19/12/2022
It is said "๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ท๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐น๐ถ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐๐พ๐๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ"
While climbing Kilimanjaro, trekkers will experience five distinct ecological zones on their way to the top. These include:
Bushland/Cultivated Zone: 2,600โฒ-6,000โ/800m-1,800m
Rainforest Zone: 6,000โฒ-9,200โ/1,800m-2,800m
Heath/Moorland Zone: 9,200โฒ-13,200โ/2,800m-4,000m
Alpine Desert Zone: 13,200โฒ-16,500โ/4,000m-5,000m
Arctic Zone:16,500โ+/5,000m+
Weather conditions near the base of the mountain tend to be tropical to semi-temperate and are relatively stable all year round. The lower plains are hot and dry. As one heads away from the bushland towards the rainforest, conditions become increasingly warm and humid.
Each zone gets colder and drier as the elevation increases. Plant and animal life also disappear with the rise in altitude through the heath and alpine desert zones.
The summit is in the arctic zone, characterized by ice and rock. At this altitude, categorised as โextremeโ, there can be no permanent human habitation as the body is in a state of deterioration (short exposures are OK).
