Africa's highest point, Mount Kilimanjaro, is located in... What Kilimanjaro looks like. Machame Trail
In ancient times, the tribes who lived at the foot of Kilimanjaro had never seen snow, so they were convinced that the top of the volcano was covered with silver. But they did not dare to test this hypothesis for quite a long time, since there was a connection with the mountain. great amount myths telling of demons who lived above, guarding treasures.
One day, the local leader made up his mind and sent several warriors on reconnaissance. When they reached the top, they immediately grabbed the silver in their hands, and it melted. And then the aborigines, feeling the cold of the silvery cap of the volcano, called it “The Abode of the God of Cold” and began to use this name no less often than the previous one - “Kilimanjaro” or “Sparkling Mountain”.
At the end of the day we reach the hut and calm down. Today we will go into the jungle to the alpine pastures of Kilimanjaro. After a short steep climb through the rainforest we emerge into the open air. IN good weather from here we will have the opportunity to see the twin peaks of Uhuru and Mawangi rising above endless slopes of slopes, sloping steep slopes strewn with valleys. We are in a hut - this will be our home for the next two nights.
Today we will dedicate the day active rest and acclimatization. We return to the hut early in the afternoon and go on holiday - the final climb of the African champion begins tomorrow. Our route soon leaves the mountain pastures and enters the rocky plains between the two volcanic cones of Kibbo and Mawenzi. The crystalline atmosphere at this altitude will allow us to see both the peaks and the path to reach them. Early in the afternoon we reach the hut. We prepare the necessary day for climbing and go on vacation.
The Kilimanjaro volcano is so huge that its height is 5899 m, its length is 97 km, and its width is 64 km. The African continent is located at a slight distance from the main East African ridge, which stretches from east to west through the northern part of Tanzania. Kilimanjaro is located right on the border between this country and Kenya, and you can find it on the map using the following geographical coordinates Latitude 3° 4’ 32″ (3° 4’ 54) south and longitude 37° 21’ 11″ (37° 21’ 19) east.
Dinner will be served early to allow maximum time for rest and sleep. We are expecting a very early departure and a long night! Get up before midnight and have breakfast. Today is the day we have dreamed of - today is the day we will reach the highest point of Kilimanjaro! We begin by crossing the last stretches of rocky alpine slab, whose increasing slope takes us on a steep path, climbing short rolls to the final part of the volcanic cone. The climb to the crater rim will last over 4 hours and will be interrupted by short breaks for food and water.
Although the active volcanic activity of Kilimanjaro is not officially documented anywhere, there is information that the last strong eruption occurred quite recently - about two centuries ago. Currently, the mountain is considered, although an active, but inactive volcano, which can become active at any moment. At the top, emissions of sulfur and greenhouse gases have recently been recorded, and studies have shown that the lava is located some four hundred meters from earth's surface, under Uhuru Peak.
As the sun begins to rise above the horizon, we will emerge to the rim of the upper crater and see Gilmans. Next comes the cutting down of several stone needles and the exit through Stella Pointe. From here we can photograph the famous glaciers that crown the upper dome of Africa! Final effort - we pass through two fake clues and ahead of us, illuminated by the morning rays, the top mark is outlined! Take photos, rest for a while and begin your descent to the lowlands!
We will pass through Kibo hut where we will rest and have lunch before heading to Horombo hut. Today is our last day on the slopes of Africa's greatest mountain! We will pass through high mountain pastures and wet jungle before reaching Marangu Gate again early in the morning. Here we will say goodbye to our local team and we will write the book of an African champion!
What Kilimanjaro looks like
The highest mountain in Africa was formed more than a million years ago due to excessively active volcanic activity and has quite characteristic contours: its gentle slopes rise to an elongated flat top. It consists of three separate volcanoes, which once united into one.
Today begins our favorite part of the trip to Tanzania - the safari! Our luggage will be loaded onto high-speed jeeps and we will head into the heart of the savannah! Our first goal is National Park Mannira. Famous for its lake, lions sleeping in trees and a huge variety of birds! Lake Mannar is part of East Africa rift valley and is one of the most beautiful in all of Africa! We will have time to head to the eastern part of the park and take a close look at the large herds of elephant, numerous giraffes and monkeys, and if we are lucky enough to see the pride of the lion!
At dusk we head to a comfortable hotel on the outskirts of the Serengeti. Departure to Serengeti National Park. Before that, however, we will walk along the slopes of Ngorongoro and visit an amazing panoramic site on the edge of the crater itself! The panorama in which our eyes will be lost will remain forever in our hearts! The magnitude of nature, concentrated in just a few square kilometers, is not descriptive! Only in two days will we have the opportunity to go down into the very heart of the crater and see amazing world animals that inhabit it, but now it's time for the Serengeti!
