Mount Kilimanjaro Tanzania

It is called the roof of Africa rising 5,895 meters (19,341feet) nearly four miles, Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest point on the entire of the African Continent. Located in the north east of Tanzania in East Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro is about an equal distance from Cairo to the north and cap town to the south. Around 220 miles south of the equator the majestic snow peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro is have long capture the world imaginations. Thousands have travel to Tanzania to climb the mountain or to view is famous glacier covered peak.

Once such visitor the American author Ernest Hemingway even wrote a story about it. In the snows of Kilimanjaro, Hemmingway described the mountain ice fields as wider as all the world great, high and unbelievable white in the sun. How spectacular it is to see the ice on top of Mount Kilimanjaro serves much more important purpose. Formed more than 11,000 years ago the glacier are the vital source of drinking and farming water for those who live in the surrounding areas.

It is called the roof of Africa rising (meter/feet) nearly four miles Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest point on the entire of the African Continent. Located in the north east of Tanzania in East Africa Mount Kilimanjaro is about an equal distance from Cairo to the north and cap town to the south. Around 220 miles south of the equator the majestic snow peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro is have long capture the world imagination. But for the last century the snows have been disappearing. Kilimanjaro glaciers have been shrunk for more than 80% since 1912. These can be seen in the pictures that NASA satellite lenser has been taking of the mountain ice cape for more than a decade.

There are several theories as to why Kilimanjaro snow is disappearing so quickly. For one thing is about is located in tropic region for this reason its glacier is especially vulnerable to climate changes. One type of climate is called global warming which is causing as constant rise in earth’s temperature. Another possible reason of why the glaciers are melting is the deforestation which happen when trees are cutting down in massive quantities. Trees keep the air cooler and add moisture to the atmosphere which helps create clouds and precipitations. Regardless of the causes the snows of the Mount Kilimanjaro continue to melt. Expert predict the mountain glaciers could disappear completely by the year 2012.

The loss of Kilimanjaro’s glaciers remove the source of water for the mountain surrounding areas. In addition will probably decrease the amount of tourism and the revenue generate to Tanzania. Finally the disappearance snow in Africa serves as proofs that the earth with its changing climate and the warming tress cannot always sustains its natural treasures.

MOUNT KILIMANJARO CLIMBING ROUTES

Till to date there are six routes established to the summit of this mountain. In the western side is the Marangu route which is the most established and easiest route to the summit. This route is nicknamed as the coca cola route due to its easiest climbing. Climbing up and down through this route takes about 5 to 6 days depending with the fitness of the climbers. This route is has major three stations (Mandara, Horombo and Kibo) where climbers spend nights during climbing and every station there are huts.

In the southern there are three route Machame, Umbwe and Mweka. In all these routes there are any accommodation established so climbers have to spend nights in dorm tents. Porters will carry and perch the tents for you. The most scenic route among the southern route is the Machame and most difficult route is Umbwe. The total number of days require to ascend and descend for each of these routes is 6 days but other climbers may spend 7 days with an extra day for acclimatization.

The lemosho and shira routes are established in the eastern side of the mountain. These routes have the best scenery and steep slopes. Same to the southern routes the eastern routes do not have a well-established accommodation so climbers have to go with tents.