Mount Kilimanjaro national park safari
Mount Kilimanjaro national park safari
Mount Kilimanjaro national park safari : Mount Kilimanjaro national park is among the tourist attractions found in the northern part of Tanzania. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is among the activities that are done during safaris around the national park. There are various routes which can be used during a hike on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
Mount Kilimanjaro is about 5895 meters high and is also a snow capped mountain. It is also the highest free standing mountain in Africa and one of the 7 summits of the world. The breathtaking views around the mountain during hikes on the mountain to get to the summit and knowing that you are at the highest point in Africa is among some of the many reasons why people visit Mount Kilimanjaro national park.
The best time for a visit to Mount Kilimanjaro national park is the dry season during the months of June to October. Even in other seasons during the year, many tourists visit Mount Kilimanjaro to enjoy an experience on the mountain and also enjoy hiking and other activities done at the destination.
A hike on Mount Kilimanjaro can also be combined with a safari to other destinations across the northern part of Tanzania such as Serengeti national park, the Ngorongoro crater, Lake Manyara national park and Tarangire national park.
The national park is located south of the equator in Tanzania and can be accessed by driving from Arusha or Moshi town. Moshi is the town which is nearest to Mount Kilimanjaro and is at the foothills of the mountain. The guides and porters who offer their services to tourists climbing the mountain also live around Moshi town and have benefited from tourism in the area.
Another way to get to Mount Kilimanjaro national park is by flying to Kilimanjaro international airport which is about 45 kilometers from Moshi town.
There are about 7 hiking routes which can be used during safaris around Mount Kilimanjaro national park and they include Lemosho route, Marangu route, Rongai route, Umbwe route, Machame route, Shira route and the northern route. These routes get to the mountain from different sides of the mountain.
A safari in Mount Kilimanjaro national park can take about 5 or more days depending on the route which is being used for hiking on the mountain. Many tourists who have a short safari around the northern Tanzania can also engage in day tours on the mountain where they hike for a brief amount of time before returning to the park entrance gates where hikes on Mount Kilimanjaro start from.
Wildlife species can also be seen during a safari around Mount Kilimanjaro national park. These wildlife species can be encountered during hikes on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and they include colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, porcupines, aardvarks among others.
A number of activities are also carried out during safaris around Mount Kilimanjaro national park such as hiking to the summit, cultural tours in Moshi town, nature walks around Kilimanjaro national park.
The different cultures which can be interacted with during a safari around Mount Kilimanjaro national park include the Chagga who live in the towns at the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. The cultural tours involve interactions with the locals, enjoying traditional dances, visiting the homesteads among other activities.
The Chagga are known to practice agriculture in the fertile soils of Mount Kilimanjaro and some of the crops they grow include coffee and bananas. Different food crops are grown by the Chagga around their homes as well as trees and shrubs which have different uses.
Hiking to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro is among the to do list of many who visit Kilimanjaro national park and some tourists go to just see the mountain or engage in a day hike around the mountain. Either way a visit to Tanzania is complete with a stop at Mount Kilimanjaro. The summit of Mount Kilimanjaro is known as the Uhuru peak which many people attempt to get to during their safaris. The mountain also has 3 volcanic cones namely Shira, Kibo and Mawenzi.
The summit attempt on Mount Kilimanjaro can start as early as midnight and by sunrise, the hikers find themselves at the top of the mountain where they spend some time before descending to a camp where they will spend the night.
A team of porters, guides and cooks also goes along with the hikers during their safari in Kilimanjaro national park as they climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro following different trails through the bushland zone, rainforest zone, moorland zone, alpine desert zone and the arctic zone.
Nature walks through the forested area in Kilimanjaro national park is another activity that tourists do as they explore Tanzania. Around the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, nature walks can be done in the forests where various bird species and some wildlife species can be seen.
During a safari to Kilimanjaro national park, there are also different places to stay including luxury, midrange and budget lodges found around Moshi town where tourists can stay as they prepare for their hikes on Mount Kilimanjaro.
While hiking the mountain, some of the hiking routes have hut accommodations where tourists can spend their nights after a day of hiking for example the Marangu route which has Mandara hut, Kibo hut and Horombo huts. Other forms of accommodation during hikes on Mount Kilimanjaro include campsites along the different routes like Machame, Lemosho, Rongai, Umbwe, Shira among others.
Travellers from all over the world including solo travelers can engage in a safari around Mount Kilimanjaro national park. Group hiking tours are however the common forms of safaris that people engage in during their hikes on the mountain.
Families also visit the Mountain for a hiking experience in Kilimanjaro national park. these safaris can be organized by tour operators who provide everything that is needed for the hikes on the mountain including meals, accommodation, transportation before and after the hike.
Visit Kilimanjaro national park and enjoy a safari experience as you tour the highest mountain in Africa.
