Mount Kilimanjaro National Park travel guide
Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Overview
Mount Kilimanjaro National Park is a beautiful example of East African scenery. The park is home to Mount Kilimanjaro, a very popular and well-known mountain. Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcanic mountain in Tanzania, made up of three volcanic cones: Mawenzi, Kibo, and Shira.
It is the tallest freestanding mountain in the world and a popular tourist destination in Tanzania. The hike is physically demanding and risky, but the feeling of accomplishment from reaching the Uhuru peak is worth the effort. The mountain rises approximately 4,900 meters from the base to a breathtaking 5,895 meters above sea level.
Wildlife in Mount Kilimanjaro National Park
The Mount Kilimanjaro National Park is home to a variety of wildlife, including Cape buffaloes, which live in the forest surrounding the park. This makes it a great destination for safari-goers and hikers alike. The African Elephants are one of the most eye-catching species in the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park.
They are often seen in big herds traversing the lands between the Namwai and Tarankia rivers. Other animals that you might see in the park include monkeys, colobuses, bush babies, leopards, giraffes, bats, and antelopes.
Where is Mount Kilimanjaro National park
This national park is located in Tanzania, south of the border with Kenya and northeast of Arusha National Park. Mount Kilimanjaro Np is located at coordinates of 2°50’–3°10’S latitude and 37°10’–37°40’E longitude. The mountain can be easily accessed through different routes which favor the hikers to make their choice depending on the ease of hike.
Best Time to Visit Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro is located near the Equator and therefore experiences both dry and wet seasons. Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro during the wet season can be dangerous due to slippery trails, snow, mud, and other weather disasters. The dry season, which is the best time to hike Mount Kilimanjaro, runs from December to March and from late June through September. Therefore, be sure to book your Mount Kilimanjaro Hiking Safari during these months.
Things to do at Mount Kilimanjaro Np
The park features stunning natural attractions like Mount Kilimanjaro, Chala Crater Lake, and Kibo Peaks, making mountain climbing the most popular tourist activity. Other park activities include nature hikes, mammalian and bird watching, trekking, camping, and visiting the Maasai tribe. Here are Some things to do in Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro National Park during your safari including hiking, wildlife watching, and visiting waterfalls.
Bird watching; Kilimanjaro National Park is home to over 150 bird species, making it a great destination for bird lovers. Both resident and migratory birds from all over the world, including Asia, can be found in the park. Some of the birds you might see during your visit include the black-shouldered kite, long-tailed trogon, Gabar goshawk, blue-naped mousebirds, grey hornbill, African fish eagles, white-cheeked barbet, African pygmy kingfisher, red-capped robin chat, and white-necked raven.
Kilimanjaro climbing; The most popular activity in Kilimanjaro National Park is hiking up Africa’s highest freestanding summit. Thousands of tourists visit the country solely to do so. Climbing Kilimanjaro is mostly easy, except for the altitude which can be challenging.
There are seven routes to the summit of Kilimanjaro and two routes for descending the mountain. Some routes are more difficult than others, some have a higher chance of success rate, and some are more rewarding in terms of scenery and wildlife. The longest routes take five to nine days.
- Wildlife viewing; Kilimanjaro National Park is home to many different animals, which you may be able to see while hiking to certain spots. Most visitors come to Kilimanjaro National Park to climb the mountain, so game viewing isn’t a priority.
- Kilimanjaro has many fascinating creatures, but for giant African mammals like the Big Five, we recommend a Tanzania safari in one of the other big national parks, like Ngorongoro or Serengeti.
- Walk to the Shira plateau.: The Shira Plateau is a popular destination for wildlife enthusiasts because of its rich variety of species. It is also one of the routes to Mount Kilimanjaro. The plateau is the remains of a volcano that erupted over 500,000 years ago. Because the environment is dense, you may have to look carefully for elephants, buffalos, and elands
- Visit Chala Crater Lake; Chala crater lake is located near the Kenyan-Tanzanian border, in a crater caused by volcanic activity on Mount Kilimanjaro. The waters of the lake can vary in color depending on the time of year, from turquoise blue to midnight blue or emerald green. tilapia, which can only be found here. Swimming is permitted in the lake, although there are no lifeguards on duty.
- Discover Olpopongi; One of the best things to do on a safari in Kilimanjaro national park is to visit Olpopongi, where you can experience authentic African culture. You can visit the kraals, where the Maasai lived, and learn about their traditions, customs, and history. You can also try local food, and chat with the Maasai about their culture.
How to get to kilimanjaro
A Mount Kilimanjaro hike will typically set off from one of two towns. Arusha lies to the southwest of the mountain and Moshi directly south. There are many things to explore in these areas, from giant waterfalls and monkey forests to volcanic waterholes. There are also some of the most amazing national parks in the world, which are full of wildlife.
You can fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and get to both towns easily. If you are coming from Dar es Salaam then there are plenty of buses, as well as flights from the paradise island of Zanzibar and neighboring Kenya.
Some airlines that fly there direct are.
Precision Air, Kenya Airways, KLM, and Qatar Airlines all offer direct flights to Kilimanjaro International Airport from various cities. Additionally, Condor Air offers direct flights from Frankfurt to Kilimanjaro airport.