Kilimanjaro National Park

Mount Kilimanjaro is located in the northern part of Tanzania, in the Kilimanjaro National Park. Its location, between the Serengeti and Amboseli, makes it an animal life corridor. It has an area of 100 kilometers long and 65 kilometers wide.

Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest accessible by bike in the world. Therefore, it is considered as the top of the cyclists.

The summit of Mount Kilimanjaro is called Uhuru Peak and is at an altitude of 5,895m.

The mountain is an inactive volcano formed by three volcanic cones: Shira, Kibo (in which is the Uhuru summit) and Mawenzi. Kibo is classified as inactive, although not as extinct. The last great eruption of the Kibo happened 360,000 years ago and its last volcanic activity occurred 200 years ago.

Both “South” and “North” base camps in Everest are at a lower altitude than the summit of Kilimanjaro. That is to say that at the top of mount Kilimjaro you woulld be at the highest point of the earth to which you can reach by bike. You would be at the summit of the cyclist.

First, the prairies, which surround the Kilimanjaro, are situated between 800 and 1,600 meters in altitude. Its climate is very warm and dry. It is an open environment where many Maasai shepherds light fires to warm themselves, thus joining the landscape. The vegetation consists mainly of savannas of numerous herbaceous species flowering plants, baobabs, bushes and thorny plants, and is located below 1,400 meters of altitude to the west and 1,000 meters of altitude to the east.

The rainforest is located Approximately between 1,600 and 2,700 meters of altitude. It houses different species of primates, such as Cercopithecus, the Angolan and Abyssinian colobus, as well as the olive baboon. Among the other mammals, the leopard, the banded mongoose, the serval, the red river hog, the honey badger and the crested porcupine stand out.

The Alpine area is between 2,800 and 4,000 meters above sea level and receives between 500 and 1,300 mm of precipitation per year.

It presents a vegetation composed of heather, where the arborescent form of thewhite heather is the most characteristic, along with the Erica Ventricosa.

Also, we can see new natural species like Pinus Patula that weakens the balance of the environment by impoverishing the soil. And we emphasize that between 1976 and 2005, the surface of the forest of Erica arboreal went from 187 to 32 km ², which is equivalent to a 15% decrease in the total vegetation cover of the mountain.

The afro-alpine zone has no clearly defined boundaries, but are generally situated between 4,000 and 5,000 meters. It is characterized by a dry climate, with an average of 200 mm of precipitation per year and with significant differences in temperature. The plant species that live in this area are perfectly adapted to the climate and some are endemic. Only a few species of birds of prey are able to reach this altitude: the buteo, the steppe eagle, the Black-winged Kite, the Bearded Vulture and the ChacoEeagle.

Finally, the snow-capped area -and cycling summit- is above 5,000 meters above sea level. There is virtually no life. The few precipitations that occur are filtered almost immediately on the ground or accumulate in the glaciers. Some lichens grow very slowly. The only animal discovered at these heights so far is the Kibo, a kind of spider.

 But if you choose the Kilimajaro Safari, where we will climb to the top… 

The ascent to Kilimanjaro is a unique opportunity to contemplate one of the wonders of Africa, from the top of this forgotten continent. Seeing the sunrise from the roof of Africa, the top of this forgotten continent, will be an alively experience.

The most emblematic part of the trip will be the summit at Uhuru, top of Kilimanjaro. With its almost 6000 meters of height, it offers the chance to observe from the top one of the most special landscapes that Africa has; unique views that show us the crater of the volcano Kibo, with its perpetual snows, and which still shows signs of activity. Experience not noticeable through photographs, unable to describe the feeling of being in the cycling Mecca.