Mt. Kilimanjaro

At 19,340 ft above sea level, Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa. What's more, because it juts more than 16,000 ft above the surrounding plains, its summit offers one of the most breathtaking sights in the entire world. Ascending Kilimanjaro from mid-December through mid-march or June until October will maximize your chances of an unobscured view.

This Tanzanian mountain offers 7 different ascents that require no mountaineering skills. Each offers varying levels of difficulty, quality of scenery, foot traffic and amount of time for altitude acclimation. Because a mountain crew takes care of everything, a climber needs to only focus on summiting. This means you can prioritize acclimating yourself and observing the unique climatic zones and their accompanying flora and fauna.