Tanzania has the highest mountain on the continent – the great extinct volcano of Kilimanjaro which is 5,895m (19,345ft) into the air. Climbing it is an incredible challenge.

Kilimanjaro. The name itself is a mystery wreathed in clouds. It might mean

Mountain of Light, Mountain of Greatness or Mountain of Caravans. Or it might not. The local people, the Wachagga, don't even have a name for the whole massif, only Kipoo (now known as Kibo) for the familiar snowy peak that stands imperious, overseer of the continent, the summit of Africa.

Kilimanjaro, by any name, is a metaphor for the compelling beauty of East Africa. When you see it, you understand why. Not only is this the highest peak on the African continent; it is also the tallest free-standing

mountain in the world, rising in breathtaking isolation from the surrounding coastal scrubland – elevation around 900 metres – to an imperious 5,895 metres (19,336 feet).

Kilimanjaro is one of the world's most accessible high summits, a beacon for visitors from around the world. Most climbers reach the crater rim with little more than a walking stick, proper clothing and determination. And those who reach Uhuru Point, the actual summit, or Gillman's Point on the lip of the crater, will have earned their climbing certificates. And their memories.

Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest, as well as the youngest, of the three peaks

volcanoes of East Africa. Mount Kenya (5,199m) and Elgon (4,321m) being the other two. Their oldest lavas may be only some 1 million years old, and small-scale activities on the peak of Kibo has probably taken place within the last couple hundred years. Kilimanjaro is a “Central Vent” type of Volcano, which gives it an oval shape in plain view.

The base of Mt Kilimanjaro is about 80 x 48 km, elongated in the East – South – East direction. The older rock of its three main peaks are broadly similar, being mainly trachba salts, dark grey rocks containing lighter colored felspar crystals. The younger rock of Kibo is, however, of a different composition, and includes nephelirites and nepheline – synites which contain glassy crystals of nepheline.

Of the three peaks, Shira to the west at 4006m is the lowest as well as the oldest of the three peaks and its original crater has undergone considerable erosion, leaving only part of the former rim.

Kibo, the central peak, is the youngest and best preserved of the three. Its crater area has a complex structure consisting of a number of more or less concentric features. There is an outer caldera not longer than 2.5km in diameter, resulting from an eruption followed by the collapse of the inner part of the summit.

Mawenzi to the East rises to 5149m and has a steep craggy profile, due in part to the intensive action of glacial ice.
Uhuru peak, the highest point is on the southern rim of Kibo Caldera. Within the caldera is an inner cone some 820m across. The same cone contains another cone and a crater (called the Reusch Crater), some 340m in diameter.

Trekking holidays on the mountain takes us through picturesque zones. These vary according to different altitudes. Here we learn about various alpine flora and fauna.

Rain Forest Zone Leaving the populated area behind, we enter the rain forest zone. The real rain forest is along Marangu, Machame and Lemosho routes. The dominant trees here are mangroves, podo trees, hygenia abyssinia, pencil cedar, etc. It is not uncommon to see some wildlife in these rain forest zones. Animals like buffalos, elephants, antelopes, monkeys, etc, are the ones which might be seen. Birds are also numerous in this areas. These include turraco, white necked raven, etc.

Giant Heather Zone The heather zone is so beautifully decorated with giant ericas with their hanging lichens (old man's beard). This is especially true during the rain seasons. We spot various attractive alpine flowers such as gladiolus, red and hot porkers, impatiens, alpine forest lily, etc.

Moorland Zone We come across some giant mountain groundsels such as lobelia and senecio. These are found at the altitude of 4000 meters (13,000 ft). Lobelia can grow up to 5 meters and senecio to 10 meters. In this zones, weather is unreliable and changeable. Here we begin to experience more windy conditions, as there are no tall trees to shelter us.

Alpine Desert Zone In this zone we find no vegetations except few perennial flowers such as helichrysum. The terrain is rocky everywhere. The weather is always windy here. The only fauna here is the alpine chat bird. Very rarely we spot elands especially when they come up here for calcium carbonate that is usually found in these rocks.

Snow Cap Zone This is a glaciated zone with very big glaciers. The temperature in this zone is always at the freezing point. It is also very windy and air is very thin. One must be well equipped to withstand these conditions.