Kilimanjaro

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Moshi is the closest town to Kilimanjaro and on odd occasions when the cloud isn’t too thick, the mountain is visible. We did not manage to see this sight until after our climb and safari though, probably best to ease the nerves and panic before the climb. The main tribes that live here are Chagga and Maasai, the population is about 150,000. Keys Hotel Annexe is about a 30minute walk from the town centre which is based around a central clock tower. There are many shops, bars and restaurants and some dubious looking scaffold walkway… Everyone is extremely friendly and the locals often shout Jambo! as foreigners walk past.
My trekking team for Kilimanjaro are Andie and Martin, Teachers from Britain but living in Singapore. Dan, Teacher in Britain, who I met in a cafe in town and was looking for a trip so joined mine.

Day 1
Ambiguous start to the day, everyone is excited yet nervous of the physical endurance needed for the next 7 days. We complete paperwork formalities at the Machame gate which is about an hour’s drive from Moshi. Each guide and porter has their kit weighed and many transitions happen between our group of porters to ensure no-one has over 15kg. I saw one bag of beans land on everyone’s pile at one point. Then at 1pm it’s time to go, goodbye Machame Gate. The initial walk is a muddy uphill slope, surprisingly unslippery. The climate is rain forest around this level of the mountain and we see one monkey in the distance. Glad I started with my water proofs on as it was a general day of mist and dampness, did lead to extreme heat though with that many layers. We stop after a couple of hours to feast on our lunch packs, then another uphill climb to camp. We arrive at camp, 3032m, at about 5, it’s dim and misty so hard to tell we are on the highest mountain in Africa, it could easily be some moors in Britain. The rest of the group arrive about 6.30 and we have tea and popcorn in the mess tent, a small tent with table and stools laid with plates, cups and cutlery for us 4 trekkers. We are surprisingly cold once we stop walking. Then we are presented with a fantastic 3 course meal by Tino our waiter... Who expects a waiter when climbing a mountain?? Cucumber soup, beef stew and veg followed by fruit, biscuits and more hot drinks. Amadeus, our chef, somehow prepares this delight in a small dome tent with a gas burner… health and safety...! Our guide Frede tells us of the next days climb, we have already climbed 1000m today. It’s dark outside and the latrine is tricky to find with a head torch, but at least there is one. We realise there’s not much to do but turn in for the night, so by 9pm I’m fast asleep.

Day 2
Now time to start the mountain routine, we are woken at 7 with hot water for washing. Then served breakfast. Amadeus is thinking stamina when he prepares our food so breakfast always starts with porridge, a special batch for me without milk, followed by sausage and egg. Copious amounts of hot drinks and then we’re off to pack. The porters are gone every day from morning until the evening as they move on as fast as possible, so we have to carry anything we may need in the day such as extra layers, sun protection, camera etc. We also have camel baks with 3 litres of water. Even though the water has been boiled (and is still warm), I add an iodine tablet and then pineapple flavouring, yummy…not! The second day’s climb is a completely different landscape to the first. Much more rocky and slightly barren in places. The hike is slightly more strenuous than day one as it’s steeper but shorter. The lunch time stop is just after a set of concrete steps, each originally carried up by porters at a previous date! We stop on a flat outcrop for packed lunch in the sun, Amadeus has been creative and we have peanut butter, jam and carrot sandwiches... After lunch the hike is very similar with many large boulders to climb. Only a couple of hours before arrival at New Shira camp, 3847m. A completely barren plain overlooking a huge canyon full of clouds. Our team gets together for introductions, much easier in the daylight today.
The group:
Frede - Main guide, best English of the group, very laid back
Buga - Back up main guide, loves singing and joking
Festo - Assistant guide, very little English so just repeats Pole, Pole (Slowly, Slowly)
Alex - a guide we never see...
Amadeus - Chef, a strange collection of t-shirts they must have been trekker donations, but really, backstreet boys!
Tino (Agu to the annoyed) - Waiter, youngest of the group so he's progressed well to be at waiter level, he seems to get the raw deal from everyone else though
12 porters which I can't remember the names of!

