Thousands of tourists fly daily to Africa to experience and marvel at the beauty of this spectacular giant “Kilimanjaro” the highest mountain of South Africa. The mountain reaches the elevation of 19,340 feet (5,895 meters), located in Tanzania, east Africa.

Also for tourists visiting the Niagra or the South Africa Safaris, many agencies offer connecting flights and itineraries including a hiking trip on the Kilimanjaro. For more details about ongoing special offers on flights to Kilimanjaro with leading European and African airlines visit cheap flights to Tanzania.

The first human feet to triumph over the mighty terrains of the Kilimanjaro were Hans Meyer (Germany), Yoanas Kinyala Lauwo (Tanzania), and Ludwig Purtscheller (Austria) on October 5, 1889. Kilimanjaro lies within the 756-square-kilometer Kilimanjaro National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is one of the few places on earth that encompasses every ecological life zone including tropical jungle, savannah, and desert to montane forests, subalpine plants, and the alpine zone above timberline

Before you pack up your bags there is history and facts for your quick reference:-

• Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and fourth highest of the Seven Summits.
• The meaning and origin of the name Kilimanjaro is a myth. However some say its a combination of the Swahili word Kilima, meaning “mountain,” and the KiChagga word Njaro, loosely translated as “whiteness,” giving the name White Mountain by dint of its visible snow capped peaks.
• Kilimanjaro has 2.2 square kilometers of glacial ice.
• It is the tallest freestanding mountain in the world, rising 15,100 feet (4,600 meters) from base to summit.
• Kilimanjaro was built by successive lava flows. It is composed of three distinct volcanic cones, Mawenzi, Shira and Kibo.
• Two of its three peaks—Mawenzi and Shira—are extinct while Kibo, the highest peak is dormant and could erupt again.
• The last major eruption was 360,000 years ago, while the most recent activity was only 200 years ago.
• Uhuru Peak is the highest summit on Kibo’s crater rim.

Climbing Kilimanjaro is not difficult, it requires almost no technical climbing or mountaineering experience. Almost any one can enjoy a climb. However, it is mandatory to climb with a licensed guide and have porters carry your equipment. The only challenge and danger is the high altitude as improper acclimatization and altitude sickness can prove fatal.

The glaciers, topping this majestic beauty are at high risk by global warming. They have shrunk 82% since 1912 and declined 33% since 1989. It may be ice free within 20 years, dramatically affecting local drinking water, crop irrigation, and hydroelectric power. We should all play our role so that:

“What is beauty can stay beautiful”.

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