By air
Kilimanjaro International (JRO), ~45 min to Moshi
Africa · Tanzania
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Africa's highest peak
Getting there
Best time to visit
January to March and June to October — the climbing seasons
Don't miss
Uhuru Peak
The Barranco Wall
The Shira Plateau
Moshi town
Things to do
Climbing via the Machame or Marangu routes
Coffee tours in Moshi
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Chris 73 · CC BY-SA 3.0
What to pack
Serious trekking gear; ask your doctor about altitude before you go
A quieter corner
The Materuni waterfalls near Moshi
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to climb Kilimanjaro?
January to March and June to October are the climbing seasons for Africa's highest peak.
Which routes can I take up Kilimanjaro?
Climbers go via the Machame or Marangu routes. Sights on the mountain include the Barranco Wall, the Shira Plateau and Uhuru Peak.
How should I prepare for climbing Kilimanjaro?
Bring serious trekking gear, and ask your doctor about altitude before you go.
What can I do in Moshi before or after the climb?
Take a coffee tour, taste coffee from the mountain's slopes and visit the Materuni waterfalls near Moshi. Moshi is about 45 minutes from Kilimanjaro International (JRO).
About Kilimanjaro
- Mountains
Where it is
Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano in north-eastern Tanzania, near the Kenyan border above the town of Moshi, rising alone from the plains to Uhuru Peak on its Kibo summit, about 5,895 m above sea level and the highest point in Africa.
History
Kilimanjaro has three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira. The Chagga people settled its fertile southern slopes centuries ago, and the German geographer Hans Meyer and the Austrian climber Ludwig Purtscheller made the first recorded ascent to the summit in 1889, probably with the help of the local guide Yohani Lauwo. Kilimanjaro National Park was created in 1973 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
People
The Chagga live on Kilimanjaro's southern and eastern slopes, speaking Chagga languages and Swahili, and grow bananas and coffee in homegardens watered by old irrigation furrows. Many local people work as porters, cooks and guides for the climbers who come to the mountain.
Known for
- Climbing to Uhuru Peak
- The Machame and Marangu routes
- The Barranco Wall and the Shira Plateau
- Coffee farms around Moshi
- The glaciers near the summit
Did you know?
Kilimanjaro is the highest free-standing mountain in the world, rising about 4,900 m from its base, and the glaciers near its summit have shrunk dramatically over the past century.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.