Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the tallest free-standing mountain in the world, rising about 4,900 metres from the plains around it. Here are the facts our guides are asked about most.
The basics
| Height | 5,895 m at Uhuru Peak |
|---|---|
| Location | Northeast Tanzania, near the Kenyan border |
| Type | Dormant stratovolcano |
| Protected | Kilimanjaro National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987 |
| Ranking | One of the Seven Summits, the highest point on each continent |
Three volcanoes in one
- Kibo, the main cone and the summit. It is dormant, not extinct. Fumaroles still release gas in the inner crater, and its last major activity was around 150,000–200,000 years ago.
- Mawenzi, 5,149 m, a jagged eroded peak to the east. It is a technical climb and rarely attempted.
- Shira, about 3,962 m, the oldest cone. It collapsed long ago, leaving the wide Shira Plateau.
The glaciers
Kilimanjaro’s glaciers, including the Furtwängler, Credner and Rebmann, have lost more than 80% of their ice since the early 20th century. Scientists expect much of the remaining ice to disappear within the next few decades. Climbers on the crater rim still pass tall ice cliffs, a sight that may not last.
The first ascent
On 6 October 1889, the German geographer Hans Meyer and the Austrian climber Ludwig Purtscheller reached the summit with Yohani Kinyala Lauwo, a young Chagga guide from Marangu. Lauwo went on to guide on the mountain for decades. The summit, once called Kaiser-Wilhelm-Spitze, was renamed Uhuru Peak, meaning “freedom”, after Tanzanian independence in 1961.
Where the name comes from
No one knows for sure. Common explanations combine the Swahili word kilima, a hill or mountain, with a Chagga word, and suggest meanings such as “mountain of greatness” or “white mountain”. The Chagga people call the main peak Kibo.
More facts
- Tens of thousands of people attempt the summit each year.
- The mountain’s slopes provide water for the farms and towns below.
- It passes through five climate zones. See Kilimanjaro’s climate zones.
Ready to see it for yourself? Read which route to choose or see our Lemosho Route.
Frequently asked questions
It is dormant. Kibo still has fumaroles, but there has been no major eruption for well over 100,000 years.
Hans Meyer and Ludwig Purtscheller, with the Chagga guide Yohani Kinyala Lauwo, on 6 October 1889.
They have lost more than 80% of their ice since the early 1900s, and much of the rest is expected to go within decades.
