Kenya Vacation and Travel Guide

Kilimanjaro Travel and Mountain Climbing Adventure

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Mt. Kilimanjaro

Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and it offers magnificent sight at its three highest snow capped peaks of Kibo, Mawensi, and Shira.

Mt Kilimanjaro area is the home of four great animal National parks in both Kenya and Tanzania.

These include:
Sights of Mt. Kilimanjaro

Come and gaze at this amazing mountain which in itself is a great sight to watch. The mountain rises to 19,336 feet (5,895 metres) while being surrounded by relatively flat land.

Even if you are not a mountain climber, you can come watch the thousands of hikers and climbers who dream of climbing the mountain. Most don’t make it to the top but it is still a great place to be and socialize with all these adventurers.

Mt. Kilimanjaro’s flora (vegetation) is very unique too. As you ascend the mountain, you will experience rapidly changing climatic zones, from warm tropical climate at the bottom of the mountain to lush rainforests as you go higher and finally to cold arctic climate at the top of the mountain.

Along with the changing Flora (vegetation), you will also encounter

Mount Kilimanjaro Blue Sky*
Kilimanjaro Sky*
Elephant at Kilimanjaro**
Elephant at Kilimanjaro**
Hiker at Kilimanjaro***
Hiker at Kilimanjaro***
great Fauna (animal life), mostly at the grassland bottom of Mount Kilimanjaro. You may encounter the elusive leopard, elephants, antelopes and buffalo.

Accommodation in Kilimanjaro

There are many places you can spend the night while on a Kilimanjaro safari. It all depends on what you fancy, from tented camps to luxury hotels.

Kilimanjaro campsite:
A campsite is a real village inhabited by the local people where tourists are invited to spend some time while they vacation and also learn about the local cultures. Kilimanjaro campsites located next to the National Park Forest and has wonderful views of Mount Kilimanjaro. It is also home of the Chagga people.

You will have guides who guide you and act as translators. The local people will invite you to see their shambas (small farms), learn about their agricultural methods of crop rotations and drink in their local bars.

Kilimanjaro area also has magnificent high class hotels located close to the mountain region. You will find Lodging in Moshi and Arusha towns, the closest cities to the mountain which have a huge variety of hotels to choose from. You can easily find a basic room for around US$20 per night, and there are also nicer hotels in the US$40-100 range.

There are also many hotels in the countryside outside of the towns. These are usually found along the highways to Moshi and Arusha.


Getting to Kilimanjaro

By Air: Kilimanjaro is at the border of Kenya and Tanzania and it is very easy to fly to Kilimanjaro both from Kenya and Tanzania, although is easier to fly via Nairobi, Kenya.

By Road: Travelers usually fly directly to Nairobi, spend a night there and then either fly or travel by road (shuttle or bus) to Tanzania. The main destinations are Arusha and Moshi on the Tanzanian side before going to Kilimanjaro.

Things to do in Kilimanjaro

Mountain Climbing is the most popular activity on Mt Kilimanjaro with mountaineers and trekkers from all over the world coming here to try and conquer this great mountain.

The different routes used to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro are Marangu, Machame, Umbwe, Mweka (only for descending), Shira, Lemosho, Rongai (Nalemoru), and Arrow Glacier routes.

Wildlife watching is another popular activity at Kilimanjaro. There are many great wildlife to see including big game like elephants, lions and leopards and other rare animals not found elsewhere in the world.

Photography:
When you come to Kilimanjaro, you will have a great opportunity to take spectacular photographs of this great mountain and the landscape and animal around it. A photo safari. This will be your record of your memories of a great safari.

Hiking:
This is another great activity to indulge in while at Kilimanjaro. Few people succeed in climbing to the peak but thousands of people enjoy their safari by hiking around the Kilimanjaro. This is a great way to see the place, take pictures and socialize with other hikers who may become lifelong friends.

Copyright:
Mwongera Kioga:
Images under Creative Commons Attribution Licence.
* by Stig Nygaard
** by cjasic
*** by Stig Nygaard.