climb  KILIMANJARO

KILIMANJARO  DIARY

The Mysterious Peaks of Kilimanjaro

Day 1
A driver picked us up from our hotel in Moshi and took us to the Marangu Gate, where we began our ascent up Mt. Kilimanjaro.  porters took our bags, leaving us with our day packs, and were waiting for us at Mandara Hut when we reached there this afternoon.  The 4-5 hour trek took us through farmland and a dense forest.  After a hearty meal and a chance to relax, we spent the night on comfortable beds.

Day 2
After breakfast, we continued our trek through the tropical montane forest and soon reached large heather and the moorland zone.  It looks as though we have stepped into a fantasy world.  The landscape is decidedly different and we had spectacular views of Moshi and the peaks, including the Kobo dome, our final destination atop Kili.  Our 6-hour hike ended at Horombo Hut, where we spent the night.

Day 3
Today's trek took us through an alpine zone with foliage reminiscent of a desert environment.  Our guide slowed the pace to allow us to acclimatize to the rapidly changing altitude.  We gathered water at the stream at Last Water point in preparation for the snowy and icy landscape to come.  As a result of the altitude, our appetite was greatly diminished.  Knowing we will need as many calories as possible to give us the energy to summit, our guide encouraged us to drink some delicious mango juice.  It did wonders for our energy level.  Despite having hiked for almost 7 hours, the high altitude prevented us from feeling tired.  But we tried to get as much rest as possible at Kibo Hut.

Day 4
We were awakened at 12am to being the day's trek in order to reach Gilman's Point while it was still frozen and easier to walk on.  Our early departure was also carefully planned so that we would reach the crater rim just in time to see an incredible sunrise.  From this vantage point, we had an unforgettable view of the sun coming up over the clouds.  It was an experience unlike any I've ever experienced, and it made the night's arduous trek worthwhile.  We decided to continue on for another hour-and-a-half-long hike across the crater to Uhuru Point, the highest point in Africa.  We were truly on top of the world.  We then hiked back to Gilman's Point.  From there, it was only 2 hours to Kibo Hut, where we stopped for a quick rest.  The descent was much easier than our ascent earlier that morning.  A few hours later, we reached Horombo Hut and rested our tired legs and sore feet.

Day 5
Our final day on Mt. Kilimanjaro took us back through the moorland zone and heather to Mandara Hut, our halfway point for the day.  Following a brief break, we hiked the final leg of our journey through the forest to Marangu Gate.  Have walked for 7 hours, we were happy to see our driver awaiting our arrival.  We rode the Land Rover back to our hotel in Moshi Town, gazing longingly up at Kili peeking above the clouds in the distance, looking like a cloud itself.  The feeling of exhilaration while standing atop Uhuru Peak is a memory I will carry with me forever.