Kilimanjaro National Park


Did you know?
Nearly every kind of ecological system is found on the mountain, cultivated land, rain forest, heath, moorland, alpine desert and an arctic summit (Uhuru).
Mount Kilimanjaro is more popular than the country it’s in (Tanzania)
Before the internet revolution, many travellers thought Mount Kilimanjaro is in Kenya
The Kilimanjaro is one of few places in Africa with permanent snow
HISTORY OF KILIMANJARO NATIONAL PARK.
The history goes back in the early twentieth century when the Mountain and the adjacent forests were announced as a game reserve by the German colonial government.
In 1921, it was designated as a forest reserve and in 1973, the mountain above the tree line (about 2,700 metres (8,900 ft)) was reclassified as a national park.
The park was stated a world heritage site by the UNESCO in 1987. In 2005, the park was expanded to include the entire montane forest, which had been part of the Kilimanjaro Forest Reserve.
KILIMANJARO NATIONAL PARK HILIGHTS
WHAT TO DO IN KILIMANJARO NATIONAL PARK.
Wildlife Viewing.
Mount Kilimanjaro has an abundance of animals. The park itself is a moorland zone, which means you’ll find lush vegetation with plenty of rainfall. Even at ground level, you’ll still be higher than sea level, so you might have some trouble breathing and adjusting to the altitude.
Easy hikes are available on the moorland, and you might need to be guided by an armed park ranger to reach some areas because of the potential danger from large animals such as buffalos and elephant. A trek will also allow you to see black and white colobus, bush pigs, mongooses, elephant shrew and a number of other animals.
Most visitors who come to the park want to either see or climb Kilimanjaro. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is an awesome and a lifetime experience, it does not require any technical climbing skills. The easiest climb is via the Rongai Route, which takes six days to get you to the Uhuru summit.
Visit Chala crater lake.
Lake Chala is a caldera lake which lies on the shadows of Mount Kilimanjaro. It gets its clean and cold water from Mount Kilimanjaro. The lake is well known for its wonderfully changing colours. From deepest turquoise to emerald green to azure and all colours in between.
It’s a perfect place to relax and unwind and you will have the chance of hiking the picture-perfect countryside around the lake, swimming in its shiny waters or kayaking across the border to Kenya.
Cycling.
Another awesome activity tourist can do on Kilimanjaro is exploring Mount Kilimanjaro on two wheels. Tourist can make their safari more experimental by cycling to the highest peak of Africa through Kilema route (cycling).
The cycling will let you across farmlands of Chagga people. This activity is recommended to a well-experienced mountain bikes accompanied by a professional Kilimanjaro guide.
Bird watching.
Mount Kilimanjaro hosts different species of birds. It is believed to be home to over 150 bird species some of which are migratory and others are endemic to the area.
Some of the birds found in the Kilimanjaro national park are white-cheeked barbet, white-necked raven, Gabar goshawk, blue napped mousebirds, grey hornbill and capped robin chat.
When to hike the Kilimanjaro.
It’s possible to climb Kilimanjaro Mountain through the year, but we recommend avoiding the rainy months. For the best chance of dry conditions, hike between July and October or January to mid-March.
Below is an overview of the weather throughout the year.
January to March (partially rainy).
The end of March to mid-May (long rainy season).
June to August (dry season).
September and October (dry season).
November and December (rainy season).
Getting to Kilimanjaro.
The best airport to fly in to is Kilimanjaro international airport, from there our team will pick you up, transfer you to your hotel where you will be collected by the guide before your hike.
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