Hemingway’s Green Hills of Africa documents a month long safari with his wife in Tanzania in the 1930’s. Alongside the hills in the title of his book, he’d also have gazed up at Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, during his travels.

While a wiggle in the mainly straight line border between Tanzania and Kenya means Kilimanjaro sits wholly within Tanzania, it’s arguably at its most spectacular viewed from Kenya. The photo below is taken close to Ol Donyo Lodge in Kenya’s Chyulu Hills.

Snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro towering over the plains close to Ol Donyo Lodge

Though it’s possibly the most famous of Africa’s mountains, Kili is certainly not the only peak of note in the continent.  Here are some others worthy of a mention:

Further north in Kenya is the mountain which subsequently gave its name to the country. Mount Kenya is Africa’s second highest mountain and visible from much of the Laikipia and Meru regions, including Borana Lodge from where the photograph below was taken.  While Kilimanjaro’s challenge is the altitude and length of the routes up the mountain, Mt Kenya offers more of a test to climbers with rock climbing required to reach the highest of its peaks.

Mount Kenya provides a magnificent backdrop to these lions close to Borana Lodge

The Virunga range of volcanoes sits on the border between Rwanda and Uganda and forms the northern boundary of the Volcanoes National Park. The peaks here reach up to 4,500 metres above sea level and their forest slopes are home to mountain gorillas. The volcanoes often appear to have a morning cloud cap as moist air is driven up the sides and cools to reach a dew point. The view of the volcanoes from Virunga Lodge, which sits on its own hilltop, is really quite incredible.

Exceptional views of the Virunga Volcanoes from Virunga Lodge

Another African mountain famous for its cloud cover is Cape Town’s Table Mountain, where warm south-westerly winds cool and form ‘table cloth’ like clouds spilling over its edge. The mountain’s two mile long flat plateau provides a dramatic backdrop to the city and can be visited easily by cablecar. There are great views of Table Mountain from almost anywhere in the city, but particularly the harbourfront and hotels like Cape Grace.

Cape Grace on the V&A Waterfront with Table Mountain in the background

In the south west of Mauritius, Le Morne is a basalt monolith on the peninsula of the same name. It rises dramatically above the surrounding land to over 550 metres and became a world heritage site in 2008. Two of our favourite hotels, Paradis Beachcomber Golf Resort and Spa and Dinarobin Beachcomber Golf Resort and Spa, sit on the peninsula with the mountain providing a spectacular backdrop.

Le Morne rising above Le Paradis and Dinarobin hotels

South Africa’s catchphrase of a ‘World In One Country’ works brilliantly when you consider the number of mountain ranges within its borders. Three worthy of a mention are the Drakenstein Mountains around Franschhoek and the Winelands, and clearly visible from La Clé des Montagne….

Wonderful scenery in the Drakenstein Mountains on a walk from La Clé des Montagne

….And the Cedarberg Mountains which are ever present for those staying at Bushman’s Kloof.

Exploring the Cederberg Mountains while staying at Bushman’s Kloof

And finally, the Drakensberg Mountains which extend for more than 1,000 miles from the eastern edge of the Cape Province almost to the border with Zimbabwe, with their jagged peaks providing a natural barrier between the coastal lowlands, the lowveld and the highveld.

Cleopatra’s Farmhouse nestled in the Drakensberg Mountains

What next?
We would be delighted to help plan your perfect safari holiday, perhaps including some of these wonderful mountain views.   Our team of experts has travelled widely throughout Africa and the Indian Ocean and can offer expert advice.  Do get in touch – chatting to people by phone or email is what we do best. We listen, we explain, we answer all sorts of questions even those you didn’t know to ask, and finally we make suggestions. If this is your first time to Africa or your twenty first, we have a team standing by to help make the planning easy and the journey the best ever. Please get in touch whatever stage you’re at.

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