As a welcome to the mountain, Buga initiates a song and dance session. All our guides, porters, chef and waiter join in enthusiastically. They even incorporate our names into the songs. Soon we have a crowd watching as the other climbing teams jealously watch the fun of our group. We get to join in at some sections,as we all know Jambo and Hakuna Matata. The song heard most often is the Jambo song.

Jambo, jambo bwana /
          Hello, Hello Mister
Habari gani, mzuri sana /
          How are you? Very well.
Tuimbe tucheze sote /
          Let us sing, let us all dance
Kiswahili ni lugha ya Africa /
          Kiswahili is the language of Africa

After the fun of the singing and dancing, Buga takes us for a hike to another camp across the plain. We also stop in one of the caves that used to be used by porters. They are not allowed to use them anymore and now carry tents for themselves, we calculate they probably have at least 4 people in each small tent. Cosy...

Day 3
Frede told us day 3 is tough but necessary for acclimatisation. We prepare to climb 750m and decend 650 metres, finishing only 100m above our start point. The Machame route is considered the best route for acclimatisation for this reason, hike high, sleep low. Due to my fast pace the first 2 days I decide to hang back on day three to allow the altitude longer to take affect. It’s a steady uphill climb through barren moorland with a few rocky patches thrown in. We stop for lunch at about 4500m in view of the summit of lava tower. We arrive there about an hour later, slightly tired and feeling the altitude for the first time. Some people climb the rock formation at the lava tower but most of us are too tired so just start the descent. A short steep decline takes us to a small stream which is then followed by a more gradual walk down. The landscape changes yet again and looks prehistoric. The stream becomes a small waterfall and the two banks around us are covered in odd spikey trees. As we descend the mist gets more dense until we finally reach camp at 5pm, it seems a small area compared to the previous camp sites, we are now at 3985m. Tea in the Ritz, which is how we have come to know our mess tent, ours seems to have seen better days whereas all other groups seem to have new, spacious tents, us 4 can barely all fit inside with the table and food. This afternoon needs plenty of pain killers, as predicted we have headaches from the high altitude earlier in the day. Before dinner the mist clears to reveal a huge camp site and towering cliffs around us, not the small camp site we had walked into, amazing what the mist can hide. It is very impressive until we realise we are climbing one of those cliffs tomorrow morning…

Day 4
As we are doing the Machame 7 day route instead of the 6 day, day 4 and 5 are half days. This means we can leave camp last with no problem. The first half of the day is a vertical scramble up the cliff face. We can’t really complain that it’s tough when porters are storming past us with their 15kgs… Some rocks are quite high and both hands are needed for some sections, but it does nicely break up the monotonous walking which we’ve done on previous days. After multiple false summits we reach the top and briefly get a view of the camp site we have departed, this is quickly obscured by mist though. The hike winds on, up and down through sandy plains to rocky outcrops. We can see the next camp site on a peak in the distance, but first have to trek down into Karanga valley, before the winding path back up to camp. This is the last source of water until after summit day so there is a steady stream of porters trudging back and forth between the stream in the valley and the camp up high. As we are staying at Karanga camp for the night, Amadeus prepares a hot lunch of chicken, chips and his culinary surprise… deep fried, peanut butter and jam sandwiches…
We watch the 6 day groups continue the 5 hour walk to barafu camp, and relax that we can now have a stretch, read a book and nap. A relaxing evening with dinner and another early night. The trailbazer Kilimanjaro book is a constant source of information, the in depth description of each day is priceless for preparation for the next day and the explanation of ailments stops us worrying.

Day 5
We wake up very thankful that we didn’t have to walk an extra 5 hours yesterday, starting the summit the same night. After breakfast we start the steep climb from karanga up to barafu. Luckily we were warned that this is the most monotonous day, the landscape is bare, the mist comes and goes and the end is not in sight. The landscape is in fact so bare that toilet stops for the girls are scarce. Eventually barafu camp comes into view and we start the ascent up. The altitude is definitely affecting us now so the climb is harder than normal. Just as we think we are at the camp when passing the first few tents, we sadly realise this is a strangely organised camp site and our tents are up through the rocks then back down the other side. The latrines here are purpose built concrete structures rather than the rickety wooden numbers but our nearest set is up a series of boulders and after the climb through the camp site we all opt for the nearest rock instead. After lunch we have nap time to prepare for the summit but you can tell the porters are pleased to be at their summit, only guides go to the real summit, as the noise gets louder and the party spirit rings out. After dinner we attempt another nap but now the nerves have started so it is once again futile.
At 11 Tino wakes us with hot drinks and we slowly dress in every layer we have…

