We have facts about Mount Kilimanjaro that you may not have heard anywhere else, or maybe you have, but they are still mind-blowing! Did you know, Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest free-standing mountain in the world? Yes, because all the highest peaks like Mount Everest and the rest all belong to mountain ranges. Numerous explorers have attempted and succeeded in reaching the top of the world during the previous century or so and Kili, as it is popularly known here is one of the mountains that draws their attention, not only because it is the highest in Africa or because it features prominently in the Lion King movie but because it is an adventure to not miss and a sight to behold. It is also factual that this gigantic mastiff is located in Tanzania but not in Kenya as popularly misconceived.
Read: is Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya or Tanzania?
Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro for the day is also possible for you if you want to enjoy the excitement of a Kilimanjaro trek without the risks of ascending to the summit, Uhuru Peak. We’ll walk for the better part of the day on the slopes of Kilimanjaro to either Shira Plateau or Mandara Hut while enjoying the magnificent and breathtaking views of the peak itself. But the most amazing part of choosing to climb this mountain is reaching the summit and it can take you anywhere between 5-9 days of trekking to start climbing and descending. Consider our personal favourite route, which is always recommended as the best route to climb Kilimanjaro, the 8 days Lemosho Route because it is very scenic and gives you just the right amount of time to acclimatize.
Mind-Blowing facts about Mount Kilimanjaro
Our amazing Mount Kilimanjaro Facts will blow your mind, from the quickest ascent to, climbing the mountain with camels to stumbling on a stray dog near the summit to the highest pizza delivery and even a football game being played on a mountain crater!
Kilimanjaro facts about Geology
The geology of Mount Kilimanjaro is intriguing. Here are some facts concerning the geology of Mount Kilimanjaro.
How was Mount Kilimanjaro formed?
The East African rift system’s tectonic action produced Mount Kilimanjaro. The renowned rift system is made up of a very active intra-continental tectonic region where plates collide and diverge, forming rifts and volcanoes. On the southernmost point of the rift system is where Mount Kilimanjaro is located.
Shira, Mawenzi, and Kibo are the three peaks that may be seen when looking at Mount Kilimanjaro. See all the Kilimanjaro peaks.
Shira, the oldest peak, is the first summit. Around 750,000 years ago, volcanoes caused by tectonic activity created a sizable volcanic cone that eventually gave rise to the now-extinct Shira peak. Before it collapsed to create the crater that can be seen today, Shira was an active volcano for almost 250,000 years.
More volcanic activity followed Shira’s collapse, leading to the formation of the Mawenzi peak. After a series of eruptions, the enormous Kibo mountain was formed around 460,000 years ago. The tremendous level of volcanic activity during the early stages of Kibo’s creation is what gave Mt. Kilimanjaro its current enormous height. A climber begins their ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro at Kibo, the recognizable cone visible from the mountain’s slopes.
How was Mount Kilimanjaro formed?
When is the last time Mount Kilimanjaro erupted?
Shira, Mawenzi, and Kibo are the three volcanoes that make up Mount Kilimanjaro, as was already discussed in our Mt. Kilimanjaro Facts.
While Kibo is regarded as a dormant volcano, Shira and Mawenzi are extinct volcanoes. Although there is evidence that Kibo has been volcanically active within the last 10,000 years, Kilimanjaro’s most recent eruption occurred around 350,000 years ago.
Even though Kibo is thought of as a dormant volcano, Mount Kilimanjaro is still thought of as a dormant volcano. But don’t worry, Mount Kilimanjaro’s seismic activity is closely monitored, and there are currently no signs that the mountain is active.
When was the last time Kilimanjaro erupted, will it erupt again?
Is Mount Kilimanjaro still active?
Shira, Mawenzi, and Kibo are the three volcanic cones that make up Mount Kilimanjaro. Mawenzi and Shira have not existed for more than 500,000 years. Although Kibo was quite active when it was forming, it is currently thought of as a dormant volcano and is not active. Mt. Kilimanjaro’s last significant eruption took place about 350,000 years ago. Nevertheless, Kibo has been active recently (10,000 years) and could do so again in the future. However, it is not currently in use.
Kilimanjaro is a volcano of what kind?
Being a stratovolcano, commonly referred to as a composite volcano, is another fascinating aspect of Mount Kilimanjaro. The majority of volcanoes on the planet, including Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Fuji, and Mount Rainier, are stratovolcanoes, which make up more than 60% of all volcanoes.
Read about the strange Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano in Tanzania
Why is Kilimanjaro so popular?
Because it is the tallest mountain in Africa and one of the Seven Summits of the globe, Mount Kilimanjaro is well-known (i.e. the 7 highest peaks on each continent).
Being a volcano and completely free-standing (most volcanoes are part of a range), it has an iconic appearance.
The fact that Mount Kilimanjaro appears in popular culture is another astounding truth about the mountain. For instance, Johnny Clegg and Miriam Makeba both penned songs about Mount Kilimanjaro, while Ernest Hemingway published a novel titled The Snows of Kilimanjaro.
Why is Kilimanjaro National Park so popular?
Interesting Mount Kilimanjaro factual information
Here are some amusing and fascinating facts about Mount Kilimanjaro. We have been building up the anticipation, now cometh the hour of truth!
When was Mount Kilimanjaro’s first ascent?
The first individuals to reach the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro were a German geologist named Hans Meyer, Ludwig Purtscheller, and a native named Lauwo in October 1889. Locals could have reached Kilimanjaro’s peak earlier than Hans Meyer, but it’s likely that they didn’t document it.
What is the Kilimanjaro climbing speed record?
