The Carpathians are home to Europe’s largest populations of brown bears, wolves, chamois and lynxes, with the highest concentration in Romania, as well as over a third of all European plant species. Romania is the country with the largest number of brown bears in Europe – according to the Romanian Ministry of the Environment, there are approximately 8,000 of them living in Romania.

There are also many thermal and mineral waters in the mountains and their foothills, with Romania having one third of the total amount in Europe. Romania is also home to the second largest area of ​​virgin forest in Europe after Russia, with a total area of ​​250,000 hectares (65%), most of it located in the Carpathians, with the Southern Carpathians constituting the largest unfragmented forest area in Europe.

Kilimanjaro – a mountain in northern Tanzania, located on the border with Kenya. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the only place on the continent where there is snow all year round. It consists of three peaks that are the remains of three volcanoes:
Uhuru peak on the Kibo volcano (Kilimanjaro) – 5895m asl,
Mawenzi – 5150m asl,
Shira – 3940m asl.

Often called the Roof of Africa, Kilimanjaro is included among the 7 peaks constituting the Crown of the Earth (Seven Summits) – the highest peaks in individual parts of the world.

1889 – professor Hans Meyer and his guide Ludwik Purtscheller stood on the summit of Kilimanjaro.
1898 – the first tourist trail was marked out, leading to the very top.
1932 – the first shelter was built on the slopes.
1910 – the first Pole Antoni Jakubski conquered Kilimanjaro.
1921 – a nature reserve was established.
1973 – the upper levels of the massif above the tree line (approx. 2700m asl) were protected as part of the Kilimanjaro National Park with an area of ​​753 km².
1977 – the park was opened to tourists.
1987 – Kilimanjaro was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The most difficult and highest peak on the list of the Crown of Polish Mountains.
My plan is to get it in 2025, but until I feel like I’m completely ready, I won’t try. I’m still a beginner and I have to test my strength before 😉

Rysy is a mountain located on the Polish-Slovak border, in the High Tatras. It has three peaks, the highest of which is the middle one (2501m asl), located entirely in Slovakia. The north-western peak, through which the border runs, is the highest point in Poland (2499m asl).
Rysy is one of the most frequently visited Tatra peaks. The entrance from the Polish side is well secured (almost 300 meters of chains), but requires tourist and fitness preparation. From the entrance to the TPN at Palenica Białczańska, the elevation is 1504 meters, and from Morskie Oko, 1104 meters. From Czarny Staw, the average slope of the trail is 30 degrees.
The peak owes its popularity to its unrivaled panorama: in good weather, visibility reaches over 200 km. From the top you can distinguish 80 Tatra peaks and approximately 50 peaks in other mountain groups, 13 larger Tatra lakes and Krakow, approximately 90 km away, are visible.
Rysy belongs to the Crown of Polish Mountains (border peak), the Crown of the Tatra Mountains (middle peak), the Crown of Europe (border peak) and the Great Crown of the Tatra Mountains (middle peak).