153 Mount Kilimanjaro Facts That Will Absolutely Amaze You

Mountains are elevated landforms from the surrounding surface.

Trekking to mountain summits can create a superior and powerful feeling in the human mind. However, some people barely know anything more about these gigantic structures than they are made of stones.

Three different forms of mountains exist on Earth's surface: volcanic mountains, folded mountains, and mountains formed from soil erosion. We have all heard about Mount Everest, the highest summit on Earth.

The second-largest mountain is K-2, on the China- Pakistan border. This one is the deadliest mountain and is nicknamed 'savage mountain.'

Interestingly, a mammal, the rocky mountain goat, is a skilled climber who can climb to the mountain top with more outstanding expertise than an experienced mountaineer. The natural inhabitants of these hills have more extended longevity than city dwellers due to fresh air and water.

Let's learn some interesting facts about one such famous mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro.

Read the Kilauea Volcano Facts and the 1944 Vesuvius Eruption if you are interested in more fun facts.

Fun Facts About Mount Kilimanjaro

The 20,000 ft (6096 m) Mount Kilimanjaro has fascinated climbers since 1889. The mountain is widely known for its charm and beauty.

Climbers will get a better view of the mountain from Amboseli National Park in Kenya, even though it is in Tanzania. Climbers who scaled the heights cherish the memory of the climb throughout their lives. Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano positioned in Tanzania, one of the famous countries in East Africa.

The origin of the name Kilimanjaro is obscure. Still, many theories suggest that Kilimanjaro was the Swahili name of the mountain used by the native East Africans.

 As per The Nuttall Encyclopædia, the mountain's original name was 'Kilima-Njaro,' where 'Kilima' means 'mountain' and 'Njaro' means whiteness. Joahaan Krapf suggested that the name represented a mountain of great prominence or hill of caravans. Some writers suggest that it also means white hill.

Anyone above the age of 10 is allowed to climb the summit. Several tour operators who are experienced in trekking are there to help climbers. They provide the climbers enough preparation and warning on all the aspects of the mountain.

Big animals are rarely seen on the Kilimanjaro mount, though they are usually seen in Kilimanjaro forests and valleys because of the availability of food and water. Still, trekkers must be vigilant against wild elephants and certain buffaloes.

Elephant lovers will get a chance to see plenty of elephants if they pass through the Rongai route.

Other routes also offer excellent views of animals such as cats, monkeys, and antelopes. Typical animals along the summit routes are colobus monkey, serval cat, aardvark, tree hyrax, duiker(a type of antelope), white-tailed mongoose, marsh mongoose, and white-necked raven.

Mount Kilimanjaro is a UNESCO world heritage property. Kilimanjaro is renowned as the highest mountain in Africa.

This mountain became famous because the climbers find it the easiest to climb among other mountains. The average height of the base portion is 16,732 ft (5,100 m) high.

In terms of its height, Mount Kilimanjaro stands in the fourth position after Mount Everest, Aconcagua, and Denali. The successful maiden climb was done by the German Hans Meyer and Ludwig Purtscheller on October 6th, 1889. Their team included some local climbers, a cook, and nine porters.

Before that, European explorers tried climbing Kilimanjaro but failed to reach the summit due to harsh weather. Swiss mountain guide Karl Egloff made the fastest ascent to the summit in 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 24 seconds, and he broke the record of Kilian Jornet, a Spanish climber.

A fantastic park has been set up in Tanzania around 186 mi (300 km) south of the equator in the Kilimanjaro region. The park is known as Kilimanjaro National Park. The park covers the whole mountain area above the tree line and is taken care of by the Tanzanian National Parks Authority.

The fascinating ice cap of the mountain has been deteriorating and has lost around 80% since 2012. Scientists have predicted that the mountain will become entirely ice-free in 20 years.

A detailed study on the cores of mount Kilimanjaro proved that tropical glaciers have started to emulate 11,600 years ago. They also provide information on the three significant droughts that affected the tropics 5000 years ago.

Many trees have also been planted to protect the mountain from soil erosion and to protect them from soil erosion. Interestingly, a person with cerebral palsy from South Africa, Bernard Goosen, climbed the highest mountain twice in a wheelchair, creating a world record.

Even though many people worldwide venture out to conquer Kilimanjaro's summit, altitude-related issues prevent many from discontinuing the process.

Geographical Facts About Mount Kilimanjaro

Johannes Behmann, a German missionary, reached the African continent in 1846. He conducted missionary works among the tribal population.

While he was continuing his work into the interior parts of the country, in 1848, he became the first person to find out the mountain. Mount Kilimanjaro is called a stratovolcano, which means it is still lively and composed of lava, ash, and rock.

The volcanic peak Kibo is the highest and the central peak, and Mount Kilimanjaro is situated on this peak. Other summits Shira and Mawenzi have become extinct.

The mountain has the credit of the tallest mountain in Africa and the world's tallest free-standing mountain. Most other famous mountains are seen as ranges.

The free-standing mountain is formed due to volcanic eruption when the molten rock breaks up from the Earth's crust and forms a mass on the surface. Everyone knows that the equator is an imaginary line passing through the Earth's center.

The climate at the equator remains the same throughout the year, and Mount Kilimanjaro lies around 205 mi (329 km) away from the equator.

Science proved that the ice caps shrink and regrow during the ice age. Every type of landform can be seen on the mountain, including rainforest and moorland.

