Category: Mount Kilimanjaro

Well, who has never heard of it? Mt. Kilimanjaro, the icon, the name so engraved in most of us, well, I presume most of us. It would be safe to say that but then again this series of articles would stop here. This African icon nicknamed the 'roof of Africa has intrigued the local population as well as early European explorers. In 1885 Jim Thompson made an unsupported claim that Kilimanjaro, to the locals meant Mountain (Kilima) of Greatness (Njaro). This is understandable considering the tribes living around the mountain and their reverence to the mountain in relation to their beliefs and day to day life. The Roof of Africa looks imposing and beautiful all at the same time even from afar.   Our towering mountain is located in East Africa, in the beautiful country of Tanzania. Mount Kilimanjaro is located near the border of Tanzania and Kenya, just 3 degrees south of the equator, and yes, it will be a surprise on you upon seeing snow on the inviting mountain summit. So towering is the mountain that its visible from the towns of Moshi, Arusha, in Tanzania and also from the Tsavo and Amboseli parks not very far away in neighbouring Kenya.   The exact mountain specifications are 24 miles wide, and 49 miles long. And the mountain boasts of 3 craters that add to the air of mystery that Kilimanjaro has. The volcanic craters are Kibo, Shira and Mawenzi. The smallest but the oldest of the peaks is Shira standing at 3962 m. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your stand on mother nature, the volcanic centre became extinct.   Kibo is categorized as dormant and not extinct and it's the highest of the three peaks. Standing at 5895 m high and at 1.5 miles wide. Mount Kilimanjaro's Uhuru peak

On Friday, wildlife rangers, soldiers, and large volunteer teams worked to put out a major forest fire that had been burning for over a week in Mount Kenya national park. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the government agency in charge of national parks, claimed the fire started on Saturday and that it had damaged more than 80,000 hectares (200,000 acres) surrounding Mount Kenya. KWS claimed in a statement that "we have made considerable progress in suppressing the Mt Kenya fire," but that new breakouts have been reported. Shuttle runs were flown by helicopters to help the volunteers who were working in the forest to put out the fire. Others created massive water drops to put out the flames. The mountain's top, which stands at 5,199 meters (17,057 feet) and is Africa's second tallest after Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, was coated in ice and snow patches above the clouds of smoke. Rangers from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), and the Kenya Defence Force (KDF) were among those who fought the fire (KDF). "Hundreds of community people, volunteers, KWS and KFS rangers, and KDF teams are busy creating fire breaks and putting out flames on the mountain," the Mount Kenya Trust, an organization dedicated to forest conservation, stated on Friday. The park straddles the equator, some 193 kilometers (120 miles) northeast of Nairobi, with the mountain at its heart. The United Nations designated Mount Kenya as a World Heritage Monument in 1997, and climate change is listed as "possibly one of the most important long-term dangers to the site."

The two Little Mix musicians are hiking Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise money for a good cause courtesy of Comic Relief. Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix have teamed up to scale the highest peak in Africa. They joined the #ReturntoKili campaign to support Comic Relief's Red Nose Day together with other British celebrities. A British nonprofit organization called Comic Relief is devoted to eradicating poverty, especially in Africa. Each year, the group holds Red Nose Day to raise money for its causes. By overcoming the difficult conditions and difficulties of climbing Kilimanjaro for an entire 8 days using the Lemosho Route, Jade and Leigh-Anne hope to inspire their supporters and others to donate to the cause. The two girls are persevering and are currently on Day 4. They have climbed through torrential downpours, and Jade has even experienced acute altitude sickness, yet they continue. We have no idea how they manage it. As they traverse the challenging terrain to improve the lives of others, Leigh-Anne and Jade are as inspirational as they come. We are excited for them to reach the top and wish them luck as they continue on their journey. Visit the Comic Relief website to follow the team, donate, or learn more about the challenge. Nine well-known celebrities, including Love Island's Dani Dyer and Little Mix's Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne Pinnock, scaled Mount Kilimanjaro in support of Comic Relief after weeks of preparation. The crew, which has been climbing the mountain for the last week, has reached their goal after climbing 5895 meters despite suffering from altitude sickness, nausea, tiredness, and a ton of blisters. Leigh-Anne Pinnock of Little Mix sent an extremely moving statement on her Instagram page after hitting the top over the weekend.   View this post on Instagram  

'I'm going out on top,' says defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, 35, who announced his NFL retirement after a stellar 13-year career by revealing a flag on the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest point. As he announced his retirement on Monday, Ngata expressed his thanks with a "heart full of gratitude." From the 19340ft summit at Uhuru Peak, a banner reading "I'm retiring from the NFL on top" was hoisted. Ngata, a two-time All-Pro who appeared in five Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl, was a two-time All-Pro. From the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, defensive lineman Haloti Ngata declared his retirement from football. On Monday morning, the 13-year NFL veteran shared a selfie of himself on the 19340-foot peak, waving a banner that said, 'I'm retiring from the NFL on top.' 'Just a man on top of the world, full of appreciation in his heart.' Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to play the game I love for 13 incredible years,' he wrote on social media. 'I may be done playing football, but the connections, memories, and lessons I've gathered along the road are priceless.' 'No one who has ever given his all has ever regretted it. I'm leaving with no regrets, only the satisfaction of knowing I gave it my all and had a great time doing it.' Ngata, a two-time All-Pro who appeared in five Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2013, was a 35-year-old native of Inglewood, California. He played nine seasons with the Ravens after being selected No. 12 overall in the 2006 NFL Draft, followed by three seasons in Detroit and one in Philadelphia. The Ravens were in the top five in the league in run defense in seven of his nine seasons in Baltimore. Ngata has 519

Tanzania is in negotiations with a Chinese and a Western business to build cable cars on Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, in order to improve visitor numbers. Kilimanjaro attracts over 50,000 people each year. According to Constantine Kanyasu, deputy minister of tourism, a cable car might enhance visitor numbers by 50% by giving access to the mountain for people who are unable to climb it. According to Kanyasu, the nation is now undertaking feasibility assessments on potential routes. "We're currently conducting a feasibility analysis to evaluate if this proposal is feasible," he explained. "There are two firms that have expressed interest, one from China and the other from a Western nation." "This isn't the first time cable cars have been used in the globe; cable cars can be found in Sweden, Italy, and the Himalayas," he stated. The government, according to Kanyasu, is looking at company ideas, possible investors, and profitability. The length of the route has yet to be determined, with numerous possibilities being considered based on cost and engineering concerns, according to the ministry. He also stated that an environmental impact study will be conducted. Porter and guide organizations who transport visitors up the mountain are opposed to the idea, claiming that cable cars would limit the number of climbers. Visitors usually spend a week ascending the mountain, according to Loishiye Mollel, the director of Tanzania Porters' Organization. "A maximum of 15 persons can accompany a visitor from the United States, including 13 porters, a chef, and a guide. A cable car will harm all of these jobs "he stated "We believe the mountain should remain in its natural state." Between Mount Kilimanjaro and Meru, another adjacent peak, roughly 20,000 porters labor, he added. Tanzania's tourist profits increased by 7.13 percent last year, owing to an increase in