Uhuru peak

Uhuru peak

Uhuru peak is the highest peak on Mount Kilimanjaro and is also considered the highest point in Africa.The word “Uhuru” means freedom or independence in Swahili which is a language that is spoken in Tanzania. Uhuru peak is also the highest peak in Africa on the highest free standing peak in the world.

Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa at 5895 meters which is also a strato volcano. Many tourists visit Tanzania to engage in hikes on the mountain as they explore the northern part of Tanzania.

There are 3 volcanic cones on Mount Kilimanjaro and they include Shira, Kibo and Mawenzi.  Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the seven summits of the world and is found in the Kilimanjaro national park. Shira and Mawenzi are extinct while Kibo is dormant.

Kilimanjaro national park is among the national parks of Tanzania and apart from hiking to Uhuru peak on Mount Kilimanjaro which is a major attraction in the national park, there are also different wildlife species which can be seen during safaris at the destination and these include bushbucks, duikers, blue monkeys, colobus monkeys and many others as well as many bird species.

Mount Kilimanjaro is found in the northern part of Tanzania close to the Kenyan border. The mountain consists of 5 climatic zones such as the bushland zone, rainforest zone, moorland zone, alpine desert zone and the arctic zone. The different vegetation types on the mountain include montane forests as well as heath.

The best time to climb on Mount Kilimanjaro is during the months of June to October and also from January to March. From June to October there are many hikers visiting the mountain and hiking along the different routes.

It takes about 5 or more days to hike to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro and this also depends on the route which is used for hiking. The routes which are used to get to Uhuru peak include Lemosho route, Marangu route, Machame route, Rongai route, Shira route, Umbwe route and the northern route.

The Kilimanjaro crater rim can be accessed by hiking along the Machame route and also the Marangu route. Hikers using Machame route to get to the crater rim via the Stella point while those using Marangu route get there via the Gilman’s point.

A hiking experience on Marangu route starts from Marangu gate to Mandara hut and from Mandara hut to Horombo hut, from Horombo hut to Kibo hut, from Kibo hut to Uhuru peak and back to Horombo hut, from Horombo hut to Marangu gate.

The only route on Mount Kilimanjaro which has hut accommodation is Marangu route which takes about 5 or 6 days to get to Uhuru peak and also descend from the mountain.  This route starts from Marangu gate and is used by many tourists.

Machame route hikes can take up to about 6 or 7 days and is very steep. This route starts from the southern side of Mount Kilimanjaro at Machame gate to Machame camp, Machame camp to Shira 2 camp, from Shira 2 camp to Lava tower and to Barranco camp, from Barranco camp to Karanga camp, from Karanga camp to Barafu camp to Uhuru peak then to Mweka camp and Mweka gate.

Another route which is used for hiking on Mount Kilimanjaro is Lemosho route which starts on the west of the mountain and this route follows the Mweka route and Machame route. It takes about 7 days to hike to Uhuru peak and descend from the mountain using this route as follows Londrossi gate to Mti Mkubwa, Mti Mkubwa to Shira 1 camp, Shira 1 camp to Moir hut, Moir hut to Lava tower to Barranco camp, from Barranco camp to Karanga camp and then to Barafu camp and then to Uhuru peak, Mweka camp to Mweka gate.

Trekkers also use the Rongai route on the north eastern side of Mount Kilimanjaro to hike during their safaris and it takes about 7 or 8 days to hike using this route that starts from Rongai gate and also joins the Marangu route along the journey to the Uhuru peak.

Shira route is also used to get to Uhuru peak during hiking experiences on Mount Kilimanjaro and using this route to get to the summit takes about 7 days. This route also joins the Machame route and also the Mweka route is used for descend. Hiking along this route begins with driving and it is found on the western part of the mountain.

Umbwe route and the northern route are also used for hiking on Mount Kilimanjaro. The northern route takes about 9 days of hiking to Uhuru peak and descending while using the Umbwe route to hike on the mountain takes about 6 to 7 days.

After getting to the Uhuru peak, hikers enjoy taking photos on the highest point in Africa. To get to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro some hikers start their trek is about midnight in order to make it to the summit and to enjoy the sunrise.

From Uhuru peak, hikers can enjoy views of the surrounding areas around Mount Kilimanjaro. The peak is found on Kibo which is the largest cone on the mountain at a height of 5895 meters that also consists of glaciers. Kibo where the Uhuru peak is found is also a dormant volcanic cone which could erupt again.

Mount Kilimanjaro is also a snow capped mountain and can also be seen from the Kenyan side of the border. The neighboring towns around the mountain include Moshi town located at the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro which is also home to the Chagga people.

Hiking experiences to the Uhuru peak on Mount Kilimanjaro start in Moshi town where tourists can also interact with the locals like the Chagga who are agriculturalists and also learn more about their culture and way of life.

Visit Mount Kilimanjaro for an experience of hiking to the Uhuru peak which is the highest point on the mountain in the northern part of Tanzania.