Mount Meru

Arusha Region, Tanzania

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Mount Meru is a dormant stratovolcano located in the Arusha Region of Tanzania, standing at approximately 4,566 meters (14,980 feet), making it the country's second highest mountain after Mount Kilimanjaro.

Situated about 70 kilometers west-southwest of Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru features a large horse-shoe shaped caldera formed by a major summit collapse around 7,800 years ago, and a distinctive ash cone within this crater.

The mountain's lower slopes are covered by montane rainforests that support diverse wildlife including monkeys, leopards, giraffes, and numerous bird species, while higher elevations transition into alpine meadows and moorlands. It is located within Arusha National Park, offering trekking opportunities as a less crowded alternative to Kilimanjaro, with striking views of the surrounding plains and nearby mountains.

The last volcanic activity recorded was a minor eruption in 1910, and today Mount Meru stands as a prominent geological and ecological feature of northern Tanzania.