Africa, geologically, is represented mainly by the Precambrian period, and the mountain ranges of the Black continent are located only in two regions. In the south are the Cape Mountains, in the northwest – the Atlas Mountains, but both have a folded shape. Surprisingly, Africa is the only continent where all the highest peaks have a non–folded origin. We invite you to get acquainted with the top 5 highest African mountains.
5th place – Baker, 4844 m, Uganda
Baker is located in an amazing place called the “Moon Mountains”. The mountain got its name in honor of the traveler who first entered it, but did not climb the peak on his own. Geographically, Mount Baker is located on the Ruwenzori Ridge, administratively in the country of Uganda. The first ascent took place in 1906. The slopes of the mountain alternate rocky terrain and glaciers, so the ascent to the top can not be called easy. Among climbers, the mountain is a success in the winter and summer months, while climbers can climb one of the developed routes.
4th place – Speke, 4890 m, Congo
The mountain consists of several peaks ranging in height from 4572 m to 4890 m and is part of the Ruvenzori ridge, which means “lord of rain” in the local language. The first researchers who came here for scientific purposes were looking for the source of the Nile River in these places. The name of the mountain is given by the name of the man who first entered the mountain – John Speke, it happened in 1862. The officially recorded ascent took place in 1906. The local area is surprisingly picturesque, while the variety of flora and fauna will amaze any traveler. Elephants, antelopes, chimpanzees and leopards can be seen around the List.
3rd place – Stanley, 5109 m, Congo
Stanley Peak is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Geographically, the mountain is part of the East African Mountains, administratively located in the Congo. For the first time the peak was conquered by man in 1906, but even today the beauty of these snow-capped peaks attracts many climbers who come here almost all year round.
2nd place – Kenya, 5199 m
Mount Kenya is located directly on the equator line and is part of the East African Highlands. The first ascent was carried out in 1899, and since 1949 a national park has been opened on this territory. Since 1997, Mount Kenya has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, many representatives of the rarest African fauna live around the peak.
1st place – Kilimanjaro, 5895 m, Tanzania
The highest African peak and the most beautiful of all that are on the Black continent. Translated from Swahili, Kilimanjaro means “sparkling peak”. It consists of three peaks, part of the East African Highlands. The first ascent was made in 1899 by a rock climber from Austria and a geographer from Germany. Due to global warming, 80% of the snow cover has melted at the top of Kilimanjaro in a hundred years. According to the latest forecasts, there will be no snow on Kilimanjaro until 2033. According to statistics, more people died on the mountain than on Everest due to the fact that many climbers naively considered the peak easy to conquer.