Day 6
We set off just after midnight, I am kitted out in long, thermal underwear, 2 wool layers, fleece, down jacket, gortex jacket, trekking trousers, waterproof trousers, 3 pairs of socks, boots and gaiters, 2 pairs of gloves and 2 hats. I look like the Michelin man and can barely move. We start slow and steady but the cold starts to get to me, I start a faster, breakaway group with Festo and am shortly joined by Martin while Andy hangs back with Buga. Frede and Dan come bounding past about an hour later, they are on super speed so started later and plan to reach the top earlier. The full moon helps keep the mood up as the view is amazing, glad I thought ahead and planned this especially for the full moon. The tiny headlamps can be seen marking the trail up to stella point. The higher we go the greater the altitude affects us, we start to wobble and feel quite dizzy. This is definitely one of the most physical challenges I’ve ever set myself. Not only the stamina after 5 days of hiking, but also from the altitude and extreme cold. Numerous false summits later stella point is in view. Not sure why it is called stella point as there is no actual point, just a few rocks and a turning point to the summit or down to gillmans point. From our approach this is the first target for a certificate, other routes can gain a certificate at the lower gillmans point, but the ideal goal is uhuru, the official summit. We watch the sunrise while on the last, steepest part, of the stella point ascent. There is a cross wind as we look towards the crater so the cold suddenly hits us again. It's been 7 hours and we are now at 5752m, the summit is almost in sight. A brief rest before continuing the extra hour to the summit. At least this part is slightly flatter and the summit is almost viewable. This is the most spectacular section of the walk so far with glaciers on either side of us. For Martin, the altitude is detrimental to his progress and he slowly staggers and stumbles to the end point, but finally we both make it. It’s almost 8am and most people are starting their descent but we spend a quick half hour savouring our achievement and taking the customary photos with the summit recognition posts. Also sending a few texts to family and friends, it’s amazing where you can get phone coverage in Tanzania.
The descent was more gruelling for me than the ascent. The first couple of hours were sharp down hill jogs in loose scree. But this soon became fixed rocks and paths, this is when my knees started to feel the effort involved. It was 2 more hours down to camp, entering from the other side to where we left. I barely managed to reach my tent before collapsing. After being left for an hour’s rest I am woken for lunch, followed immediately by packing for the descent to the next camp. This is vital to prevent altitude sickness, after such a height we need to get low as soon as possible. As already in pain I take some ibuprofen and get my walking poles ready to take most of the strain. Frede also decides to carry my day pack for ease. The landscape changes yet again to moorland and then forest. We pass a camp site and start to cheer up but are told this is not ours, we are staying at an even lower one another hour down the mountain. This will aid our recovery from the altitude and reduce our walking tomorrow but none of these seem good consolations at the time. Mweka camp is set between the trees and is the best laid out camp site yet. We arrive as dark draws about 6 o'clock in so navigation is difficult but we rest before dinner so don’t mind. Dinner is served well past our bed time at 9.30 so I manage a few mouthfuls before going straight back to bed. A well deserved rest! We have been trekking since midnight but feel much better at 3090m

Day 7
Last day! Whoopee! My body is aching all over especially my knees and now my toes too… We pack up camp for the last time and organise the tips. The guides and porters are ready for this so put on another performance of African songs with Western style dancing. Once again other groups come to watch the excitement at our camp. Once the thanks and goodbyes are over we start the final descent. We are back to rainforest landscape and climate so have our waterproofs on, not that we care on the final day as we want to change clothes as soon as possible at the hotel. The walk is mainly earth stairs which are quite muddy so the walking poles come in extra handy. 4 hours later we are at Mweka gate and sign the official book of trekkers. This not only confirms we have left the mountain but also documents how far we ascended and at what time. This is later to be printed on our official certificates. A short walk down a muddy road to the truck and then 45minutes back to Keys Hotel. Finally we can shower, rest and drink a Kilimanjaro beer!

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