News & TipsCan Kilimanjaro Be Seen from the Serengeti?
Can Kilimanjaro Be Seen from the Serengeti? Mount Kilimanjaro is the biggest mountain in Africa. Many people think they can see it from Serengeti National Park.
But most pictures of animals with mountains in the background come from Kenya’s Amboseli National Park, not the Serengeti.
The peak is less than 30 miles from Amboseli. But Serengeti is a lot farther away—about 200 miles.
Serengeti National Park is the most popular place for safaris in the world.
The biggest mountain in Africa is Kilimanjaro. It is on the eastern edge of Tanzania, close to Kenya.
How far away can a person see?
The eye is a compelling organ. We can see in almost every direction. The Andromeda galaxy is the furthest object visible to humans. This galaxy is 2.5 million light-years away from Earth, which is very far away. That is 14,696,563,853,121,026,000 miles!
Given that Mount Kilimanjaro is “only” 200 miles away, we should be able to see it from the Serengeti, right?
Not so quickly.
The natural curve of the Earth often limits what we can see. In other words, the Earth obstructs our views. If you stand at sea level and look out at the ocean, you can only see three miles.
In 200 miles, how much does the Earth curve?
Eight inches per mile is what most sites say it is. The curve will block 8 inches of the object’s height for every mile away.
Based on this math, the Earth’s curve would block a view of about 26,000 feet in height from 200 miles away if we were standing at sea level. Kilimanjaro, which is 19,340 feet high, would not be visible.
However, the Serengeti is not situated at sea level. It is between 3,020 and 6,070 feet above sea level. This makes a big difference in the viewing position. The Earth’s curve only blocks about 11,740 feet at a height of 3,020 feet. The obstacle’s height decreases to 7,300 feet when it reaches an altitude of 6,070 feet. Thus, the park’s shape allows views of Serengeti and Kilimanjaro from anywhere.
Is there anything else that keeps us from seeing Kilimanjaro?
Of course, there is also the shape of the land and natural features like trees and rock formations. With each extra mile, dust, water mist, air pollution, and bad weather will make it harder for you to see. You may see Kilimanjaro from the Serengeti, but it’s unlikely.
What do our tour guides say?
We did a private poll and found that no one has ever seen Kilimanjaro from the Serengeti. As well, these people have wonderful eyesight and have worked in the field for decades. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to find any evidence that Kilimanjaro was visible from anywhere in the Serengeti.
Fun Facts
You could see 211 miles in every direction from the top of Mount Everest, which is 29,029 feet above sea level.
There is a line of sight that goes from Hindu Tagh, China (21,115 feet), to Dankova, Kyrgyzstan (19,600 feet), which is 334 miles long. But no one has ever proven it.
