What is the highest mountain in Africa?
Quick answer
Mount Kilimanjaro, in northeastern Tanzania, is the highest mountain in Africa, rising to 5,895 m (19,341 ft) at Uhuru Peak. It’s also the world’s tallest free-standing mountain, not part of a range. Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano whose summit glaciers have been shrinking for over a century.
Key facts
- Height
- 5,895 m (19,341 ft)
- Location
- Tanzania, near the Kenyan border
- Summit
- Uhuru Peak, on the Kibo cone
- First recorded ascent
- 1889, Hans Meyer and Ludwig Purtscheller
Three volcanic cones
| Cone | Notes |
|---|---|
| Kibo | The highest; dormant, with Uhuru Peak on its crater rim |
| Mawenzi | Jagged and steep, about 5,149 m |
| Shira | The oldest, collapsed into a high plateau |
Snow on the equator
Kilimanjaro is only about 3° south of the equator, yet its summit has glaciers. They’ve lost more than 80% of their area since the early 1900s, and scientists expect them to disappear within decades.
From rainforest to arctic
Climbers pass through several climate zones:
- Farmland at the base
- Rainforest, home to colobus monkeys
- Heath and moorland, with giant groundsels and lobelias
- Alpine desert
- Arctic summit, with ice and freezing temperatures
Climbing Kilimanjaro
- No technical climbing is needed on the main routes, so tens of thousands of people try each year.
- Climbs usually take 5–9 days; longer routes allow more time to adjust to altitude.
- Altitude sickness is the main danger, and many people don’t reach the top.
- Climbers must go with licensed guides, and local porters carry most of the gear.
Popular routes include Marangu (the “Coca-Cola route,” with huts), Machame and Lemosho.
The Seven Summits
Kilimanjaro is one of the Seven Summits, the highest peaks on each continent:
| Continent | Peak |
|---|---|
| Asia | Everest |
| South America | Aconcagua; see the highest mountain in South America |
| North America | Denali |
| Africa | Kilimanjaro |
| Europe | Elbrus |
| Antarctica | Vinson |
| Oceania | Kosciuszko or Puncak Jaya |
For Africa’s great lakes nearby, see the largest lake in Africa.
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