Mawenzi, Dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania.

Mawenzi is a dormant stratovolcano in the Kilimanjaro massif in Tanzania, known for its jagged rock walls and deep gorges that cut into its slopes. The peak has two summits connected by a col, with the higher one, Hans Meyer Peak, rising to around 16,893 feet (5,149 meters).

Mawenzi formed through volcanic activity more than a million years ago, making it one of the oldest parts of the Kilimanjaro massif. No eruption has taken place since, and the shape visitors see today is the result of long erosion by ice and weather.

The name Mawenzi is Swahili for "the dark one", referring to the peak's shadowed, weathered rock. The summit area is a bare expanse of frost-shattered stone and steep rock walls, with no glacier. Climbers who reach it find the remains of a 1955 Douglas DC-3 crash of East African Airways on the southeast slope, in which 20 people died.

The ascent is harder than that of the higher Kibo and calls for climbing equipment and experience, because the rock is very brittle. Local guides spread the rumour that climbing is banned, but no written ban exists; it is best read as a precaution against inexperienced attempts. The usual approach is over the saddle between Kibo and Mawenzi, for example via the Marangu Route to Kibo Hut at 4,694 m.

Unlike the nearby Kibo, which has a smoother profile, Mawenzi looks torn and almost unreachable, a contrast that surprises many trekkers seeing the massif for the first time. This difference is especially clear when viewed from the saddle that lies between the two peaks.