Image description
The image shows the volcanic mountain Kilimanjaro in Africa, illustrated simplified from the side, hence the highest peaks can be observed. There is also a man shown from the side, with a walking stick in his hand representing Alex Benchea, the first and only blind Romanian mountaineer who climbed Kilimanjaro on December 15, 2019 and reached the top of Uhuru (5895 meters). To understand how high this peak is, we could compare it to an ordinary apartment block that has 2100 floors.
The notched mountain is rendered by a dotted texture, the man in the top center is marked embossed, and the Uhuru peak is highlighted by a thick dot.
General information
Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain on the African continent and with its height of 5895 meters, at the top of Uhuru Peak, it becomes the highest free-standing mountain in the world. The mountain originates from a volcano and is located in the Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania. Geologists say that Mount Kilimanjaro is dormant and there is no risk of erupting, the last major volcanic eruption took place about 200, 000 years ago. (Bibliography 1)
Kilimanjaro is located in the Kilimanjaro National Park in Tanzania. There are six official routes to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, namely: Marangu, Rongai, Lemosho, Shira, Umbwe and Machame. Although the climb is not, from a technical point of view, as challenging as that on the high peaks of the Himalayas or the Andes, the high altitude, low temperature and the occasional strong winds make it a difficult and dangerous journey. (Bibliography 2)
The first successful mountaineer was the geographer and researcher Hans Meyer from Leipzig, together with the Austrian Ludwig Purtscheller, on October 6, 1889. (Bibliography 3)
The hike starts at the gates of Kilimanjaro National Park, where you are accompanied by the aroma of ugali (corn pudding) cooked over a wood fire, women’s chatter and children’s play. Soon, the rainforest appears, the air becomes humid and it’s getting foggy. Vervet monkeys shout to announce the arrival of people, then they remain curiously silent, when the hikers stop. As you climb Kilimanjaro, the mountain forest and the dwarf shrubs give way to the high-altitude alpine desert, followed by the glaciers at the top. You will start the final stage by zigzagging on a path of debris. The optimal climbing period is in January, February or September. The duration of the trip is almost a week. A road is about 48 km in one direction. (Bibliography 4)
So, a trip to Mount Kilimanjaro means adventure that requires precision and physical and mental effort. However, the African region remains a dream destination, a way to make direct contact with wildlife, as it was created on Earth. (Bibliography 1)
Bibliography
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