Shira (mountain)
| Shira | ||
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 The three peaks of the Kilimanjaro massif from left to right: Shira, Kibo and Mawenzi |
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| height | 3962 m | |
| location | Tanzania , East Africa | |
| Mountains | Kilimanjaro massif | |
| Coordinates | 3 ° 2 '18 " S , 37 ° 12' 37" E | |
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| Type | Stratovolcano | |
| First ascent | unknown | |
| particularities |
World Natural Heritage ( UNESCO - 1987 ) |
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The Shira (also called Shira Ridge ) is 3962 m above sea level. NN the third highest mountain in the Kilimanjaro massif , the highest mountain massif in Africa .
It is part of the world natural heritage to which the Kilimanjaro massif was declared by UNESCO in 1987 .
geography
The Shira is located about 340 km south of the equator in northeast Tanzania . It is the third highest and oldest of the three extinct volcanoes of the Kilimanjaro massif , which is located on the edge of the eastern branch ( Eastern Rift ) of the East African Rift and is surrounded by the Kilimanjaro National Park . Its summit is called Johnsell Point .
The Shira summit is located around 15 km west of Kibo (5895 m), the highest mountain of the Kilimanjaro massif or Africa, to which it is connected by a saddle around 3700 m high . Over this vast saddle, on which there is barren frost rubble desert and grassland above the tree line , its peak, which rises only gently from the east, rises about 300 m.
Landscape image
The summit region of the plateau-like Shiras is not glaciated and, like the aforementioned saddle, carries barren frost debris and grass mats . Because its peak in the course of millions of years by erosion has been significantly eroded, he sees - in comparison to the other two mountains - more like a hood. Because of this erosion, no more crater can be seen.
Part of the mountain, the rocky Shira Cathedral , named for its cathedral-like shape, slopes steeply to the west.
Rockclimbing
The ascent of the Shira presents the climber with only minor technical difficulties. The ascent can be done from the west via the Shira route and from the south via the Machame route (see also mountaineering on Kilimanjaro ).