Places to Visit in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania, East Africa, Africa

Places to Visit in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania, East Africa, Africa

The Kilimanjaro National Park is one of the important national parks of Tanzania, covering around 1,688 square kilometers area of Kilimanjaro Region in the northeastern part of the country. Moshi is the closest city to the park, situated around 40 km away and Kilimanjaro is located around 75 km Arusha, 400 km from Tanga and 610 km from Dar Es Salam, the largest city of Tanzania. Located at 3°04′ S 37°22′ E, the Kilimanjaro National Park is dominated by the Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain and the world’s highest self supporting peak (5,895 metres).

History of Kilimanjaro National Park:

The history of Kilimanjaro dates back to the early 20^th century during the German colonial period, who declared Mount Kilimanjaro and its adjoining forests as a game reserve. The forest reserve was promoted as a national park in 1973 and the national park became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

Getting Kilimanjaro National Park:

The national park and its surrounding is served by the Kilimanjaro International Airport with scheduled flights from Istanbul, Nairobi, Arusha, Manyara, Doha, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Addis Ababa and many other global destinations.

Kilimanjaro can be reached through road by bus services from all major cities on the mainland Tanzania, including Arusha, Dar es Salam and Dodoma.

There are many travel agencies in and around Kilimanjaro, offering tours of the park and cars and bikes on rent for local travel.

Food and Shopping in Kilimanjaro National Park:

There are plenty of shops around Kilimanjaro National Park, of which most are traditional options, where visitors can bag a wide range of items ranging from handicraft products to traditional clothes to artworks.

Here are some recommended food corners in Moshi town near Kilimanjaro National Park:

Milan’s Restaurant
Tanzania Coffee Lounge
Pamoja Bar & Cafe
Aroma Coffee Shop

Things to do in Kilimanjaro National Park:

Machame Nkweshoo Cultural Tourism tour
Bless Africa Tours and Safaris
Mountain climbing
Hiking
Trekking

What to see in Kilimanjaro National Park?

Mount Kilimanjaro:

The Mount Kilimanjaro is the first preference of tourists visiting the Kilimanjaro National Park. With an elevation of 5,895 metres, the Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest peak in Africa, featuring 3 volcanic cones, Mawenzi, Shira and Kibo. Trekking and climbing are the popular activities among visitors here.

Waterfalls in Kilimanjaro National Park:

Kilimanjaro National Park is the site of many spectacular waterfalls like Kinukamori waterfalls and Materuni waterfalls, located in Mount Kilimanjaro, where visitors can spot many colorful birds and monkeys.

Lake Chala:

The Lake Chala is one of the volcanic lakes located at the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. There is also a Chagga tribe living at the slopes of Kilimanjaro Mount. Chagga tribe will be a great guide for visitors to explore the local culture.

Olpopongi -Maasai Cultural Village & Museum:

The Olpopongi-Maasai Cultural Village & Museum is a museum of traditional thatched houses in the town of Moshi, situated around 40 km from the border of Kilimanjaro National Park. It is a perfect place to know the significance of Tanzanian ethnicity.

Other places of interest near Kilimanjaro National Park include:

Lake Chala
Mount Kibo
Kikuletwa Hotsprings
Chagga Live Museum
Ndoro Waterfall
Machame Route
Uhuru Peak
Kilimanjaro Climbing and Safari Center
Meru Wellness Retreat
Kilimanjaro Tanzanite Safaris Ltd

When to visit Kilimanjaro National Park?

The best time to visit Kilimanjaro National Park depends on visitors’ interest, though the most popular time to climb Mount Kilimanjaro is from December to February.

Where to stay in Kilimanjaro National Park?

Within the Kilimanjaro National Park, camping is the option to stay, if visitors come out of the park, can find dozens of accommodation options, of which most are in the town of Moshi (around 40 km from the park). The major hotels in and around Kilimanjaro National Park are as follows: