Enjoy the flora and fauna with the majesty of nature at Mt. Kilimanjaro
Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania is one of the most majestic places on the face of the earth. Those who have the opportunity to climb the historic mountain find themselves atop one of the largest volcanoes on the planet, and trekking through terrain such as tropical, subtropical, alpine, and arctic.
Imagine you are on the side of the tallest mountain in all of Africa. They told you that this route was the "easy" route to the top, but you still find yourself hiking dozens of miles to reach the peak at over 19,000 feet. On the way you hike past giant structures - trees which seem to morph into boulders, boulders which seem to morph into ground. Its like a dream. But you must keep pushing. This is what you came for - to push yourself and tame the mighty Kilimanjaro.
Mt. Kilimanjaro has one of the most diverse set of ecological zones found anywhere in the world.
- At the base of the mountain you will encounter the Serengeti plains.
- Going up from the plains you will find a lowlands environment, where coffee and bananas are grown.
- The next step in your ascent is a subtropical rainforest, which is home to the widest variety of plants and animals on the mountain.
- Next you will ascend into the moorland and heather region, where you will encounter fewer plants and animal species, but you will find lush growths of mosses, and heathers.
- In the next region, the alpine region, you will find no trees. Here you will see specialized plants such as sage grass.
- Finally you will meet the arctic region of the summit.
You can easily book a trip to summit the great Mt.Kilimanjaro. Expect to spend about $3000 on the low end, and $6000 or more on the high end, depending on amenities and other services. The mountain has seven official routes to the top, with the Rongai route being the easiest, but the least scenic. The Marangu route is considered easy as well, but is widely traveled and may become congested. The steep Machame route is considered the most scenic.
Climbing the mighty Mt. Kilimanjaro is one of the most exciting and rewarding journeys a person can take. Not only will you get an opportunity to see a majestic part of exotic Africa, but you will also get to travel through several geological climate zones in just a few weeks of climbing. Make no mistake, a Kilimanjaro climb is not easy. But, it can be accomplished by anyone who is determined to conquer this awesome mountain.
by Avon Alexander on 12/20/2013 in Hotels