Kilimanjaro, September 12 (Jen)

Getting There

After our Uganda Safari, we spent a couple of nights in Entebbe and Kampala getting ourselves organized for the next step of our journey.

We knew we wanted to climb Kilimanjaro, but hadn’t booked a way to Tanzania, nor the trek itself. Because the Kampala to Arusha bus ride is 20+ hours, we planned to treat ourselves to a plane ride. Unfortunately, the flights turned out to be prohibitively expensive for our backpacker budget so we ended up on the bus. Apart from the total mayhem of both the Ugandan and Kenya border posts (Muddy, crowded, totally disorganized shacks - Tanzania was nicely organized in comparison), the trip wasn’t nearly as bad as we had anticipated.

Learning from our experience on Mount Kenya, we decided to book with trusted and true IntoAfrica (www.intoafrica.co.uk). We also decided to stay at their recommended hotel, Ahadi Lodge (www.ahadi-lodge.com), which was $95 per night for the two of us, including breakfast and dinner. (We made this decision after realizing that the “budget” hotel was $65, including nothing. Oh, and I refused to camp directly before or after 7 days on the mountain.) As soon as we arrived, I knew we had made the right choice. The hotel was beautiful, the food was fabulous (like having dinner in a nice restaurant every night), and the rooms were super comfy. The best part about the hotel though was our friendly hostess Erica, an Australian grandmother who had moved to Arusha to be closer to her two granddaughters. (And obviously a successful business woman.)

We had a full day in Arusha prior to the hike, which was meant to ensure we were well rested after the long bus ride, all of our gear was in place, etc. In reality, we spent most of the day checking out the town, and searching for rain ponchos to cover our daypacks in case of rain. These were surprisingly difficult to find. We also received a crash course in Tanzania shopping. The first price we were quoted for rain ponchos was US$45 each. ($45! For a thin piece of plastic with a hood! Shocking.) In the end we did manage to find what we needed for the more reasonable price of $7. We also bought some exhorbently overpriced, second-hand knee high wool socks. I bargained very, very hard to pay $5 per pair instead of $30. ($5 for a pair of used socks! Also shocking.) Tourists definitely cause Tanzanian shopkeepers to see dollar signs.

Late in the afternoon, we finally got a visit from Julius of Masai Wanderings (IntoAfrica’s Tanzanian company). We had a very thorough briefing, where we also filled out a checklist of the gear we needed to borrow. (We’d been assured over the phone that this was possible.) Top of the list were down jackets and warm sleeping bags, but also on the list were rain proof pants, warmer gloves, and hiking poles. We were pretty frozen on Mount Kenya and didn’t want a repeat experience. After examining the checklist and making a call on his cell phone Julius, who was not actually going to be our guide for the trip, assured us that our guides and porters would provide all requested gear the next morning.

The Hike

After yet another hearty breakfast at Ahadi Lodge, we set off. It was about 1.5 hours drive to Machame Gate from Arusha. At the gate, we had to register while our “Kili Crew” organized all of the gear. Our crew consisted of 11 people. Yes, that is right, 11! We were also shocked. We had two guides, two cooks, and 7 porters. All for just Perry and I. They carried a table and chairs, all of our food, 3 tents (one a giant cooking tent), sleeping bags, backpacks, etc. We carried only a daypack. The park regulates that each porter can carry a maximum of 20kg. Although we felt pampered having so much help, we were at least happy to see that none of our guys appeared overloaded, unlike some other porters we saw struggling along the trail.

After signing in, we spent a bit of time waiting with a crowd of other hikers. Feeling a bit envious of everyone else’s hardcore gear, for example comparing their substantial waterproof boots with our ventilated day hikers, we casually asked Elibahati, one of our guides, about our borrowed gear. I.e. Should we pack it in our backpacks? Or did they already have that sorted? Etc. Elibahati gave us a completely blank stare. This is when we realized that we were in trouble. And, how stupid we were to wait until this point to confirm that these important items had in fact been provided. Seems we were relying a bit too heavily on our high opinion of IntoAfrica, and forgetting that we were still in Africa. The only gear they actually had for us were sleeping bags (Thank God!) and hiking poles. Elibahati did his best to rectify the situation by hiring “warm” jackets for us from some guys at the gate. (The rest we could make due without.) Perry ended up with a rainbow colored 80’s fleece made for a very large man, and I with a forest green, faux-fur hooded parka made for a very short, very wide woman (both secondhand of course, at $30 for the week). At least we’d be warm!