Shira
The oldest volcano, Shira, is located on the western side, and at the foot there is a fairly flat plateau with an area of 6.2 hectares. Nowadays, the height of Shira is 3810 meters above, while in earlier times it was much higher and was destroyed during a strong eruption.
Mawenzi
It is located on the eastern side and currently represents a peak whose height is 5334 m. From the west, Mawenzi ends abruptly with a whole complex of rocks and gorges, and the height of the volcano on the eastern side is a little more than a kilometer.
It's no coincidence that the masses called it amazing place"Endless Plains" or "Where the Earth Never Ends"! However, the period we visit in the park is the icing on the cake - the Great Migration! We will see thousands and thousands, and elephants and giraffes will be proudly among them. Of course we will see lions and cheetahs! At dusk - departure to a small hotel in the savannah.
After breakfast, under the first rays that shine on the savannah, we again enter the tall grass. Our jeep will take us to a special place where we can observe hippos and crocodiles, and if we are lucky, we will see that the most difficult predator of the savannah to spot is the leopard! The road, woven in the savannah between herds of antelopes, returned us to the Ngorongoro crater area without wasting time. We will be here in a cozy hotel and take a break from the long journey.
Deep radial valleys can be seen at the base of the mountain. And between it and Kibo is the largest high-mountain treeless zone of the African continent - the huge Sedlo plateau, the area of which exceeds 3.5 thousand hectares.
Kibo
Kibo, the youngest volcano (it is considered active and the most dangerous of the three), was formed during several extremely strong eruptions in a row, resulting in the size of its caldera being 2.4 km wide and 3.6 km long. After some time, during the next volcanic activity, first one volcanic cone with a crater 900 m in diameter appeared inside the basin, then an ash cone with a diameter of 200 meters formed in the middle of this crater.
After breakfast we head to one of the most magical places on the planet, a place where life celebrates its transience and elevates nature to cult! Having only a few tens of kilometers in diameter, its bottom contains an indescribable cocktail of grasshoppers and predators! Here is one of the few remaining rhino populations in Tanzania, as well as an impressive number of lions and elephants! We will take a full tour of the crater, visit its lakes, see more hippos, hyenas and zebras, and at the end of the day we will have to leave.
A steep road runs along the slopes of the crater and soon takes us to the top. We will arrive in Arusha late in the evening and relax at the hotel. Dinner is free. Around midnight we head to the airport for our overnight flight to Sofia. Landing at Sofia airport around noon.
Over time, the Kibo caldera formed a flat, snowy peak on Kilimanjaro (even though, according to the coordinates of the mountain, it is located only a few degrees south of the equator). Snow can be seen not only on the top of the mountain, but also on its upper northern and southern slopes. Here is Uhuru Peak, whose height is 5895 meters, and which is the most high point African continent.
Flights Sofia - international Airport Kilimanjaro - Sofia Vaccinations and visa fees other than those described in the program. Fees for visiting museums, attractions and attractions and for shooting.
- Tips, personal expenses, expenses for leaving the program during the trip.
- Unforeseen expenses in case of force majeure.
Air tickets are purchased after confirmation of the trip! One of the highest Indian waterfalls is Nolkalikai. The unique buildings are impressive. Daytime trekking villages to the unique two-story root bridge. Sightseeing tour at places of worship. Unique Temple Navagraha on the hill. Already in ancient times she knew sensationally 8 planets, 8 lingas, Shiva’s penises were shown. Magic lit the lamps to orbit the sun. Flaming penises sits in the flames of Joni, a stone female vulva.
Kilimanjaro Climate
The huge size of the volcano gives it the opportunity not only to actively influence, but also to shape the climate around itself. Moist air masses from outside Indian Ocean moving towards a huge mountain. Having stumbled upon a volcano, they crash and are forced to prematurely give up all the moisture they have in the form of rain or snow. At the same time, much less precipitation falls at the foot of the mountain than on the slopes:
Kamakhya is a famous bloody temple. Day safari in the “national park in open jeeps”. Chances of tigers and leopards. Buffalo, crocodiles, predators, antelopes, waterfowl. Chances for tigers and leopards. Various vegetation zones, lakes, rivers and wetlands. Cruise on the legendary Brahmaputra with the chance of river dolphins.
