Geography Of Africa - Mt Kilimanjaro
Geography > More in this Category > Historical Geology > Volcanic Centres > National Park Fauna > Low Slope Fauna > High Slope Fauna > Summit Fauna
In terms of the Geography of Africa, Mt Kilimanjaro itself lies only a few degrees south of the equator. One would expect that due to its location, the geographical environment on Kilimanjaro would be typically tropical. Nothing could however be further from the truth. Conditions on the mountain are determined by altitude as opposed to latitude, and range from equatorial on the lower slopes to arctic around the summit zone.
A trip from the base to the summit of this giant Stratavolcano truly is an exercise in biodiversity. The Lower Slopes of the mountain are now covered by banana and coffee plantations, which provide the main source of income to the local subsistence farmers of the area. Bordering these crops is the thick, humid Rain Forest which is brimming with enormous trees and striking wildflowers such as orchids and violets.
The Higher one travels up the mountain, the thinner the vegetation becomes. The wispy grasses and giant succulents of the heath and moorland areas are gradually replaced by resilient grasses and orange lichen. By the time one reaches the summit area, the only vegetation one will see are the most resistant of lichens which cling desperately to the formations of volcanic rock which characterise the mountain.
Like the vegetation one comes across on Kili, so the wildlife on the mountain also varies greatly according to altitude. Whilst the lower slopes and rainforest are teeming with both bird and animal life, conditions on the Upper Slopes ensure that they are inhabited by only the most resilient of creatures. Habitants of the heath and moorland areas include small rodents and birds, while the only organisms to survive the temperature extremes of the alpine desert are insects and spiders. On the rims of Kibo, and Mawezi themselves there is little if any sign of life, due to the fact essential elements such as liquid and oxygen are far too hard to come by.
Weather conditions on Kilimanjaro are relatively unpredictable and storms have been known to occur year in and year out. Generally however, January February and September are considered the best times of year to climb the mountain due to the fact that they are both warm and relatively dry. The two rainy seasons occur from March to June and then again from October through to December. These periods are best avoided due to the fact that visibility is poor and climbing conditions generally more treacherous.
The Kilimanjaro Experience
