Mount Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro (or Kilimanjaro, which means "shining mountain" in Swahili), formerly Kaiser-Wilhelm-Spitze, is a mountain in northeastern Tanzania. Kilimanjaro is the tallest free-standing mountain rise in the world, rising 4600 meters (15,000 ft) from the base, and is the highest peak in Africa at 5,895 meters (19,340 ft)NHK, "Kilimanjaro: White Mountain of the Equator -- Tanzania, 5,895 m"; retrieved 2012-5-24. and one of Seven Summits. It gives a dramatic view from the surrounding plains.  Almost 85% of the ice cover on Kilimanjaro disappeared from October 1912 to June 2011.

Kilimanjaro is also a strato-like volcano. It has explosive eruptions. The last major eruption was about 100,000 years ago. killimanjaro is 5895 meters tall.

 Climbing and acclimatization 
There are 6 routes up Kilimanjaro: Lemosho, Machame, Marangu, Umbwe, Rongai and Northern Circuit.

Since there are big differences in height, climbers can feel Altitude sickness. 7-, 8- and 9-day routes are recommended (especially for beginners), as on them it will be easier to adapt to less oxygen in the air. The more time is spent being on the slope, the easier it is to acclimatize.

For best results, It is recommended to plan for 6 to 8 weeks of training before your Kilimanjaro trek and build your stamina and strength. Add some ‘walks’ into your gym workouts to stimulate the development of relevant muscles. Try doing one or two day walking trials in your area. It will be a good physical preparation but also a nice way to prepare yourself to the challenge.

It may not be a technical climb, but there are still a few Mount Kilimanjaro fatalities each year, and those heading up Africa’s tallest mountain need to have a clear-eyed respect for danger. The main causes of death on Kilimanjaro are: High Altitude Illness (HAI) or Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE). These three are the main killers on the mountain.

 References 

Category:Mountains of Africa
Category:Geography of Tanzania