Kilimanjaro. The name itself is a mystery wreathed in clouds. It might mean Mountain of light, Mountain if Greatness or Mountain of Caravans. Or it might not. The local people, the Wachagga, don't even have a name for the whole massif, only kipoo (now known as Kibo) for the familiar snowy peak that stands imperious, overseer of the continent, and the summit of Africa.  Kilimanjaro by any name is a metaphor for the compelling beauty of East Africa.

When you see it, you understand why... not only is this the highest peak on the Africa continent, it is also the tallest free-standing mountain in the world, rising in breathtaking isolation from the surrounding coastal scrubland – elevation around 900 meters – to and imperious 5,895 meters (19,336 feet)