kilimanjaro National Park takes in the area above the mountain's elevation of 8,850 feet (2,700 meters). It includes the moorland and highland zones, as well as the Shira Plateau and the Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. The Park also has six corridors or rights of way that run through the Kilimanjaro Forest Reserve. The Forest Reserve, which is also a Game Reserve, was founded in 1921; the Park was founded in 1973 and officially opened in 1977. Kilimanjaro is located on Tanzania's northern border, 205 miles south of the equator. Its location on an open plain close to the Indian Ocean, as well as its huge size and height, have a significant impact on the climate, vegetation, animal life, and climbing conditions. Kibo (19,340 feet (5,895 meters), Mawenzi (16,896 feet (5,149 meters), and Shira (13,000 feet) are the three extinct volcanoes (3,962 meters).

Although you can climb all year, the best months are January, February, and September, with July, August, November, and December also being good. Kilimanjaro experiences equatorial to arctic weather. The range starts in the warm, dry plains with average temperatures of 850F, then ascends through a wide belt of wet tropical forest, through zones with generally decreasing temperatures and rainfall, and finally to the summit with permanent ice and temperatures below freezing. March to June is the rainy season. Because most months of the year have so few rainy days, it is possible to climb in relatively good conditions all year. Clouds tend to pile up and over the summit during the rainy season of March to May, dropping snow on top and rain at the base. Even when there is no rain, cloud cover can reduce visibility. This time of year, the temperature is relatively warm. The dry season, which begins in late June and lasts until July, can be very cold at night but is usually cloudless.

August and September are also cool and can have completely clear days, but the mountain is usually girded by a dripping cloud belt above the forest and moorland. January and February are generally dry, warm, and clear, with only a few brief rain showers, making for ideal climbing conditions. The summit can be completely clear, giving the successful climber a view of a vast sea of clouds with distant mountain peaks poking through like islands. Thunderstorms that pass over the mountain, dropping rain as they go, are common during the shorter rainy season of October to December. Typically, clouds dissipate in the evening, leaving nights and mornings clear and bright.