Mount Kilimanjaro rises above the Tanzanian savanna and offers a magnificent view any time of the year. It was first originally conquered in the 1800s and ever since then, climbers from across the world have been going there to challenge themselves and reach the top. Here are some things you didn’t know about this magnificent mountain.
Tallest African Mountain
Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa. It’s also the largest mountain in the world that’s not part of a mountain range.
It’s Technically a Volcano
Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano—a volcano that hasn’t erupted in a long time but will probably do at some point. It consists of layers of ash, lava, and rocks. Out of its three cones, Kibo is the tallest one. Mawenzi is the second largest and the third highest peak on the continent. Shira was a peak but is now a plateau. It’s possible that Kibo will erupt again.
The Climbing Record
Karl Egloff, a climber from Switzerland, holds the record for the fastest ascent and descent of Mount Kilimanjaro—he only needed six hours and 42 minutes. The same record for women is held by Anne-Marie Flammersfeld, who needed 12 hours and 58 minutes. The oldest person to climb the mountain was American Anne Lorimor who was 89 when she did it in 2019.