Karl Egloff, a Swiss mountain runner, set a record for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro’s peak and returning in 6 hours and 42 minutes in August 2014.
This amazing effort broke the previous record, which was achieved in September 2010 by Spanish mountain runner Kilian Jornet. The Spaniard was only at a young age of 22 years old at the time.
He broke the previous record set by Kazakh mountain runner Andrew Puchinin by one minute by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in a record time of 5 hours, 23 minutes, and 50 seconds!
He then ran back down, smashing the previous record of 9 hours and 21 minutes established by Tanzanian native Simon Mtuy. His round-trip time was 7 hours and 14 minutes.
Check out this amazing video footage of Kilian Jornet climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to set a record.
Anne-Marie Flammersfeld, a German lady, set the record for the quickest female ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro in July 2015. She did it in 8 hours and 32 minutes, beating Becky Shuttleworth’s previous time by more than 3 hours.
In all, Flammersfeld’s ascent and descent took 12 hours, 58 minutes, shattering Debbie Bachmann’s previous record of 18 hours, 31 minutes. Explore Anne-discography Marie’s here.
With an ascent time of 7 hours 8 minutes in 2017, Brazilian Fernanda Maciel broke Flammersfeld’s record by almost an hour.
Amazingly, Kristina Schou Madson, a Danish ultrarunner, broke this record once more in February 2018 with a time of 6 hours, 52 minutes, and 54 seconds.
Who was the youngest person to ascend Mount Kilimanjaro?
Coltan Tanner, a native of Albuquerque, is the youngest person to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
At the young age of 6 years and 1 month, he reached the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in October 2018. Keats Boyd, who reached the top at the age of 7, formerly held the record.
Zain Akrim, a 9-year-old British boy, became the youngest person ever to climb Mount Kilimanjaro on the 8th of August 2015. Montannah Kenney, who is 7 years old, beat Roxy Getter’s record for the youngest girl to summit Mount Kilimanjaro in March 2018.
Who is the oldest person to climb Mount Kilimanjaro?
Anne Lorimor is the oldest person to climb Mount Kilimanjaro (aged 89). See details here for her 2019 ascent.
Several previous octogenarians held the record before Anne broke it, including the following:
- At 87 years old, Dr. Fred Distelhorst set a record for the oldest climber of Mount Kilimanjaro in 2017.
- At 86 years and 267 days old, Angela Vorobeva (Russia, b. 4 February 1929) set a record for the oldest climber to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. See Angela’s track record here.
- At 85 years and 201 days old, Robert Wheeler set a record for the oldest climber of Mount Kilimanjaro in October 2014. Read about his remarkable achievement here.
- Martin Kafer, who is 85 years old, climbed to the Roof of Africa in October 2012. His wife Esther joined him (84). Esther’s accomplishment eclipsed that of Bernice Bunn, who at 83 years old reached the Roof of Africa as the oldest woman to do it.
- October 2010: Richard Byerley, who was 84 years and 71 days old when he reached the top, did it in October of that same year. However, astonishingly, his record was beaten by
Who is the oldest person to have climbed Mount Kilimanjaro is a subject of significant debate. At the age of 87, a Frenchman named Valtee Daniel reached the peak; nevertheless, the climb was not independently validated and did not have enough paperwork to be independently verified (i.e. logbook notes, photographs, and film).
Has anybody with a disability hiked Mount Kilimanjaro?
Yes, a lot of people with disabilities have climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. Two of our favorites are presented below: Bernard Goosen, a South African in a wheelchair, took six days to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in 2007.
Kyle Maynard, who is born without limbs and legs, scaled Mount Kilimanjaro alone in 2012. Watch this incredible video about Kyle and his ascent of Kilimanjaro!
Other Amazing Mount Kilimanjaro Facts
Here are some additional entertaining and fascinating facts about Mount Kilimanjaro that you might not be aware of.
Number of deaths on Mount Kilimanjaro
Fortunately, 3 to 10 individuals often perish on Mount Kilimanjaro’s slopes each year. On the other hand, the peak sees up to 30,000 climbers per year, increasing the likelihood of survival dramatically.
Are there any reported deaths on Mount Kilimanjaro?
Highest cricket match
The highest cricket match ever was played in September 2014 when 30 cricket players and officials scaled Mount Kilimanjaro before descending to Crater Camp.
The previous record was set in 2009, close to Everest Base Camp. Find out more about the highest cricket game here.
Highest pizza delivery
Pizza Hut sent the highest-altitude pizza to Mt. Kilimanjaro’s summit in May 2016, officially breaking the previous record. Learn more about their journey and achievements here.
Highest football game
The largest soccer match ever was played in June 2017 amongst a squad of 30 female footballers from 20 different countries. The 90-minute match took place in the volcanic crater of Mount Kilimanjaro. a remarkable accomplishment. Click here to learn more about the remarkable feat.
Africa’s Tallest Tree Discovered on Mount Kilimanjaro
Africa’s tallest tree, measuring 81.5 meters in height, was found on Mount Kilimanjaro in 2016. The tree is an Entandrophragma Excelsum species, and its age ranges from 200 to 600 years! Find out more about the discovery here.
See our article on the palnts and vegetation of Mount Kilimanjaro as well.
Kilimanjaro team building for the Tour de France
Tinkoff-Saxo, a Tour de France team sponsored by Russia, reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in October 2014. Cycling pros Peter Sagan and Alberto Contador were a member of the group that made it to the top.
The information provided is factual and has been researched extensively on Mount Kilimanjaro. Here are even more fun facts for Kids
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