Mount Kilimanjaro rises to an elevation of 5,895 meters above sea level, making it the highest mountain in Africa and the fourth highest mountain in the world. The mountain is accessible to both experienced and first-time climbers because it doesn’t require any technical skills or experience to reach the summit.
Mount Kilimanjaro is situated 205 miles from the equator in Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania. It was formed by volcanic activity when molten rocks erupted and piled on the earth’s surface. There are three volcanic cones on the mountain, namely; Shira at 3,962 meters above sea level, Mawenzi at 5,149 meters above sea level, and Kibo at 5,895 meters above sea level. Kibo could erupt again, while Mawenzi and Shira are extinct. The most recent eruption of Kibo was 200,000 years ago.
The origin of the name Kilimanjaro is not clear, but European explorers adopted the name by the 1860s and suggested that Kilimanjaro was a Swahili name for the mountain derived from the words “Kilima,” meaning mountain, and “Njaro,” translated from the Chagga word meaning whiteness.
Mount Kilimanjaro National Park was first established as a forest reserve in 1921 to protect its unique ecosystem. In 1973, the forest reserve was upgraded into a national park to include the mountain and its adjacent forest corridors. The park was expanded in 2005, and UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1987. There are five different climatic zones on Mount Kilimanjaro, including; cultivated zone, rainforest zone, heather-moorland zone, alpine desert zone, and arctic summit climate zone.
Animals on Mount Kilimanjaro
The forested slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro support a habitat for several wildlife species found within Kilimanjaro National Park. The main activity in the park is mountain climbing, but trekkers can sometimes spot wildlife on the slopes.
Some examples of wildlife on Kilimanjaro include forest elephants, giraffes, African buffalos, mantled guereza, Jackson’s chameleon, leopards, tree hyrax, old-world monkeys, tree hyrax, black rhinos, common duiker, African pitta, four-striped mouse, marsh mongoose, blue monkey, baboons, serval cat, colobus monkeys, aardvark, white-tailed mongoose, porcupines, bush baby, honey badger, and many others.
Birds of Kilimanjaro
There are 716 species of birds recorded on Kilimanjaro, and 22 of these species are globally threatened. Examples of birds found include white-browed coucal, white-faced whistling duck, African black coucal, little swift, Nyanza swift, fulvous whistling duck, maccoa duck, African black duck, cape teal, northern pintail, spur-winged goose, white-backed duck, African pygmy goose, vulturine guinea fowl, helmeted guinea fowl, blue quail, common quail, scaly francolin, yellow-necked spurfowl, Shelley’s francolin, lesser and greater flamingo, black-necked grebe, rock dove, mourning collared dove, chestnut-bellied sandgrouse, European nightjar, montane nightjar, scarce swift, African palm swift, white-browed coucal, yellow-billed kites, klaa’s cuckoo, Madagascar cuckoo, black crake, purple swamp hen, red-knobbed coot, red-chested flufftail, grey crowned crane, white-bellied bustard, yellow-billed stork, pink-backed pelican, squacco heron, African sacred ibis, long-tailed cormorant, water thick-knee, common ringed plover, African jacana, common snipe, double-banded courser, African skimmer, secretary bird, black-winged kite, crowned eagle, pallied harrier, common barn owl, speckled mousebird, Narina’s trogon, green-backed honeybird, olive woodpecker, yellow-rumped tinkerbird, brown-breasted barbet, lilac-breasted roller, woodland kingfisher, grey parrot, yellow-collared lovebird, African golden oriole, white-crested helmet shrike, and fork-tailed drongo, to mention a few.
Biking Tours
One of the most unique ways to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro is by climbing the summit on a bike. The Kilema route is the only biking route established for cycling Africa’s highest mountain. The route covers a distance of 19 kilometers for visitors bound to reach the summit, and there is also a 44-kilometer ride for clients not bound to reach the summit. Mount Kilimanjaro cycling permit costs $500 per person.
Nature Walks
There are several trails established on Mount Kilimanjaro mountain slopes for guided nature walks. This is usually done by people who can’t climb the mountain but still want some experience on Mount Kilimanjaro. During your guided nature walk, the guide will point out several species of plants, animals, and birds for you to learn more about the park’s flora and fauna.
Best Time to See Wildlife in Kilimanjaro
The best time for wildlife watching on Mount Kilimanjaro is during the drier months of June to September and December to February when the vegetation is not thick, making it easier to spot wildlife. Wildlife also concentrates at permanent water points during the drier months.
Wildlife watching at Mount Kilimanjaro National Park may not be as rewarding as in other wilderness national parks in Tanzania.
Travelers seeking an outstanding wildlife experience can climb Mount Kilimanjaro and visit other nearby national parks for wildlife watching, such as Arusha National Park, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara National Park, and Tarangire National Park.
June to September and December to February are also the best times for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro because the hiking trails are less slippery and muddy, making the journey to the summit easier, and the views during this time of the year are also outstanding.
