Plateau Base

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Lore & Background

The origin and meaning of the name Kilimanjaro is disputed. Although the Chagga people of the Kilimanjaro Region have no name for the mountain, they call its two peaks Kipoo and Kimawenze. The peaks' names—usually rendered Kibo and Mawenzi—mean 'spotted' in reference to Kibo's snow and 'broken top' due to Mawenzi's jagged peak. 'Kilimanjaro' may originate from the Chagga calling the mountain unclimbable—kilemanjaare or kilemajyaro—and explorers misinterpreting this as its name. Early Western etymologies used a compound Swahili origin, with kilima translated as 'mountain'. In 1860, Johann Ludwig Krapf wrote that the Swahilis used the name Kilimanjaro and that it meant either 'mountain of greatness' or 'mountain of caravans'. In 1885, Scottish explorer Joseph Thomson reported 'white mountain' as an alternative, with njaro denoting whiteness.

In Their Own Story

The mountain was incorporated into Kilimanjaro National Park in 1973. As one of the Seven Summits, Kilimanjaro is a major hiking and climbing destination. There are seven established routes to Uhuru Peak, the mountain's highest point. Although not as technically challenging as similar mountains, the prominence of Kilimanjaro poses a serious risk of altitude sickness. After several European attempts, Hans Meyer reached Kilimanjaro's highest summit in 1899. Following the Zanzibar Revolution and the formation of Tanzania in 1964, the summit was renamed Uhuru Peak: 'Freedom Peak' in Swahili.

Reader's Guide

One of several mountains arising from the East African Rift, Kilimanjaro was formed from volcanic activity over 2 million years ago. Its slopes host montane forests and cloud forests. Multiple species are endemic to Mount Kilimanjaro, including the giant groundsel Dendrosenecio kilimanjari. The mountain possesses a large ice cap and the largest glaciers in Africa, including Credner Glacier, Furtwängler Glacier, and the Rebmann Glacier. This ice cap is rapidly shrinking, with over 80% lost in the 20th century. The cap is projected to disappear entirely by the mid-21st century. Kilimanjaro is a large dormant stratovolcano composed of three distinct volcanic cones: Kibo, the highest; Mawenzi at 5,149 m (16,893 ft); and Shira, the lowest at 4,005 m (13,140 ft). Mawenzi and Shira are extinct, while Kibo is dormant and could erupt again.

Did You Know?

• Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest free-standing mountain above sea level in the world, at 5,895 m (19,341 ft) above sea level and 4,900 m (16,100 ft) above its plateau base.
• The mountain's highest summit was first reached by Hans Meyer in 1899.
• The summit was renamed Uhuru Peak, meaning 'Freedom Peak' in Swahili, in 1964.
• The ice cap on Kilimanjaro has lost over 80% of its mass in the 20th century and is projected to disappear entirely by the mid-21st century.
• The name 'Kilimanjaro' may originate from the Chagga word 'kilemanjaare', meaning 'unclimbable'.