Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, 1:100000 Explorer

The Kibo Peak volcanic cone, renamed Uhuru Peak upon Tanzania's independence in 1964, of Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa, and at 5895m, the entire mountain itself is the highest free-standing mountain in the world. The other two cones, Mawenzi and Shira, are 11km and 16km from the summit, and linked by a number of trails. Though Uhuru Peak can be reached simply by walking, hikers regularly underestimate the effects of cold and altitude, and attempt the round trip in much less than the recommended 7-8 days.

Kilimanjaro is truly a massive mountain, but its base is very wide and not as steep as other high peaks. The standard TinyMtn model of Kilimanjaro includes much of the base, and as such is 41km (25 miles) on a side; but to cut costs, this Explorer series focuses on only the central 14km (the summit plateau by itself is 2km by 3km). At this scale, the mountain's retreating glaciers, which once covered the plateau, are clearly visible, along with the summit ridge and Southern canyons.

The Explorer series of TinyMtn models is designed to break our usual impression of mountains. We generally see mountains one at a time, from a distance, and from the ground. While all TinyMtn models give you a fresh perspective on any one peak, the Explorer series presents mountains in identical scale, and shifted up so that sea level is at the bottom of the base. Thus, when you set two Explorer models next to each other, you will immediately notice which is taller, which rises more from its base, which is more massive, and so on. Plus, all Explorer models come in full color, making them just that much more realistic.

Model scale is 1:100000
Model measures 14 x 14 x 5.9 cm (5.5" x 5.5" x 2.3")
Original area is approximately 14 by 14 km
Altitudes covered: 2450m to 5895m
There is no vertical exaggeration applied to this model. This is a true-to-life scale model of a real place.

Click here for more sizes.
Click here for other 1:100000 models in the Explorer series.

TinyMtn models are most affordable in the "Sandstone" and "White Natural Versatile Plastic" materials. This model is in "Sandstone," which is a glued gypsum material. When you receive the model it will be ready for display, though it may smell funny and need some time to air out. "Sandstone" models are much more brittle than "Versatile Plastic" models, but feel more like light stone. Do not soak it in water, though you can safely seal it with Polycrylic or a similar water-based clear spray sealant. Read more about this popular material here.

All TinyMtn models have hollow bottoms - this is to save on weight, and thus cost. Many larger models also have extra flanges on their undersides to increase rigidity and strength. To make the model more solid, you should feel free to carefully pour resin into the bottom cavity, or glue a properly-sized slab of wood or another material into it.

These models have been optimized for the above materials, and are not offered in other materials for strength or cost reasons. If you need one in another material, please tinymtnbiz@gmail.com and we'll do our best to fulfill your request.

(C) 2016 TinyMtn (TM)
Model created using GDAL, NetPBM, Gmsh, Carve, MeshLab, and other custom software
Source of digital elevation data: U.S. Geological Survey and NASA Shuttle Radar Topography Mission
The USGS home page is https://www.usgs.gov/