Kilimanjaro: Overview of the Mountain

Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano located in northeastern Tanzania, near the border with Kenya. Its highest peak is called Uhuru Peak, commonly estimated at 5,895 meters (approximately 19,341 feet) above sea level. This makes it the highest point on the African continent.

Kilimanjaro is not a mountain range but a single volcanic cone that rises from the surrounding plain. For this reason, its prominence—the vertical distance from its peak to the surrounding terrain—is very great, making it one of the most prominent individual mountains in the world.

How the figure of 5,895 was obtained

The figure of 5,895 meters comes from ground surveys conducted in the twentieth century, later confirmed by GPS technology. It appears on official maps and peak markers. Modern GPS measurements sometimes yield slightly different figures, such as 5,891 or 5,892 meters, depending on measurement method and the geoid model—the mean sea level surface used in calculation.

The three cones

Kilimanjaro has three volcanic cones. Kibo is the highest, and it is where Uhuru Peak is located. Mawenzi reaches approximately 5,150 meters, while Shira is the lowest, at roughly 3,960 meters. Kibo is not completely extinct; gas and sulfurous deposits still emerge from its crater.

Ice on the summit

Although Kilimanjaro lies near the equator, its altitude permits permanent ice to exist on its summit. The extent of this ice has declined steadily over more than a century, a change linked to climate change and reduced rainfall. The retreat of the ice has not altered the mountain's elevation in any measurable way.

Climbing

Uhuru Peak is one of the world's major summits that can be reached without technical climbing equipment. Several routes—including Marangu, Machame, and Rongai—lead walkers to the summit. The main obstacle is altitude sickness, which results from the thin air at heights above 4,000 meters.