Scenic Flight Mt Kilimanjaro

Scenic Flight Mount Kilimanjaro

Mt. Kilimanjaro is one of the seven wonders of the natural world and one of Africa’s most iconic features. Mount Kilimanjaro is a freestanding  volcanic mountain in Tanzania. It has three volcanic cones: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest single free-standing mountain in the world.

It  is a must see experience when visiting Tanzania.   Join us on a 1-hour awe-inspiring aerial flight to experience the “Roof of Africa”  and amazing panoramic landscapes from high above the clouds.

This 1-hour scenic flight around Mt Kilimanjaro, departs and returns to Arusha airport  07:00 - 08:00 am or 1700 - 1800 daily. We require a minimum of 4 people to operate the flight unless it's a private charter.

During this scenic flight you will see

1. Mount Meru.
2. Arusha National Park.
3. Momella Lakes.
4. Ngurdoto Crater.
5. West Kilimanjaro.
6. Mount Kilimanjaro National Park.
7. Shira Plateau.
8. Glaciers of Kilimanjaro.
9. Mawenzi Peak.
10. Kibo Peak.

Mount Meru

Mount Meru is an active (but currently dormant) volcano located north of Arusha in Tanzania.  Located only 70 km from Mount Kilimanjaro, Mt. Meru also has a second peak, called Little Meru standing at 3801 metres tall. At 4562 metres, Mt. Meru is Tanzania’s second highest mountain, the fourth highest in Africa.

Arusha National Park

The park is home to the fourth highest mountain in Africa – Mount Meru (4,566 m). Guests visiting the park will experience spectacular landscapes ranging from the Meru Crater in the west, the Ngurdoto Crater in the south-east to the grasslands and the alkaline Momella lakes in the north-east,

At sunrise and sunset, the stunning snow-covered peaks of Mt. Kilimanjaro, only 50 km away, might shine through the clouds providing a stunning view.

Momella Lakes

The largest of several alkaline lakes that are located inside Arusha national park in northern Tanzania. It is a tourist hotspot with several animals to see including both greater and lesser flamingos, hippos and several other bird species.

Ngurdoto Crater

Located in Arusha National Park, Ngurdoto crater is a volcanic crater shaped like a basin with steep walls covered with a dense rainforest and swampy crater floors.  It is 3km wide and 400m deep, and is a smaller version of the well-known Ngorongoro crater.

West Kilimanjaro

Located south of Kenya’s famous Amboseli National Park, West Kilimanjaro in northern Tanzania is surrounded by East Africa’s natural beauty  with Mt. Kilimanjaro’s majestic peaks to the east and Arusha National Park and Mt. Meru to the southwest

This area is home  to the semi-nomadic Maasai people who co-exist with a variety of wildlife, including lions, zebra, cheetah, impala, and eland.  The West Kilimanjaro area is made up of wide open savannahs, mineral-rich plains, acacia woodlands and flat grasslands and small mountains that range in height from 1000m to 2000m.

Mt Kilimanjaro National Park

Kilimanjaro National Park is home to the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world. Mount Kilimanjaro is made up of three volcanoes, Shira in the west (4,269 m) Mawenzi in the east (5,280 m) and the youngest volcano Kibo (5,895m).

The vegetation on the mountain is varied and some 2,500 species of plants are found here. The lower regions of the park are dominated by lush green montane forests with almost 140 species of trees. A bit higher up, distinctive giant lobelias grace the moorland zone. Above 4,000 m one finds the moonlike desert, where not much grows and the land is full of rocks and dust. Closer to the summit you will see beautiful sights of glaciers and a deep crater.

Out of the approximately 140 mammal species that live in the park, 87 of them are forest species. Animals that roam here include elephants, leopards, buffaloes, various antelopes including the rare and endangered abbot duiker as well as primates such as the colobus and the mitis monkey.

Shira Plateau

Shira plateau is one among the three giant, dormant stratovolcanoes of Mount Kilimanjaro. The other two are named Kibo and Mawenzi. Shira is no longer a peak. It is estimated to have been about 16,000 feet high before it collapsed, creating the Shira Plateau on the western side of the mountain. The Machame, Lemosho and Shira routes trek across this feature.

Shira plateau stretches out for around 13km to the west of Kibo, at an elevation of 3962 meters.

The Shira Plateau shows the remains of an ancient caldera, a volcanic crater that expired around half a million  years ago. Today, it stands as a World Heritage Site.

Glaciers of Kilimanjaro

Glaciers on Mt Kilimanjaro are a key geographic feature that surround the Uhuru peak. It is very likely that at one stage the whole mountain summit was covered by an ice cap. According to scientists, this ice cap was probably more than 100 meters deep. Since 1912 Mt Kilimanjaro has lost 82% of its ice cap and since 1962 it has lost 55% of its remaining glaciers.

Mt Kilimanjaro glaciers have however been receding due to climate change. Evidence of glacier retreat can be seen as one ascends to Barafu Camp.

Mawenzi Peak

Mawenzi is the second-highest peak on Kilimanjaro (5149m).

Mawenzi peak is actually a horseshoe shape, with only the northern side of the crater having been eroded away. Its sides too steep to hold glaciers, there is no permanent snow on Mawenzi, and the gradients are enough to dissuade all but the bravest and most technically accomplished climbers.

Mawenzi’s highest point is Hans Meyer Peak at 5149m but so shattered is this summit, and so riven with gullies and fractures, that there are a number of other distinctive peaks including Purtscheller Peak (5120m) and South Peak (4958m). There are also two deep gorges, the Great Barranco and Lesser Barranco, scarring its north-eastern face.

Kibo Peak

This is the highest peak  and the best-preserved crater on the mountain; its southern lip is slightly higher than the rest of the rim, and the highest point on this southern tip is known as Uhuru Peak. At 5895m, this is the highest point in Africa and the goal of just about every Kilimanjaro trekker. Kibo is also the only one of the three summits which are permanently covered in snow.

Kibo is also the one peak that really does look like a volcanic crater; indeed, there are not one but three concentric craters on Kibo.

Within the inner Reusch Crater (1.3km in diameter) one can still see signs of volcanic activity, including fumaroles, the smell of sulphur and a third crater, the Ash Pit, 130m deep by 140m wide.

Perhaps the most important feature of Kibo, however, is that its slopes are gentle. This feature means, of course, that trekkers, as well as mountaineers, are able to reach the summit without needing technical equipment.

Inclusions with scenic flight

Warm drinks upon check-in
Tablets with Flight Audio Tour
Bose noise cancelling headphones
In-flight bottled water
Flight safety facilities – oxygen and oxygen masks
Window seat
All taxes and fees

A scenic flight to Mt Kilimanjaro is a great add-on to a Tanzania safari.

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