A monastery, school and arts center focusing on poetry, music, literature and dance. Colorful temples of Vishnu devotees with "athletic smart hands". Original Under preservation, the tip of animism was highlighted. Almost every valley is home to a different tribe, home to 65 unique ethnic groups. Highlights one visit. Evening visit to the market in Ziro.
- At the foot – from 500 to 900 mm per year;
- On slopes - about 3 thousand mm per year;
- At the top - about 200 mm per year.
Thus, a lot of precipitation falls near Kilimanjaro, which has a positive effect on the local vegetation (especially at the foot of the mountain). Small streams and rivers formed due to precipitation at the top of the mountain and flowing down carry life-giving moisture down to the pastures and fields.
Exotic dishes - caterpillars, larvae, worms, beetles, frogs, parrots, smoked mice, squirrels and rats. Village tour - hike through the fields between the villages of Hun and Hiho. Tall babo totems and a traditional Lapang scene. largest tribal village in Asia. Himalayan foothills to Dapuria. Along the way, the blooming Christmas stars and beautiful views of the surrounding mountains make for a long drive. Opportunity to see the shy mituna. Stop at the crossroads and walk through a typical village.
Daporijo - large market, traditional hat-shaped boats. Festive dancing, revelry and traditional clothing, we can take all day! An unforgettable sunset over the Brahmaputra. Ocean Shiva is former capital Ahomsky Visit the colorful vegetable market. Entering the mysterious Nagaland, night in Mopa. Area announced recruiters past. Tattoo and body scarring by other natives who still worship Reign. Many traditions are preserved, customs are clothed with spirituality. They are very experienced artists, carvers, manufacturers of domestic rifles, bullets and gunpowder.
They also fill the two major rivers that flow in this region. At the same time, 90% of precipitation does not leave the mountains (it is retained by the forest), and, having saturated the soil, most of water (2/3) evaporates and returns to the atmosphere. Recently, the amount of precipitation has been gradually decreasing, which is one of the reasons for the decrease in snow cover.
Winter trip to Jebel Toubkal
We know nature, local culture, traditions, spices and the taste of local delicacies. Morocco is a country of several worlds. Air transportation from the Czech Republic to Morocco. According to the current flight offer, it departs to Marrakech from Prague or Vienna. A day tour through the labyrinth of narrow streets of the old city - the medina, we bring here first-hand all the aromas, sounds, tastes and atmosphere of this ancient royal city. We literally absorb the crowd hanging between the kiosks and shops of the Eastern Bazaar. We'll explore all the major architectural highlights, including visits to traditional tanneries.
Flora and fauna of Kilimanjaro
The climate itself high volcano unique in the world, because due to the fact that the mountain is very close to the equator, and winter reigns on the top of Kilimanjaro, a person, when climbing up, crosses absolutely all the climatic zones of our planet (there are seven in total), each of which is distinguished by its own animal and vegetable world.
After breakfast we leave Marrakech for the only ski resort in north-west Africa, Oukaimden, at altitude. From there we can reach Tahdirte with the option of going to the Oukimaden summit and following the slope to Tizi n'Addi. Along the way we will pass through several Berber villages and the Urahi Valley.
The goal of this day is the second peak of Buignauen with a magnificent view of the Tahdirte valley and the surrounding peaks of Angura, Likemt, Aksual. After lunch we wait for the 1.5 hour drive to Tahdirte. Early in the morning we wait for the exit through the Tizi n'Likkemt col with a panoramic view of the Imnane valley and Adrar N'dern called Assif n'Oray. The skis will be followed by a wide bowl. The view of the Imlil Valley is incredible.
In the south - up to 1 thousand m, in the north - up to 1.6 thousand m
At the foot of Kilimanjaro, Africans actively grow maize, beans, peanuts, sunflowers, rice, coffee, and corn. There are also sugar and banana plantations. The land here is abundantly covered with herbaceous vegetation, shrubs and a few low-growing trees characteristic of the savannah. You can often see monkeys, leopards, servals, and honey badgers here.
In the morning we head to Toubkal, which is used as a base camp once out of the way. First, we will pass through less demanding terrain through the village of Arumd, the last village of this valley. The valley descends east to Sidi Chamharush, which was built around a Muslim temple.
Depending on the conditions and conditions of the skiers, it is also possible to choose more difficult options for the most high peak. We enjoy magnificent spruce skiing with views of the surrounding great Atlas Mountains. We'll try to get to the next four thousandth Russ Owankrim. Great weather will undoubtedly provide us with a fast ride to the next peaks of Akoyud, Les Klocheton and Tadata. From there we will wait for transfer to our hotel in Marrakech. Adequate relaxation during a traditional hammam massage or in a cafe in the city center.
