Kilimanjaro

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Acacia trees on the plain below the summits of Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Kibo cone is at right, Mawensi (Mawenzi) at left.

African elephants (Loxodonta africana) live in the area surrounding Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.

Herd of elephants, with Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, in the background.

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Geography & Travel

Kilimanjaro

Q: Where is Kilimanjaro located?

Kilimanjaro is a volcanic massif in northeastern Tanzania, near the Kenya border. It lies about 100 miles (160 km) east of the East African Rift System and about 140 miles (225 km) south of Nairobi, Kenya.

Q: What is the highest peak of Kilimanjaro?

Kilimanjaro's central cone, Kibo, rises to 19,340 feet (5,895 meters) and is the highest point in Africa. Kibo is the youngest of the three principal extinct volcanoes of Kilimanjaro and retains the form of a typical volcanic cone and crater.

Q: Who were the first people known to reach the highest peak of Kilimanjaro?

The Kibo summit of Kilimanjaro was first reached in 1889 by the German geographer Hans Meyer and the Austrian mountaineer Ludwig Purtscheller.

mountain, Tanzania

Also known as: Mount Kilimanjaro

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Mar 11, 2024 • Article History

Where is Kilimanjaro located?

What is the highest peak of Kilimanjaro?

Who were the first people known to reach the highest peak of Kilimanjaro?

Kilimanjaro, volcanic massif in northeastern Tanzania, near the Kenya border. Its central cone, Kibo, rises to 19,340 feet (5,895 metres) and is the highest point in Africa. Kilimanjaro lies about 100 miles (160 km) east of the East African Rift System and about 140 miles (225 km) south of Nairobi, Kenya. The massif extends approximately east-west for 50 miles (80 km) and consists of three principal extinct volcanoes: Kibo (centre), Mawensi (east), and Shira (west). Kibo, the youngest and highest, retains the form of a typical volcanic cone and crater and is linked by a 7-mile (11-km) saddle at about ...(100 of 546 words)

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