Kilimanjaro and Meru – An Introduction

Kilimanjaro trekking in Tanzania is one of the most popular adventures for visitors to Africa. Read about some of the sights you will see leading up to a Kilimanjaro climb and what you can expect from a Kilimanjaro trekking holiday.

Introducing Kilimanjaro

Mount Kilimanjaro (5,892 m) is a mighty mountain and a worthy test for an enthusiastic trekker. Because it is the highest mountain in the continent of Africa it represents an obvious challenge and is ideal for people who want to experience dramatic trekking. Kilimanjaro is an inactive volcano located in the north of Tanzania near the border of Kenya, and close to the Equator. Its three peaks are separate volcanic cones called Shira, Kibo and Mawensi, with the icy Kibo reaching the furthest into the sky.

National Parks

What people who embark on a Kilimanjaro trekking holiday might not expect is the variety of wildlife they are likely to see during their trip. Those that climb Kilimanjaro above the tree-line (at around 2,700 metres) will trek through the mountain?s National Park zone, chosen by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, with the lower region designated a game reserve. The neighbouring Arusha National Park has plenty to offer visitors in the way of safari animals, and is more importantly a chance for some essential acclimatisation on the park?s Mount Meru (4,566 m) ahead of their Kilimanjaro trekking experience.

Arusha National Park lies just thirty miles from Kilimanjaro and is home to safari animals such as giraffes, buffalo, zebra, klipspringer and dik dik, which are species of tiny antelope. It is well worth visiting Arusha during a Kilimanjaro trekking holiday to see creatures such as blue monkeys and the playful black-and-white Colobus monkey, which are usually elusive on safaris but are easily found here. You might also spot a species of bird called a Turaco, which is green with a quiff.

Mount Meru ? Kili?s Cousin

As well as inhabiting the lowlands of the park you might see these animals on the lower slopes of Mount Meru, which is the fifth highest peak in Africa, and the second highest in Tanzania after Kilimanjaro. Trekking up Meru is ideal preparation for a Kilimanjaro climb because it affords an opportunity to acclimatize properly, and many good Kilimanjaro trekking holidays will incorporate Mount Meru into their itinerary for this reason.

Like Kilimanjaro, Mt Meru was formed from volcanic activity, but Meru is still active, with its last recorded eruption in 1910. A major explosive eruption thousands of years ago is responsible for Mt Meru?s unique shape. The eastern slope has collapsed leaving a concave shape called a caldera. Viewed from above, from a plane or by satellite imagery, it resembles a crescent moon. This caldera side faces Meru?s larger cousin to the west, Kilimanjaro. Trekking up Meru, you will be able to stop at the huts along the way, and you will pass through woodland and forests with animals and plants you will probably never have seen before.

Between Meru and Kilimanjaro

Facing east from the summit of Meru you will see ?Kili? in the distance, and on a day with good visibility you may be able to make out some of the features that lie between the two great peaks. You?ll be able to distinguish between the grasslands and the savannah scrub. The Jekukumia River runs from one mountain towards the other. There are also the Momella Lakes which are tinged with algae colouring them blues and greens, with wading birds such as pink flamingo. And of course, the horizon will be dominated by Kilimanjaro climbing into the clouds.

After summiting Mount Meru, hopefully you will be ready for trekking Kilimanjaro, which will be the peak of your holiday in Africa.

Jude Limburn Turner is the Marketing Manager for Mountain Kingdoms, an adventure tour company that specialises in Kilimanjaro trekking and trekking holidays in various destinations including North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Central and South East Asia.

Related Videos :

Travel Videos Airlie Beach Irish Backpacker Australia
Travel Video DVD' s www.overlander.tv Airlie Beach (pop. 3029) Airlie Beach, gateway to the Whitsunday islands has a reputation for being a great place to party, in between sailing trips to the islands. Another must stop location on the backpacker migration up north. Had a ball in Airlie, went out on a boat yesterday to snorkel the reef. The colours of the coral and the diversity
« view video »
Morning Glory Travel On
From The “This Is No Time Ta Sleep” album NOTE- Hidden song On Divide By when you buy it on Itunes Lyrics so here we are again sleeping on the bridges in the rain under the new sky again i hear the rumble of the train another city to refuse another bout of those hopeless wandering blues you know we' ve still got one more chance to lose do what' s true, true to
« view video »
Johnny Clegg Juluka Kilimanjaro 1984
Johnny Clegg & Juluka – Kilimanjaro (1984) Johnny Clegg – Kilimanjaro Original from Stand Your Ground (1984) Kilimanscharo I' m sittin' on the top of Kilimanjaro All my heart is yearning Like a candle burning in the night Seasons keep on turning Sometimes hard to keep up the fight I will climb the ancient mountain I will find the last flicker of the light CHORUS
« view video »
UNICEF MTV EXIT and The Killers Goodnight Travel Well
LONDON, United Kingdom, 13 July 2009 — Starting today, MTV audiences around the world will see a new music video that aims to raise awareness about *** trafficking. Featuring the rock band The Killers, the video is an exclusive collaboration between UNICEF, MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) and the US Agency for International Development. The track, Goodnight, Travel Well, is from the album Day & Age. The video is
« view video »
KILIMANJARO Besteigung insgesamt strapazi s Atem raubend unvergesslich
KILIMANJARO-Besteigung-insgesamt, strapazis, Atem raubend, unvergesslich Dies ist eine Zusammenfassung meiner 3 Teile “Kilimanjaro-Besteigung”. – - – Teil 1 -… das Motorrad am “entrance” (Marangu Gate in 1.800m Hhe) des Kilimanjaro-Nationalparks abgestellt, zusammen mit einem Fhrer und 2 Trgern, die meine Motorrad-Gepckrollen mit Zelt, Schlafsack, Isomatte, Kocher etc. tragen, angezogen mit meinen Goretex-Motorrad-Klamotten, geht' s los, ich will einmal in meinem Leben auf den “KILI”, den ich das erste Mal
« view video »