Kilimanjaro is the highest free standing mountain in the world and the highest mountain in Africa. It is located in Tanzania close to the Kenyan border. The summit is at 5896 m above sea level. The route we are taking is non-technical and so is essentially a walk at high altitude. However, you should not underestimate the difficulties of walking at these altitudes. Many people fail to make the summit each year. Climbing Kilimanjaro also takes you through many different climatic and ecological zones. We begin on the lower slopes climbing through forest into a semi-alpine zone of heath and moorland. From here we climb up into the highland desert and finally into an arctic zone where the available oxygen will be half that you are used to at sea level.