Overview: Kilimanjaro, standing at 19,340 feet, is the rooftop of the Africa.  Kili is also one of the seven summits as it is the highest mountain on the continent.  We got our first look at it many miles away from Arushu.  Rising steeply up from the plains it is a massive mountain from all directions.  One of the most dramatic in the world I'm sure.  We did not continue with our friends on the last day of our Nomad Tour, they dropped us off at our meeting place in Arusha.. hotel Jacarada ...... we were excited that we had another big adventure awaiting.  Our guide showed up at the hotel later from Good Earth Tours to prepare for the trip and ask about any gear we need to rent.  We spent the day getting ready.  The city center of Arusha was only 2 blocks away and we got water and snacks for the hike.  We also met Lilly from Virginia at the hotel that is going to be joining us in our group.  At this time the anticipation is quite intense, we have been thinking about this climb during previous weeks in Africa, not really knowing what to expect.  Acending to such extreme altitudes in such a short time, we really had no idea how we would feel at those elevations and how our bodies would react. What makes the climb of Kili so interesting is that you climb thorough every ecosystem to get to its summit.  From the lush rainforest to an artic climate at the top where basically nothing can survive.

Route: We decided on the Machame route.  It is a bit more strenous than the Marangu or Coca-Cola route.  The Machame trail takes a day longer and crosses the southern face and traverses a huge section of the mountain before going up to the summit.  It is also reported to be the most scenic route. This extra time high up on the mountain is good because the more time you spend at high altitudes before the summit attempt, the greater chance you will have of not suffering from any altitude sickness. It is a tent only route and we spent a total of six days on the mountain.  We summmited on day 4 and it took 2 days back down.  From the top the route takes the direct Mweka route back down.

Day 1 - Machame Camp

The guides picked us up from our hotel and we soon arrived at the Machame Gate.  Loads of porters awaited jobs and it was guarded like a fortress.  It was a first to see a trail guarded by a man with a AK-47.  If the porters got picked up by a group than there was another big line where they had to weigh their bags - They can't carry more than 20 kilograms.  Our head guide name is Armani, soft spoken and a very kind demeanor.  I asked how many times he had climbed the Kili, only a mear 250 times.  Lester from England has also joined our party. 

  Like Europe here is a sign that shows the route to the top not in length, but the time of each leg.

So its Sam and I, Lilly, and Lester.  For us 4 we had 13 others.  I could not believe they need 13 people to get us up with all the gear.  It would be nice to have a porter carry my pack, so I could enjoy the climb to its fullest.

We began into the lush rainforest surrounded by its dense canopy.  Very muddy in places and there was only a few steps the whole day that was downhill.  It was a strange feeling.  Here we were definitely going up steadily, but it did not feel like we were climbing a mountain.  Over the last few days we still had not seen the top as it was always shrouded in a thick layer of clouds.  We soon entered a cloud and trees were eirrely in the mist, not a sound was to be heard.  Not even a bird.

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Our group made it to our first campsite (Machame) A-OK.  And the first class backpacking unfolded in front of our eyes.  They put up a tent for us.  Then a knock on the door.  "Tea is ready."  Ourside our tent is another larger one with a table inside.  Popcorn, tea and cookies.  Quite a nice surprise and treat after a day of hiking.  Then the soup came, followed by the main coarse, spagetti, potatoes and fish/Chips.  Sam nd I are feeling a bit spoiled at this point.  I did not see any of the portors on the trail today with any water and then they get to camp and work to get our meals ready.  I am starting to see why we need 13 porters.  Armani comes in and gives a briefing of tomorrow's plan.  Lilly asked, "what is the worst trip you have been on?"  I said, " Save that question for day 5 after the summit."  He then procedded with the best.  Two guys set a record when by hiking the summit in 6 hrs and then 3 hrs back down. Unbelievable.

Today calls for steep but short day.  Leaving Machame camp the rainforest has already started to subside a bit.  We hope to get above the clouds tomorrow.

Day 2 - Shira Camp   (8:45-2:30)

 Waking up early we procedded to the mess tent for a 3 coarse breakfast.  It really has  been so nice not to have to put and take down our tent.  All we gotta do is walk.  The trail continued up, steeper than yesterday.  We continued on and did not come out of the clouds till the very end of the days hike at the Shira plateu.

The top finally came into view.... quite a site, glaciers sloping down its sides.  Armani told us just in the last 15 yrs as a guide he has seen a huge depletion of the glaciers. 

  As we climb the porters would often pass with a chant of "pole, pole."  Meaning slowly, slowly in Swahili. The elevation has not been affecting me bad yet, just very minor head aches.  I am going to start taking a drug called diamox now we are getting to much higher altitudes.  It is a drug that increases your breathing, helping you sleep and better alclimate.  The doctor prescribed it for us before leaving, Sam had some strange side effects, that messed with her vision, when we tried it before leaving, so she is not taking it.  I figure it can only help as we get higher and begin taking it daily.  Our home for the night is at Shira Camp elevation 12,672 ft.  We Got into camp at 2:30 and had plenty of time to hang out, drink tea and rest.  Camp is very nice looking a t clouds ripping over the Shira ridge.

Day 3 - Barranco Camp   (9:00-4:00)

THis morning we were up and out after freakfast at 9:00.  The trail was consistantly uphill.  HTe clouds finally subsided and it was a pleasure hiking with the top and glaciers cleary in view.  I finally felt like I was climbing a mountain!  Today was mainly a day for alimation, we climbed up 3000 ft from camp and then decended to Barranco Camp which is only 500 ft highter than we started.  Climb high, sleep low, is the name of the game.

