Trek Day 3 - Acclimatisation Day

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Day 3 - Horombo Huts
Walking distance: 9.5 km/5.7 miles
Walking time: 4-5 hours
Altitude gain: 500 m/1640 ft

We were treated to a later than normal start as today was an acclimatisation day to help our bodies get accustomed to the thin air.

The second highest peak of Kilimanjaro, Mawenzi, provided a stunning backdrop to the days walking which was in lovely sunshine. Mawenzi is slightly lower than Uhuru peak which is the highest point on Kili and where we were ultimately heading. Both peaks are dormant volcanoes.

We walked for a few hours and stopped to admire some naturally formed zebra pattern rocks. After some lunch we climbed a steep ridge gaining around 500 metres in order to test our lungs at the higher altitude. Everyone survived without any issues but were warned that this wasn't even close to what we should expect in the coming days!

On returning to camp it would have been a great chance to have a shower but unfortunately there is no running hot water available at any of the camps. Showering in cold water in a cool climate is not recommended due to the issues re-warming your body after the shower. So instead we had packs of extra large 'cleansing wipes' which can be used for a full-body wipe-down! Whilst not quite the same as a hot shower, it was still effective in removing the layer of grime and left us feeling much more refreshed.

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Photos

Morning exercise
Dr Alfred warming us up again.

Path
The vegetation was becoming more sparse