ABOUT MOUNT KILIMANJARO
Location: The northeastern edge of Tanzania, bordering Kenya.
Height: The summit is 19,340 feet, making it the tallest point in Africa and one of the world's seven summits.
Routes: There are at least six. Most hikers descend on the Mweka Route.
Uniqueness: Climbers move through all of nature's eco-zones: rain forest, heath forest, moorland, alpine desert and arctic.
History: In the 1880s, the mountain became a part of German East Africa after German traveler and colonialist Karl Peters persuaded African chiefs to sign it away. In 1918, Kilimanjaro became part of British-ruled Tanganyika (which later became Tanzania). Today, it is a World UNESCO site. The national park begins at about 8,800 feet, the launch for the hikes.
