Hike Africa's Highest Mountain Peek

Hiking trips and mountain climbing in Tanzania are becoming popular options for visitors not content merely observing the country from the lack of a game viewing vehicle. Instead, adventurous types are taking advantage of the many trails and peaks Tanzania has to offer.

For most climbers who visit Tanzania, the 5,869m Kilimanjaro is the top prize. Mt Meru, another of Tanzania's volcanic peaks, is also popular, with the varied animal and plant life to be found on its slopes a major draw. Meru is Africa's fifth highest peak, the fabulous views of Mt Kilimanjaro and the Momela Lakes from the summit. The challenging ascent to the crater of Ol Donyo Lengai passes through some fantastic scenery, with panoramic views of the Rift Valley. The track to the top of Lengai is very steep, and a true challenge attempted only by hikers with a good level of fitness.

Few mountains can claim the grandeur, the views of Amboseli National Park of Kenya, the Rift Valley and the Maasai Steppe, that belong to Kilimanjaro. Hiking on the 'rooftop of Africa' is the adventure of a lifetime, and anyone from a seasoned trekker to a reasonably fit first-time enthusiast can scale the snowy peak.

The dramatic crater of Mt Meru is often neglected in favor of its famlous neighbour to the east, but a visit to this spectacular mountain, located within Arusha National Park, is an unforgettable experience. Its lower slopes are covered in dense highland forest, where colobus monkeys play and buffalo graze concealed beneath the thick foliage. The extinct volcano's extensive base gives way to a perfectly formed crater, and another internal crater with sharp, sheer cliffs. An ash cone forms a subsidiary peak and the Momela Lakes and Ngurdoto Crater are visible from the slopes of the Mountain.