Our slow but steady pace continuded on until reaching the Lava Tower.  It is a huge mass of rock jutting unexpectable up out of the side of the Mtn.  Reaching it here set a new record for me - It was the highest I have ever been at 15,200 ft.  Sam an I felt good and enjoyed lunch looking a the peaks and in the other direction over the tops of the clouds.  As for the altitude, Lilly and Lester have really bad head aches at this point and Lester hit the tent as soon as we arrived at Barranco Camp.  He replyed, "No dinner for me tonight."  Sam and I are currently relaxing in our tent reading till dinner.  The food is awesome and it is a good sign that I have not lost my appitite. 

Day 4 - Barafu Camp

 We woke up to the Great Barranco looming besides camp.  It is quite a wall that we will surmount today.  After breaking camp we were soon climbing, a few places were steep enough that you had to use your hands.  The rest of the day was spent going across the mountain, a bit of up/down until hitting the Mweka ridge and following it up to Barafu Camp.  It was on a rocky ridge and in the clouds so we could not see the summit route.  We had an early dinner and went to bed.  The day had finally come, we ewere leaving for the peak tonight at 12 am.

Day 4 - Uhuru Peak

The anticipation that night was intense, no sleep.  THen at 11:30 they woke us up and handed us tea and biskits to eat before leaving.  We put on every warm piece of clothing that we had.  Lesta, Lilly, Sam and I, headed out from base camp with 3 guides.  We proceeded with our headlamps to light the way.  As we climbed just a bit above camp we came out above the cloud line.  THe black outline of the peak was scattered with small parties of lights making their way up.  These small inkings of lights looked so far and high above us giving me a feeling that we were behind and were a riminder in the night how much work we had to do.  The unfamiliar southern hemisphere stars shined above and with shooting stars catching my eye from time to time.  Our pace up was slow so it gave me plenty of time to look around, admire the night, take it all in.  Now we were entering even more extreme altitudes above 16,000 ft, on about 3 occasions pepole were being rushed down the mountain from severe altitude sickness.  One man completely drunk on his feet fell ot the ground and was barely conscious.  For some it was just too high, too fast.

Sam and I felt good and I asked for our own guide so we could pass a slow group that was in front of us.  I wanted to maintain a faster pace up the mountain, we were going too slow for my liking, and wanted to push it a bit more.  So we then got our own guide and split from the group.  The one thing you really notice is the time it takes to get your breath.  If you take just a few quick steps uphill you really feel it.  It was a bit sobering when the gude told us we ewere at the halfway point, we had been hiking this steep slope through the night for a long time.  The ground was sandy in places and you really needed to phus with your poles.  We then hit athe point just a few hundred yards below Stella point (the rim of the crator) and could tell the sun was coming soon.

 We eventually made it to the rim at stella point.  THe crqater looks like an artic landscape.  There was a huge glacier also along the rim.  We took shelter from the wind and waited for the sun to rise.   We then saw Lilly and her guide come up and join us.  The guides gave us hugs for making it this far.  but we were not at the top yet.  From here you hike along the rim to Uhuru point.  Slow but seady we walked alongside a massive glacier about 40 ft tall on one side and a view into the crater on the other.

Looking into the crater from Stella point.  The ridge on the left would be traversed to hit the summit. 

 Sam and a guide seen here on the final stretch.  Moments after taking this picture, 100 meters away from the top, Sam suddenly lost her breath. Struggling to regain it she was hyperventilating.  A guide and I are kneeled by her side, I felt like there was nothing in the world we could do - just hope for her breathing to slow.  After this minute of panic, Sam began to calm down and took those last steps to the top.

 Lilly and her guide on top of Africa.

We reached the top on July 30th 2006, 7:37 AM.  It was a rush to reach it.  We took the photos at the congrats sign at the top and looked around in awe.  The clouds and everything else so far, far below.  I was taken back when a man in another group lit up a cigarette - I could not imagine what that would be like.  Up here there is less than half the amount of oxygen than at sea level.  Our last group member - 20 min. later, Lista (64 yrs old) made his final steps to the top!  He showed that shear will will get you to the top -  suffering to do it, no sleep the previous few days, and I really did not think I would see him up here.  I felt really good, no altitude problems, and wondered how much farther up could I have gone. We all were elated.

 We made it back to base camp in 3 hrs.  The rocks were very soft in places and you could ski down it.  We could see our camp perched far below on a ridge at about cloudline.

 Back at camp we only had 2 1/2 hours to rest and pack up before decending further to Mweke Camp.  It was not easy just sleeping for an hour, eating a little bit and getting back out there.  When we opened the tent door to get going it was snowing lightly outside.  It would be another 5000 ft of acent to the nights camp.  So from midnight to 5 PM we went up 4000 ft and down a total of 10,000 ft in elevation.  It was quite a day, one of the longest in my life.  It rained on the way down, was steep and muddy as we were in the clouds.  I was happy we continued that day so we could sleep at 10,000 ft elevation. The worst I felt was all day was much after reaching the summit back at basecamp with a headache.  Down to Mweke Camp we had a late dinner lit by candles.

 Day 6

The next morning we woke up to a clear view of Kili with a blanket of snow from yesterday.  As a group we tipped the guides and porters.  They then sang us a song that was a very cool way to say thank you.  The hike down to the Mweka gate took only 3 hrs.  We were now back in the rainforest.  At the bottom there were other teams celebrating, one had food and drinks out, the whole 9 yards.  We signed some papers.  It was a scene full of smiles because everyone around us had been up high on the mountain, recently down, and it was the end for all of us.

 Our group of porters singing us a song before the days hike down.

  I was very proud of both of us on the mountain.  That summit day was the longest day we have spent in the mountains by far, it was fantastic to share the top together.  Strange in a way to see pictures and reading about others journey to the top, now making it ourselves. Summiting Kili gave us an epic closure to our African summer. Time now to reluctantly go home.

Kilimanjaro Movie

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