More than 386 sq. miles (1,000 sq. kilometers) of the mountain have been covered with natural forests. We can also find plenty of vegetation such as maize, wheat, beans, and sunflower on the foothills.

Its also been noted that the vegetation has been diverse over time. A sector on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro is known as The Tussok grassland, where we can find several unique varieties of vegetation. The average temperature at the highest peak is 19.4 F (-7 C).

As the mountain lies on the equator, it does not experience winter or summer. August to December is the best season to climb up the mountain as the rate of precipitation will be less during this period.

The average temperature at the mountain base is between 69-80 F (21-27 C). At the same time, the Temperature at Uhuru park is between 32 to -22 F (0 to -30 C).

A climber must pass through five different climate zones while ascending the Kilimanjaro mountain. The climate zones are Alpine Desert Zone, Arctic Zone, Cultivation Zone, Heather-Mooreland zone, and Rainforest Zone.

The cultivation zone receives plenty of rainfall and is more fertile than other areas. Tropical rain forest encircles the mountain, and it's home to a wide range of animal species. Heath and Mooreland are covered with scrubby shrubs and massive rocks.

Animals are hardly seen in this zone. Also, the Highland Alpine Desert is unproductive and lonely. Arctic Summit Zone is covered with glaciers and stones.

This zone experiences intense temperature during day time and extreme cold at night. Applying sunscreen will help you to get rid of the harsh weather.

Facts About Mount Kilimanjaro's Climbers

There are seven official routes to reach Mount Kilimanjaro. Lemosho, Shira, Northern Circuit, Marangu, Rongai, Machame, and Umbwe. The Marangu path is the most popular as the route is not so sloppy and provides hut accommodation on route.

This route is also called the 'cocoa cola' route and is the busiest one. But Lembosho tower offers mind-blowing scenery. People who want crowd-free trekking can opt for this route.

Mount Kilimanjaro has the credit of being the tallest mountain on the continent of Africa. It consists of three volcanic sectors, Mawenzi, Kibo, and Shira. Kibo is stronger than the other two, which have got extinct over time. The last major eruption took place from Kibo 360,000 thousand years before, and another major eruption took place 200,000 years before.

The mountain's highest peak, Kibo, is Uhuru peak, and the climbers who reach the Uhuru peak would enter their record on a book kept on a wooden box there. The Uhuru peak is 19,324.1 ft (5.89 km ) above sea level.

However, many youngsters venture out to climb Kilimanjaro to conquer its highest peak to reach the Uhuru peak; Frenchman Valtee Daniel's oldest person became successful. He was 87 years old.

Climbing Kilimanjaro does not need any proficiency or any equipment. Climbing Kilimanjaro is more of a fun 'walk up' or a 'hiking' climb.

Usually, it takes five to ten days to climb Kilimanjaro depending on the chosen trekking pace. Some particular over enthusiast trekkers have reached the highest summit in mount Kilimanjaro even within one day.

It is advisable to climb Kilimanjaro slowly to adjust to the altitude changes. Umbwe provides the shortest distance to reach the mount Kilimanjaro summit whereas, the longest is the Northern Circuit. However, the length of the passage determines the difficulty level, but the altitude changes and gradient factors also should be kept in mind.

A person needs to be fit for Mount Kilimanjaro, and it requires constant practice and training on mountaineering to reach the summit. The climbers must be careful against the warm, light weather on the summit.

It is always advisable to carry an oxygen cylinder as a precautionary measure to eliminate the sickness associated with altitude changes. Many people have been claimed to have died during the climbing-up process.

Facts About Mount Kilimanjaro's Eruption

Mount Kilimanjaro exists in the East Africa rift valley mountains. More than 1000 square kilometer of the mountain has been covered with forest. It is possible to see a wide range of animals such as elephants and buffaloes on the lower hill basins of the mountain. Snowfall in the mountains is more in November and March till May.

Mount Kilimanjaro consists of three volcanic cones: Mawenzi, Shira, and Kibo. Volcanic activity from the Shira started around 2.5 million years before, and the last major eruption occurred 1.5 million years ago.

Mawenzi and Kibo are volcanic cones that began erupting 1.5 million years ago. Studies have shown that the Saddle plateau segregates these volcanic cones, and Mawenzi has another zenith called Neumann Tower.

Kibo is the most prominent peak, and the last eruption took place 150,000 to 200,000 years ago. We can still find crater rim that releases carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen chloride on the Kibo summit.

There are around 1,500 vigorous volcanoes in the world. Each year, fifty erupt, emanating steam, ash, and gases.

Mount Kilimanjaro came into existence 750,000 years before, and as years passed, the mountain became more significant due to eruptions. There are chances that the Kibo summit in the Kilimanjaro mountain range would again erupt. Studies conducted in 2003 revealed that heated magma flows beneath the summit predicting a future eruption.

The highest Kilimanjaro summit on the Kibo's crater peak is the Uhuru peak. The name 'Uhuru' in Swahili means 'freedom.'

Uhuru peak is situated 19340 ft (5,895 m) above sea level. Reaching this peak is the destination of every climber, and the place provides a scenic view of and Tanzania. The mountain maintains its peaceful slumber amid all the noisy people who visit its summit.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created many interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 153 Mount Kilimanjaro Facts That Will Absolutely Amaze You, then why not take a look at Mauna Loa Facts or Most Dangerous Volcano.