1100–1800 m
This area of the mountain is densely populated (500 people/km2). Representatives of the Chagga tribe built a network of irrigation canals here, and they grow, graze livestock, and keep apiaries.
The natives use natural resources (mainly foothill and mountain forests) very irrationally: many trees were cut down for arable land and used for fuel. Trees grow only in hollows or gorges.
1800 m – 4000 m
Here, too, local residents actively cut down the forest for timber and fuel. There are also a lot of forest plantations - huge plantations of cypresses, eucalyptus, pine trees, and in their shade vegetables are grown, and livestock are grazed in the meadows and near reservoirs.
The soil is thin, poor, clayey. The mountain forest zone begins at this altitude, the maximum amount of precipitation is observed - about 2 thousand mm per year, and temperatures range from 20°C to 28°C. At an altitude exceeding 2.4 thousand meters, a thick layer of clouds often forms, which are another important and additional source of moisture.
Rainforest at an altitude of about three thousand meters gradually disappears, but alpine heather shrubs appear. The soil becomes porous, so water penetrates well through it, there is little precipitation (from 760 to 1 thousand mm) - therefore, a huge number of cereals and bulbous plants can be found here.
4000 m – 4600 m
On the slopes of the mountain at an altitude of 3 to 4 thousand meters you can often see mountain swamps and meadows covered with bright flowers. Giraffes, elephants, lions, and some species of rodents live at this altitude.
4500 – 5000 m
An arid highland desert with little precipitation (about 200 mm per year) and little vegetation. The daily temperature difference here is about 40°C. The air at this altitude is thin and there is very strong solar radiation.
From 5000 m
And even higher, at the top of Kibo, snow, cold stone and eternal ice begin, covering the top of the mountain for 11 thousand years after the ice age ended. There are several glaciers in this area, each of them has its own name and thickness (this is primarily due to the fact that precipitation falls unevenly).
Kilimanjaro Ice Cap
It is the snows of the Kibo peak that have recently attracted the attention of researchers. The fact is that they are melting - and they are doing it extremely quickly: over the last century, according to scientists, snow cover has decreased by 80%.
The figures they give are impressive: at the beginning of the 21st century, the area occupied by snow was 2 km², while a hundred years ago this figure was 12.1 km². In the second half of the 20th century, the thickness of the snow cover decreased by an average of 17 meters and, apparently, continues to actively melt further. Many experts predict that snow on Kilimanjaro may soon disappear completely.
It is believed that this situation was caused not so much by a change in temperature as by active deforestation, due to which the amount of water vapor that rises into the sky and falls on the top of Kibo has decreased.
Another reason for the catastrophically rapid melting of snow is the volcano itself: its dark-colored volcanic rocks absorb heat and heat the glaciers below, which is why the glaciers melt and collapse, freeing the surface from snow and thus increasing the area of the territory capable of absorbing the sun's rays.
Best time to go
Experienced tourists advise climbing the mountain from December to March, when there is no rainy season and the air temperature is optimal for humans - about 28-30 degrees. Although a seasoned climber can reach the top in less than a day, many people need adaptation to get used to the climate and avoid altitude sickness. Therefore, the trek to the top usually takes from 5 to 7 days.
Climb Kilimanjaro
The first Europeans climbed to the top of the high mountain Africa only in 1889. It is noteworthy that when the anniversary of this event was celebrated a hundred years later, the guest of honor of the holiday was precisely the guide who accompanied the white people during the ascent - at that moment he was 18 years old.
Nowadays, you can only climb Kilimanjaro from Tanzania - there are special agreements in this regard between this country and Kenya, so the Kenyans do not even have a developed infrastructure in this direction, and along the mountain there are police posts that make sure that there is no unauthorized lifts.
At the same time, the territory of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania received the status national park and was included in the UNESCO list. Six routes of varying difficulty have been specially developed for tourists, so almost anyone can climb, despite the enormous height; for example, Bernard Gusen, being in a wheelchair, did it twice.
Another positive thing about climbing the mountain is that it can be done lightly: there is a unique service from local residents- for five dollars a day they will carry luggage to the very top, holding it on their heads.
View from the top
Despite the ease of ascent, only 40% of the number of climbers who started the climb reach the top. A magnificent landscape opens up before tourists who climb the mountain: below, under their feet, clouds are visible, and around the volcano, illuminated by the gentle rays of the bright daylight, lies a huge savannah, golden desert sands and nature untouched by people.