When Johann Rebman reported that he had seen at the latitude of the equator a vast mountain capped with snow, the British Geographical Society Laughed!

Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and stands at 5,895 meters, three degrees south of the equator. The mountain, a dormant volcano, has two peaks - Kibo and Mawezi, which are surrounded by dense forests full of dazzling variety of flora and fauna. The area around the mountain is protected territory. The 756 sq. km lying above 2,700m comprise Kilimanjaro National Park, while parts of the lower slopes - which support five vegetation zones - are protected as forest reserves.

The main attractions are the volcanic centres; Shira, Mawezi and Kibo, and the change in forest from savannah grassland to raw forests, moorland, tundra, semi-desert, and snow.

Mount Kilimanjaro has attracted many tourists and researchers from all over the world. No visit to Tanzania's northern circuit would be complete without at least a glimpse of Mount Kilimanjaro. It is the only peak of its size that can be climbed with relative ease by non-mountaineers, and many take the opportunity to do so. The mountain can be climbed any time of the year, although it is often wet in the rain forest zone from mid-March to May. The summit can be conquered in three days. The youngest person to have climbed it was an 11-year old and the oldest, 74 years old.