Kilimanjaro National Park

The highest mountain in Africa, the highest isolated volcano in the world, the Kilimanjaro is the “White Mountain” for its always improbably snowy peak, in contrast to its proximity to the equator, from which it is only 341 km.

World Heritage Site since 1987 and Natural Wonder of Africa since 2013, so close to the international airport to deserve at least a look, if not a short trek and, for the most passionate, climbing (tiring and expensive) to the top.

You can also admire the majesty of Kilimanjaro from nearby Moshi, particularly tidy and clean, worthy of a stop to discover the coffee plantations and traditions of a lush and relatively prosperous area for the people who live there.

In Moshi we suggest visiting the school and staying at the bed & breakfast of More than a drop, a non-profit organization linked to Hope for girls and women.

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THE PARK IN ONE DAY

from Marangu Gate, at 1.881 meters above sea level, begins the path that in 2 or 3 hours leads to Mandara Hut, at 2.715 meters, from which, if the day is clear, you can admire the top of Kilimanjaro
  • Marangu Gate – Moshi: 1 hour
  • Marangu Gate – Arusha: 3 hours
  • Marangu Gate – JRO airport: 2 hours
  • 1 day to visit the park

from 5 days to the summit trekking

  • 1.712 km² extension

about 3 times the Mont Blanc

  • altitude 5.895 metres (Uhuru peak)

    1.000 metres higher than Mont Blanc

    Kibo volcano (active) 5.149 m

    Mawenzi volcano (active) 5.149 m

    Shira volcano (inactive) 2.962 m

    Mandara Hut 2.715 m

    Marangu Gate 1.881 m

    learn more about trekking

  • accommodation in Moshi ( (we suggest the bed & breakfast of the non-profit organization More than a drop)
  • accomodation in Arusha
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Kilimanjaro National Park is certainly a destination of maximum interest for trekking enthusiasts who want to dedicate at least 5 or 6 days of their holiday to his ascent, while short trekking, a single day, is not an obligatory stop on a safari. However, if the flight times allow it, it is a suitable destination for the day of departure, especially for those who want to move after long journeys by car in the parks. To enjoy the walk, rather expensive given the high fees of the park, you need hiking boots and it is essential to have the whole day available. A valid alternative, certainly less expensive, is to visit the villages at the foot of Kilimanjaro, the Chagga, tribe of Bantu origin that along with the Masai has settled in the area for millennia.

It is good to know that, during the short trek, the peak of Kilimanjaro is visible only for those who, arriving at the Mandara Hut, follow an additional path of about half an hour, but it is essential to have the luck (rare) of a day without clouds. On sunny days you can also admire the Kilimanjaro from Moshi and surroundings, especially in the early morning or evening before sunset, when the sky is more easily clear. Take-off and landing from JRO International Airport also offer unforgettable views of the mythical summit, if the time and weather are propitious.

The park is rich in fauna, but the animals of the savannah are very difficult to spot, as well as the birds, of which it is possible to intercept the singing, but which is very difficult to observe in the dense forest.

Wildlife in Kilimanjaro National Park 

 

probable sightings of

Olive Baboon Guereza (black and white colobus) Sykes’s Monkey (Blue Monkey) African civet Common Duiker (Grey) Aders’s duiker  Abbott’s duiker  Common eland Tree hyrax Klipspringer Mountain reedbuck Suni Black-backed jackal

rare and very rare sightings of

Elephant Leopard  Lion  Serval Striped Hyena  Spotted Hyena

birdwatching

In the forest • Hartlaub’s Turaco • Olive Ibis⚑ • Crowned Eagle⚑ •Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk⚑ • Mountain Buzzard⚑  • Narina Trogon⚑ • Bar-tailed Trogon⚑ • Silvery-cheeked Hornbill⚑ • Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater⚑ • Kilimanjaro White-eye • Waller’s Starling⚑ • Abbott’s Starling⚑ • Abyssinian Ground-thrushand several other 
At a high altitude • Bearded Vulture• White-necked Raven⚑ • Moorland Chat⚑ • Tacazze Sunbird⚑ • Malachite Sunbird⚑ • Red-tufted Sunbirdand several other 
Threatened
Tanzania endemic
Near endemic
Africa endemic

PARK ACTIVITIES INCLUDED IN OUR SAFARIS

Trekking to the Mandara hut, accompanied by a park guide

Entry to the National Parks in Tanzania is allowed to licensed off-road vehicles of local tour operators with a valid license. The paths of the safaris are strictly bound to the trails. The strict regulation of parks has the laudable aim of safeguarding the inestimable natural heritage and supporting the local economy. The “DIY tourism” presents many unknowns and therefore becomes difficult to practice. With us, local tour operator with Italian participation, you can realize your dream of a tailor-made safari! Contact us

ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE PARK

Moshi and Marangu: cultural tourism (Chagga tribe) and excursions (waterfalls and coffee plantations)

For information on transit fees and park accommodation, already included in the price of our safaris, visit the Park Fees page. The system of taxation of tourism in the parks of Tanzania is the necessary contribution to the conservation of an uncontaminated and wild natural heritage, of inestimable environmental value.

For general information about all parks in Tanzania and about this park – when to go, where is it, nearby destinations – go to Parks of Tanzania page

Interested in Kilimanjaro National Park? Contact us!

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