Up to the 6th day we enjoyed a fairly consistent routine. We rose early and were provided with a bucket of warm water for washing up. They actually provided this twice a day, morning and evening. I appreciated this little luxury so much. I appreciated it even more when I realized that at some of the camps our guys were walking up to an hour and a half each way to collect water, not to mention the effort of heating it up and delivering it to us. Once we were washed and ready to go, Elias, our “assistant cook”, served us breakfast while the porters packed up our tent. Everyday we had “uji” (hot, sweet, milky porridge made from millet), fruit, eggs, sausage, bread and hot tea. Our guides, Oforro and Elibahati, would then ensure that we walked “pole, pole” (slowly, slowly) to the next camp. Oforro had 15 years of experience as a Kilimanjaro guide and was strict about setting us a consistent pace. It felt very slow on day one, but by day five and six, we were pretty grateful for his advice.

We hiked about 4 or 5 hours each day, arriving at the next camp early to mid afternoon. Depending on the day, we’d either have already eaten a picnic lunch on the trail, or would be served a hot lunch upon arrival at camp. After taking photos of the views, which were spectacular, and different, at each camp, we took refuge from the cold in our tent. The first day I think the altitude was low enough that it could have been warm and enjoyable outside, but it actually was raining. On the subsequent days, even in sunshine I was cold. We’d venture out of our tent again for dinner, served up by Elias. It was incredible to watch, and to eat, the meals Goodluck, our cook, was able to prepare using only one burner. Soups, pasta with meat sauce, stews - really delicious food, and a different menu each night. Besides the tasty dishes, I relished our mealtimes because we ate in the tent where Goodluck also cooked. It was the only warm place available to us for 7 days. I actually felt a bit jealous of the porters who got to sleep in there. In truth though, our sleeping bags were very warm and we had much more comfortable nights than we had on Mount Kenya. The bottle of brandy that I had hidden in my backpack helped too.

As the altitude increased, two things happened. First, the views became more and more impressive. We were above the clouds, the sky was the most amazing blue and our goal, Uhuru Peak, the highest point on the continent, came into view. Second, the “facilities” became more and more vile. I swear, peeing on Kilimanjaro was honestly the most disgusting experience of my life. (And you pee often, since you are drinking liters and liters of water each day trying to avoid altitude sickness.) I’m not sure why squat style outhouses, which are really just tiny holes in the ground, are the answer for the hundreds of tourists who’ve no idea how to use them (i.e. how to hit the hole). I’m also not sure why these simple structures are apparently impossible to maintain to a standard where you don’t feel like the thing is going to collapse at any moment. And I’ve really no idea where the US$110 per person per day park entrance and camping fees go.

Although the entire trail was quite gorgeous, this was definitely not a hike where I felt like I was “getting away from it all” in nature. We were often following a long line of hikers and porters. The park does not restrict the number of people on the mountain, at least not on the Machame route, and as a result the route is extremely crowded. Elibahati estimated that there were 70 to 100 tourists at base camp the day we were there. Considering we had 11 crew for the two of us, you can deduce just how many people are moving from camp to camp on the same path each day. In addition to the crowd and resultant chatter, the porters and guides have no qualms with attaching radios to their backpacks and of course, using their cell phones. (Yes, there was actually reception in most spots.)

Summit

We reached base camp around mid-day five, and our summit hike was to start at midnight. That day, the camp was cold, cloudly, and crowded. Considering the number of tourists attempting the summit, Oforro recommended that we leave a bit early, at 11:30pm, to avoid the long line of hikers. Perry and I wholeheartedly agreed with this strategy.

