Mount Kilimanjaro is home to 179 bird species and 140 species of mammals. Some people claim to have spotted buffalo and elephants. The name Kilimanjaro has got various translations from different local tribal languages others mean “mountain of greatness” “little mountain” “mountain of the cold devils” “mountain of caravans” “shining mountain and so much more. There’s a book stored in the wooden box at the summit of Kilimanjaro. Most of the climbers who succeed to reach the summit write their thoughts in this book. Almost every kind of ecological system can be found on Mount Kilimanjaro starting from cultivated land, rain forests, heath, moorland, alpine desert and arctic summit. The best time for climbing Kilimanjaro is from June to October and January and February.
When to go on Kilimanjaro Tours
Mount Kilimanjaro is situated in the east part of Africa in Tanzania,. Its Africa’s highest mountain and the worlds highest free standing mountain. The mountain offers panoramic views of Africa that your unlikely to forget in a life time. The mountain is visited by over 50,000 tourists every year and has been recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site. The main activity is mountain climbing though there are also other minor activities. There are six scenic routes used for exploring Mount Kilimanjaro.
After a volcanic activity on the mountain, the challa crater was formed at the shadow of mount Kilimanjaro. The sight of the lake is beautiful to behold. The color of the lakes water varies from turquoise blue and emerald green. The only accommodation available here is lake challa safari camp. On the western part of Kibo lies the Shira plateau. Its positioned in one the mountain trekking routes. This caldera plateau can be walked on and you feel the remnants of the volcanic activity of over 500,000 years ago. Occasionally, you will come across elephants and buffaloes in this plateau.