Mount Kilimanjaro is the crown of Tanzania. Rising abruptly from the open plains, capped by snow and frequently fringed by clouds, it is one of Africa’s classic images. At an elevation of 19,344 feet, it is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest summit in the world that can be reached by walking, without hand-over-hand climbing. It is also a free-standing mountain in the world. Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano mountain but not an extinct one. Ominous rumbles can sometimes be heard – and gases emerge from fume holes in the crater. Although just three degrees south of the Equator, the peaks of the mountain have caps of snow and ice all year round.