Africa is a beautiful continent with beautiful natural beauty and vibrant culture. Mountains, plains, valleys and deserts are some of the unique natural features that characterize the continent. Of these physical features, the mountains are the most prominent major attractions for both locals and foreigners. The Great Rift Valley in East Africa is home to some of the highest mountains in Africa. The mountains of Africa are rich in endemic flora and fauna. The mountains are also a paradise for hiking, providing visitors with lots of challenges and fun. Here are some of the highest mountains in Africa.
The highest mountains in Africa
Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa that rises to 5,895 m above sea level. It is located in Tanzania, where it is part of the Kilimanjaro National Park. Kilimanjaro has three main volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira. At 5,148 m above sea level, Mawenzi is not only the second highest peak of Kilimanjaro but also the third highest mountain peak in Africa. Both Kibo and Mawenzi began to erupt about a million years ago and were separated only on the Saddle Plateau.
Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya is one of the highest mountains in Africa and has some of the highest peaks on the continent. Mount Batian Peak on Mount Kenya is the second highest peak in Africa, after only Kilimanjaro’s Kibo Peak, at 5,199 meters above sea level. The peak of Lenan, the second highest peak in Kenya, is 4,985 meters high, making it the fourth highest peak in Africa. The two peaks are located near the center of the mountain and have an alpine appearance as a result of the rocky nature. Batian Peak is sometimes considered two peaks in one due to its proximity to nearby Nelion Peak.
Ruwenzori
Ruwenzori, officially spelled as Rwenzori, is a mountain range in the eastern part of equatorial Africa, on the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ruwenzori has several peaks that support glaciers that are the main sources of the Nile. Mount Stanley or Ngaliema is the highest peak of Ruwenzori. Mount Stanley has several ancillary summits, including Margherita Peak, the fourth highest peak in Africa at 5,109 m (16,762 feet) above sea level, and Savoia Peak, the sixth highest in Africa at 16,329 feet. Mount Speke is the second largest massif on Ruwenzora, with the highest peak, Vittorio Emanuele, as the seventh highest peak in Africa at 4,977 m * 16,043 feet. Other significant peaks in the Ruwenzori area are Kayanja, Umberto and Iolanda.
African Mountains Facts
Although most of the African mountains are not even close to some of the highest mountains in Africa, 75 mountains measure at least 1640 meters above sea level. Most of the mountains covered by glaciers, including the peaks of Kenya, have been significantly reduced in height due to climate change and glaciation. Some of the regions are also poorly described, such as the Ethiopian highlands, which makes some of the measurements given for the mountains incomplete and not entirely accurate.