24 | The Lion King
Kibo Crater
rim. The Kibo is one
of the three volcanic cones of
the Kilimanjaro
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The Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo,
Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcanic moun-
tain in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania. It is the
highest mountain in Tanzania, the highest mountain
in Africa, and the highest free-standing mountain in
the world at 5,895 metres above sea level. Kiliman-
jaro has an enormous biodiversity.
Kilimanjaro has a large variety of forest types over
an altitude of 3,000m containing over 1,200 vascu-
lar plant species. Montane Ocotea forests occur on
the wet southern slope. Cassipourea and Juniperus
forests grow on the dry northern slope. Subalpine
Erica forests at 4,100 m represent the highest eleva-
tion of cloud forests in Africa.
Slave Market-Stone town
During the reign of the Omani Arabs
in the early 19th century, Zanzibar was
the main slave trading point of East
Africa. Slaves bought or caught on the
mainland were shipped to Zanzibar,
where they were re-sold and further
transported to Seychelles, Mauritius,
Oman and Persia. In the slave trad-
ing days, the slave market of Stone
Town was easily accessible by sea, as
the current artificial extension of land
was nonexistent. There are about 15
chambers under the earth, meant for
storing slaves. The chambers had low
ceilings and tiny windows. Sea water
running through the damp rooms
functioned as toilets. The slaves were
chained on the bare stone, separated
into male and female compartments.
Ravens Flying
below Kibo Peak
