KILIMANJARO:

THE BASIC FACTS

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1. Kilimanjaro is the largest freestanding mountain in North Tanzania, Africa.

It is 5895m (19,341ft) above sea level at its highest point, Uhuru Peak.

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2. The mountain is in the East African republic of Tanzania. It is in the north of the country, right against the border with Kenya.

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3. The mountain actually has three summits, of which Kibo is the largest and highest. It is also the only one that has permanent snow and glaciers on it – and thus features on most of the classic images of the mountain.

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4. As you ascend the mountain you’ll pass through several different vegetation zones, starting with cloud forest, then heath and moorland, alpine desert – before finishing at the snowy summit. This is why you’ll hear people saying that to climb up Kilimanjaro is to walk through four seasons in one week.

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5. Though we say ‘to climb Kilimanjaro’, it is actually just a hike. There is no ‘real’ climbing involved.

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6. The first recorded successful ascent was by Hans Meyer, from Leipzig, along with his Austrian Ludwig Purtscheller, in October 1889.