6562 – 8858 ft

1. 6562 – 8858 ft • Despite the altitude it is hot here. There is abundant water flowing from further up the mountain. Starting off the hike you may feel very hot and sticky, particularly during the summer months (Dec – March). • The first part of your journey will take you through mountain forest. This is the wettest area of Kilimanjaro, with over 90% of water on Kilimanjaro falling as rain in this zone.  • Podocarpusmilanjianus are common trees in this zone. Its green berries have a red, fleshy part much favored by many animals. • Other trees include: • Junipers rocera – the twisted juniper reaches 30 m (295 ft) in height. • Ilex mitisa – an elegant tree that grows mainly in the upper reaches of the forest. • Hageniaabyssinica – this rosewood tree is huge and has dark red-brown hanging clusters of flowers. • Agauriasalicfolia – a gnarled tree with rough reddish bark. • The animals that live in this forest include black and white colobusmonkeys and blue monkeys. Buffalo and elephants also live here but they are seldom seen. The leopard also lives throughout the forest but most times the presence of fur-filled droppings is the only indication of them. Many bird calls can be heard in the forest. These birds include: common bulbul, Hautlaub'sturacos, and silvery-cheeked hornbills.

2. Podocarpusmilanjianus Podocarpusmilanjianus

3. Ilex mitisa

4. Twisted Juniper

5. Agauriasalicfolia • Hageniaabyssinica

6. Monkeys

7. Bulbul • Hautlaub'sturacos

8. Silvery-cheeked hornbill

9. The Heather Zone 8,858 – 11,811 ft • Higher up, Kilimanjaro becomes too cold and dry for trees to grow and the forest zones ends. This is where the heather zone begins. It takes its name from the giant Heather trees, Erica orborea, which dominates large areas. • The Heather zone is dominated by shrubs like: • Hyericumrevolutum. This plant can grow up to 5 m (16 ft) tall and has large yellow, open cup-shaped flowers. • Adenocarpusmanni  – a member of the pea family that thrives in high altitudes. • Proteakilimanscharica– a very distinctive plant with a large ball-shaped cream or yellow flowers and stiff leather evergreen leaves. • There are sunbirds in this zone and species seen include Eastern Double-Collared Sunbirds and Malachite Sunbirds.

10. Erica orborea • Hyericumrevolutum

11. Adenocarpusmanni • Proteakilimanscharica

12. Eastern Double-Collared Sunbirds • Malachite Sunbirds

13. The Moorland Zone 11,811 – 13,780 ft • This zone has a grassy base from which emerge the extraordinary giant lobelias and senecios. These giant plants are unique to Eastern Africa. • The four-striped mouse (striped back) and the mole rat (plain gray brown) are commonly seen and form the majority of the diet for cats who live hunt here.

14. lobelias • senecios

15. four-striped mouse • mole rat

16. The Alpine Zone 13,780 ft+ • The alpine zone experiences dramatic variations in temperature between day and night. Night often get below freezing and days can see ground temperatures reach over 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Water is very limited with annual precipitation around 5 inches per year. No large animals live here, but buffalos, lions and leopards occasionally visit the zone.