Eye in the Sky: Mount Kilimanjaro
Fantastic views and adventure await in Kilimanjaro. One of the highest free-standing mountains in the world is Mount Kilimanjaro. A mountain set directly on the equator, many of its visitors come to view the oddity of snow at its tip.
Though the climb can be an expensive outing, it is an amazing one; no expert climbing experience is needed, and it is possible to reach the top without any specialist equipment. Rising from cultivated farmlands, the volcano passes through rainforests and alpine meadows before arrival at the top. The landscape between the twin peaks Kibo and Mawenzi is more like a lunar scene than anything. The mountain is home to a variety of animals, including buffalo, leopards and monkeys.
However, there is no need to climb to the tip to see beautiful and wonderful sights; those towns on Kilimanjaro’s lower slopes are linked by footpaths. Hotels in the outer Moshi area have arranged hikes throughout the lower slopes, and there are minibuses – called ‘dalla-dalla’ locally – that can bring visitors to Kibosho, where an ancient German church awaits exploration. The area around central Moshi is another easy climb. The vaguely Asian feel of the area gives way to Hindi temples and mosques. Seeing Mount Kilimanjaro rising out of the horizon at sunset is a fantastic experience.
Around Kilimanjaro is a gamut of restaurants and cafes, all boasting different themes and dishes; visit the Salzburger Cafe, which is decorated in an Alpine, Austrian way while the waiters dress in faux-leopard skin vests.
A flight from London Heathrow to Kilimanjaro will require a connecting flight.
