Kilimanjaro

Declared in 1973, it protects Kilimanjaro (5,895 m), the highest free-standing mountain in the world — it belongs to no range — and the roof of Africa. Its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira, allow a climb from rainforest to an equatorial ice cap in a matter of days on foot, with no technical climbing gear needed, which makes it one of the most accessible of the Seven Summits and a world benchmark for high-altitude walking without prior technical experience. Its glaciers, which have been there for over 11,000 years, have lost more than 85% of their mass since the late 19th century, and scientists expect they may vanish altogether within decades under climate change.