10 Fascinating Facts About Kilimanjaro- The Roof Of Africa!

Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the most spectacular sites to encounter in nature. It has three volcanic cones, several ecosystems and stunning landscapes.

High-altitude climbers from all over the world come to Mount Kilimanjaro. To experience the intensity of trekking the world’s largest freestanding mountain.

You can always learn something new whether you’re on Mount Kilimanjaro’s slopes or its peak.

Let’s have a look at some interesting facts about Kilimanjaro.

10 Fascinating Facts about Kilimanjaro

Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro is an amazing natural landmark that’s well-known around the world. There are some lesser-known features of Kilimanjaro as well. Let’s find them out.

1.1 Kilimanjaro is one of Earth’s seven Summits

The Seven Summits are the tallest mountains on each of the continents. Height, geography, and climbing difficulties all differ widely among them. People view them as a challenge.

• Others want to finish what is known as the Adventurer’s Grand Slam by travelling to both the North and South Poles.
• The fourth-highest of the Seven Summits, Mount Kilimanjaro, is located in Africa.
• Kilimanjaro is regarded as the simplest of the seven summits. Andis extremely popular with both experienced climbers and beginner adventurers.

Kilimanjaro is not something that you need a pick axe or rope to climb up, it can be climbed up without these two things.

1.2 Kilimanjaro is on the Equator

The line dividing the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere is known as the equator. It divides the Earth in half as it travels through the absolute centre of the planet.

• Tanzania, where Mount Kilimanjaro is located, is only 205 miles from the equator.
• Because everyone believed ice couldn’t grow so close to the hot, tropical sun. People did not believe the early explorers when they claimed to have seen glaciers on Kilimanjaro’s summit.

Now, scientists think that during the planet’s ice ages, the glaciers contract and then expand again.

1.3 Three volcanic cones created Mount Kilimanjaro

Volcanic eruptions created Kilimanjaro. The peak originally included the volcanic cones of Kibo, Shira, and Mawenzi.

• The highest and centre cone is called Kibo. The top of Mount Kilimanjaro is located here.
• The third tallest peak in Africa after Kibo and Mount Kenya, Mawenzi is a rocky peak. Mawenzican be seen clearly from the Rongai and Northern Circuit routes.
• Shira is not a summit anymore. On the western side of the mountain, the Shira Plateau was formed when the peak’s height, which is thought to have been around 16,000 feet, collapsed.

Kilimanjaro trekking routes are covered by the Lemosho, Shira, and Machame routes.

1.4 Kilimanjaro is considered Inactive

As a very massive volcano comprised of ash, lava, and rock, Mount Kilimanjaro is classified as a stratovolcano. Since Shira and Mawenzi were once active volcanoes, nothing is happening beneath them now. They are essentially cut off from their source of lava.

• But since Kibo is a dormant volcano, it still has the possibility of erupting.

Scientists classify a volcano as dormant if it hasn’t erupted in the last 10,000 years. But researchers anticipate another eruption.

1.5 The origin of the name is not certain

By 1860, European explorers had adopted the name and claimed that the Swahili word for the mountain was “Kilimanjaro.”

• However, The Nuttall Encyclopaedia’s 1907 edition claims that the peak’s real name was ‘Kilima-Njaro.’ It’s a combination of the Swahili and Chagga words for “whiteness” and “mountain” respectively.

Another suggestion is that the name Kilimanjaro is a KiChagga expression that means “we tried to climb it but failed.”

1.6 Athletes of the highest class have ascended Kilimanjaro swiftly

You’ll be impressed by the speed with which Kilimanjaro has been conquered. Karl Egloff, a Swiss climber, ascended Kilimanjaro in record time in 2014, taking just 6 hours and 42 minutes.

• The 2010 ascent of Uhuru Peak by Spanish mountain runner Killian Jornet in just 5 hours 23 minutes and 50 seconds is another significant achievement.

In 2015, Anne-Marie Flammersfeld set a record for the quickest ascent and descent by a woman on Mount Kilimanjaro. Summiting in 8 hours 32 minutes and descending in 12 hours 58 minutes overall.

1.7 The ice cap on Kilimanjaro will eventually vanish

The glaciers on Kilimanjaro serve as a symbol of human-caused climate change.

• Since 1912, its icecap has decreased by 82%. According to scientists, it might take 50 years for the glaciers to vanish entirely. It is believed that deforestation, not necessarily global warming, is the cause of this.
• To address the problem, about 5 million native trees were planted near the mountain’s base in 2008.

The time to climb Kilimanjaro is now if you are considering it.

1.8 Kilimanjaro’s woodland is the only place where a lovely flower can be found.

The impressive lower Kilimanjaro rainforest is the only area on earth where the everlasting Kilimanjaro impatiens (impatiens kilimanjari) may be found. This tiny, colourful wildflower is huge on impression despite its tiny size. The base of its pinkish-red blossoms, which curve like a tail, softens into yellow. Moreover, its pollen and petals are purple, as if that weren’t amazing enough! The plant’s broad, wavy leaves are a lovely deep green as well.

1.9 Kilimanjaro was first ascended in the nineteenth century!

Yoanas Kinyala Lauwo of Marangu, Ludwig Purtscheller, a German geologist, and Hans Meyer of Germany made the first successful ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro in 1889.

This team was also the first to learn important information about Mount Kilimanjaro. Such as the fact that the Kibo volcanic cone contains a crater and was once covered by ice.

1.10 The highland vegetation on Kilimanjaro is extraordinary

Giant groundsels are one of Mount Kilimanjaro’s moorland show stoppers. They are magnificent, tall, top-heavy plants.

Most noteworthy African plants include:

• Protea kilimandscharica, also known as Alpine Sugarbushes: It’s a highly attractive variety of protea with reddish-brown and pale yellow blossoms.
• Because of its red, orange, and yellow petals, Thomson’s red hot pokers (kniphofia thomsonii) are a species of red hot pokers also called torch lilies.

You can also see giant lobelias (lobelia deckenii). They’re indigenous to Tanzania’s mountains.

Now that you know some facts about Kilimanjaro, your Kilimanjaro trek will be even more exciting. Please don’t hesitate to contact us on the following details if you have any remarks and, or suggestions.

Contact no : +255 762 688 721 or

Email: info@kilimanjarodreamers.com

Conclusion

In a nutshell, Kilimanjaro, the roof of Africa, is both fascinating and challenging. And what is even more rewarding is conquering it. So accept Kilimanjaro as a challenge and stand on its top.