DanandNat

Day 6 - Horombo Huts to Marangu Gate 3721m - 1905m Walking distance: 20.8 km / 12.92 miles Walking time: 5 hours Descent: 1816 m On the final day we woke to brilliant bright sunshine with the cloud layer hugging the landscape below us. The previous days challenge seemed a distant memory and we were now looking forward to getting off the mountain to have our first shower in 6 days. After our last breakfast we all gathered for the porter tipping ceremony. It is obligatory to tip the team of porters, cooks, waiters and guides who make it possible to reach the summit; without them we certainly wouldn't have made it and the low wages they are earning do not reflect the hard and dangerous work they do, and always with a friendly "Jambo!" (Hi!). ... read more

After arriving at Kibo Camp we enjoyed an early dinner of spaghetti bolognese. We wouldn't eat a hot meal for possibly another 16 hours so we loaded up our plates with as many carbohydrates as possible. After dinner we packed our rucksacks including plenty of muesli bars and dried fruit as well as all the water we would need until we returned to the Huts sometime the next day. Despite the altitude the weather was warm in the sun so we spent some time after dinner watching the clouds roll in and out below us, never managing to reach as high as the camp. The sky was clear blue and the sunshine warm and bright; it was looking promising for a clear night with an almost full moon. Natalie had been suffering from a headache since ... read more

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 ... read more

Marangu Gate (1860 m/6100 ft) - Mandara Huts (2700m/8860 ft) Walking distance: 8 km/5 miles Walking time: 3-4 hours Altitude gain: 840 m/2760 ft After arriving late the previous night into Tanzania we were up early for breakfast and departure to the starting point for our trek. It took an hour to drive from Moshi to the Marangu Gate, the starting point for our assault on Kilimanjaro. We were joined by our lead guide, Michael; doctor Alfred who would accompany us on the trek as well as many assistant guides and loads of porters to carry all the luggage and food. We had our first taste of 'Tanzanian time' as it took us nearly two hours to register the group before we could enter the national park and start the walk. When we finally got underway ... read more

Thought it might be useful and/or interesting for those without much of a clue what climbing Kilimanjaro is going to include. There are seven different routes available and the route we are taking is called the Marangu route which is the oldest and most established. This route is one of the most popular but that also means that it has the lowest success rate as many people expect a walk in the park! It is also the only route which offers sleeping huts in dormitory style accommodations instead of camping. Whilst it will be far from luxury lodgings, at least the body heat of many will keep the cold at bay! We will carry a day pack which will contain our essentials such as extra clothes, water, snacks, etc. and probably weight around 5 kilos. The ... read more