MOUNT KILIMANJARO ZONES

Climbing to Uhuru Peak, Mount Kilimanjaro’s summit, is an unforgettable experience. The climate and landscape are as diverse as the cultures found on the African continent. Trekking takes you up to 5000 meters in elevation. The altitude differences between the lower slopes and the peak are so great that Kilimanjaro can be divided into five distinct climate zones. Here are the Kilimanjaro zones that you pass through during your hike to the Uhuru peak:

• Cultivation zone (800 m to 1,800 m)
• Rainforest zone (1,800 m to 2,800 m).
• Afro-alpine moorland zone (2,800 m to 4,000 m)
• Alpine desert zone (4,000 m to 5,000 m)
• Arctic zone (above 5,000 m)

 Cultivated zone (1,000 m to 1,800 m)

Kilimanjaro National Park’s lower climate zone is a bushland zone that has been converted to coffee and banana cultivation. Kilimanjaro is well-known for its single-origin coffee, and plantation tours are a popular activity for visitors. In fact, we recommend taking a coffee plantation tour as one of the top things to do in the Kilimanjaro region during your Tanzania safari tour.

 The Chagga are a prosperous Bantu-speaking group that lives on Mt. Kilimanjaro’s southern and eastern slopes. The famous Masai people live to the west and north. The Ongamo, a people group numbering in the thousands, are also to the north.

The cultivated zone is not a section of the park that you walk through when climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro; rather, all trailheads begin higher up the mountain. Your Select Adventure Safari tour guide will drive you to the beginning of your chosen trail, allowing you to see the cultivation zone from your vehicle.

Rainforest zone (1,800 m to 2,800 m)

Many people are surprised to learn that the base of Mount Kilimanjaro is surrounded by a beautiful rainforest. The forest is thicker and lusher on the south and east sides of the mountains, where more rain falls. Expect to see large, gnarled trees covered in moss, as well as dense undergrowth, plenty of creepers, and lively streams.

 There are many flowers to enjoy at this elevation, but the Kilimanjaro impatiens stands out. This lovely red-and-yellow flower can be found nowhere else on the planet; it only grows in the forest at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro!

The forest can get quite hot during the day. Many hikers prefer to walk through this section of the trail in shorts and a shirt. If you hike during a rainy season (as Tunisian climber Arwa Mrad did and describes in her Lemosho journal), the paths can become muddy and slippery.

Afro-alpine moorland zone (2,800 m to 4,000 m)

The Afro-alpine moorland zone (also known as the heather zone) is a unique habitat. We say this because, while it has less biodiversity than the forest, it contains a diverse range of truly unusual vegetation. You’re above the trees in this zone, walking along rocky paths surrounded by beautiful grasses, giant heathers, red-hot pokers, and yellow proteas.

 Notably, this is the altitude at which you begin to encounter top-heavy giant groundsels. Giant groundsels (also known as tree Senecios) can reach heights of 5 meters and bear small yellow flowers at the top. Then there are the giant lobelias, which have a large and fat infloresence (or ‘column’) growing from a spiky rosette base.

In the morning, mist frequently covers this section of the mountain. The sun can be scorching during the day, and the nights can be bitterly cold. And the wind is frequently very strong. This is when you’ll need your outer layers, such as your fleece and down jacket.

Alpine desert zone (4,000 m to 5,000 m)

The alpine (or highland) desert zone is extremely hostile, and from up here, you begin to feel like a real hardcore trekker. The plants that live in the zone’s core are incredibly resilient because they must endure both nighttime temperatures below zero and the sweltering sun during the day. And hardly any rain. Hardy grasses, lichens, and mosses predominate.

The occasional eland or large antelope might wander up here, but otherwise, don’t anticipate seeing any wildlife in this area. It goes without saying that some climbers will begin to experience at least mild altitude sickness symptoms at this altitude on Kilimanjaro.

Arctic zone (above 5,000 m)

There is only snow, ice, and scree at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro’s arctic zone. Three volcanic cones can be found at the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro:

• Kibo’s highest point called Uhuru Peak and is 5,895 m.
• Mawenzi’s highest point is 5,149 m.
• Shira’s highest point is 3,962 m.

You also have the breathtaking Furtwangler Glacier at the summit of Kilimanjaro. The glacier is a remnant of the ice cap that once covered the entire mountaintop. The summit of Kilimanjaro has nighttime temperatures ranging from -7 to -29 °C. Arctic, to be sure.

To stand on Uhuru Peak, Kilimanjaro’s highest point, and look out over the mighty mountain you’ve just conquered… well, it’s difficult to put into words all the happy emotions! You’ll just have to go and see for yourself.