Mount Kilimanjaro is the crown of Tanzania. With an altitude of 19,340 feet, it is the highest peak in Africa, the highest freestanding mountain in the world, and one of the largest volcanoes. On a clear day this impressive formation can be seen from more than 100 miles away, and although it is only three degrees below the Equator, its peak is permanently covered with snow and ice. The base of the immense mountain has a diameter of about 43 miles! Elephants, leopards, lions and Colobus monkeys are among the residents of the park.

The lush rain forests ensure the fertility of the countryside below, where the Chagga cultivate their coffee, maize and bananas. Mount Kilimanjaro can be climbed most of the year, although it is inadvisable during the rainy season, which is April and May, and during the short rains in November.

The summit of Kilimanjaro is definitely a challenge, and there are risks involved, but it can be reached by any reasonably fit person who enjoys hiking, and reaching the summit will be an experience of a lifetime! Climbing Kilimanjaro takes between five and ten days - we recommend a minimum of seven days as this will allow your body to acclimatize to the altitude and increase your chances of actually making it to the peak.