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The next morning was sunny again. We set off on a 5.5 mile hike that would take us to 15,300ft at the top of the Lava Tower (optional but highly recommended for acclimitization) and then back down to near 13,000ft for the night. We were going to be near 13,000 feet for several days […] The trail brought us to Moir Camp, where there was an old abandoned hut. The temperature continued to drop and we were glad to have our -30degF rated mummy bags. We learned from Wilbert that the less you wear inside these high altitude sleeping bags the warmer you are. It worked. I was much warmer […] The morning was a complete surprise: sunny and not a cloud in the sky. The hike took us about 7 miles across the Plateau to Moir Camp, at 13,700. The landscape was littered with volcanic rocks from prehistoric eruptions of Kilimanjaro. It turns out the volcano is not extinct, but inactive. The crater at the […] When we walked into Shira 1 camp in the late afternoon Kanini was there to greet me, as he’d be every day, and show me to my tent. Greg had brought a frisbee, so we played that for awhile in the cold, wind and fog, waiting for the others to arrive. It seemed like a […] I was awakened in my tent at 6:30 and offered hot coffee, chocolate or tea. I was also given a small basin of warm water to wash with. Yes there were several small luxuries on this trip. I had learned from Peru to get completely organized, packed, and ready to go before breakfast so that […] Forest Camp We arrived at the campsite to find our tents set up and the porters welcoming us. I met Kanini, who was to be the man assigned to me for the trek, and he showed me to my tent. He would set up my tent in the evening, take it down in […] Our trek started after lunch at 7752ft at the trailhead and we would spend the night at Forest Camp at 9,222ft. The half day hike would be a warm-up for the more strenuous days to come and would let the Kiliwarriors understand our abilities. The afternoon took us through montagne forest and mild elevation […] The Landcruisers came to a stop around noon at a wide part of the road, deep in the rain forest. Faraja, the 2nd guide, met us with his trademark smile, wider than the Serengeti, and told us to put on our gaiters, grab our packs and follow him down the road. The singing in the […] We met early for breakfast on Tuesday morning, loaded the jeeps, and drove off toward the mountain. There were several stops…first to buy water, and next at the entrance to Kilimanjaro Park to register. We had to show passports and sign in with Kiliwarriors. It is mandatory that you climb the mountain with licensed guides/porters. […] |