| 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. 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 meters – to an imperious
5,895 meters (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……….
But there is so much more to Kilimanjaro
than her summit. The ascent of the
slopes is a virtual climatic world
tour, from the tropics to the Arctic.
Even before you cross the national
park boundary (at the 2,700m contour),
the cultivated foot-slopes give way
to lush montane forest, inhabited
by elusive elephant, leopard, buffalo,
the endangered Abbot’s duiker,
and other small antelope and primates.
Higher still lies the moorland zone,
where a cover of giant heather is
studded with otherworldly giant lobelias.
Above 4,000m, a surreal alpine desert
supports little life other than a
few hardy mosses and lichen. Then,
finally, the last vestigial vegetation
gives way to a winter wonderland of
ice and snow – and the magnificent
beauty of the roof of the continent. |