We tried to nap in the afternoon, and directly after dinner we also attempted to sleep. By this time, tired and cold after 5 days on the mountain, I was at the end of my rope. I was fed up with the number of noisy people around, feeling constantly chilled, and most of all the absolutely disgusting outhouses. (Did I mention that these got worse at the higher altitude camps?) I had a bit of a breakdown in our tent, and told Perry that I would never, ever, ever do this again. He, not so much concerned with the facilities, had his mind focused on the summit hike. He mentioned that he was nervous; it’s a big deal, a high altitude, and you are hiking in the dark in the middle of the night! I scoffed at this and instantly rebuked him. “Do you see all of the out-of-shape people on this trail?”, I asked. “Anyone can do this apparently!” “Besides, when was the last time you were unable to complete a six hour hike?!”, I shouted at him with sarcasm. After this tantrum, I promptly fell asleep, while Perry sat up unable to catch a wink.

We woke up at 11pm for tea and biscuits. I was sleepy, but in a much better mood after my little nap. This was it! We suited ourselves up. I had on 3 pairs of wool socks (2 of which were the second hand knee highs), lulu capri pants, hiking pants, about 5 shirts, a fleece, a rain jacket, a tuque, and of course the “Golden Girls” parka we had hired on day one. I looked really fab. (I say “fab” because I think this is the type of word people who dress this way would use . . .) Perry looked equally ridiculous, but we both felt warm.

“Pole, pole” we started out. It was dark, steep, rocky, windy, and cold. Once we reached around 5000 meters, we both started to feel fatigued and dizzy. (Perhaps me more so than Perry.) I needed the hiking poles just to keep myself upright. I had that feeling you get after 3 (or more . . .) glasses of wine on Friday night after a long work week. Your eyes just want to shut and you could fall asleep in any spot, but you fight hard to keep awake so as to not miss out on the party. In this case, I felt like I could have curled up on any rock along the way and fallen into a peaceful sleep. I likely would have frozen to death had I done this however. This was no ordinary 6 hour hike, and I quickly realized how absurd my previous night’s comments had been. I was extremely thankful for the candies I had in my pocket (I could actually feel a burst of energy from the sugar), and for Oforro’s regular huddle breaks. I always thought that huddling from the cold was just an excuse for teenagers to get close to each other in the winter, but it really worked!

Elibahati climbed with us as well, but only made it halfway up. He had been battling a bad cold and sore throat the entire trip. I think he pushed himself as far as he did only to ensure that we were both alright with the climb before heading back down himself. Knowing we would have two guides with us, Perry and I had discussed previously that if one of us couldn’t make it, the other should push on to the summit alone. Now we had to make it, or not make it, together. I took Elibahati turning back as his vote of confidence that we would make it.

And we did make it! The last bit from Stella Point to Uhuru Peak was the toughest, of course. Reaching Uhuru peak was a huge accomplishment for us both. Perry was emotional and we were both very proud of ourselves and of each other. And, extremely thankful for Oforro. Not only were we the second group to arrive at the summit, we arrived exactly at the moment of sunrise; perfectly timed, perfectly paced. I guess that is what 15 years of experience does. You can see in the photos that the first couple are in the dark, and by the last at the summit, it is light. The views were absolutely stunning. The photos give you an idea, but truly don’t do the experience justice. It was overwhelmingly beautiful. While I still think I wouldn’t do this particular trek over again, I do believe it was worth the effort for those moments at Uhuru Peak.

We spent only a short time at the summit, because it was still very cold. Then came the long walk/slide back down to base camp, which took about 3 hours. The weather was in our favor. The sun was shining and it was absolutely gorgeous and warm that entire sixth day. On our way down, we passed loads of people still on their way up. Most were determinedly trudging along, a few were collapsed beside the path, and one or two had vomited on the path. We were mostly just happy not to be them. Lucky for us, dizziness was really the only altitude effect we had experienced. Arriving back at camp, we were greeted with a mug of juice, and big hugs and congratulations from our crew. I was touched by how excited they were for us. In reality, these guys have likely seen dozens and dozens, if not hundreds, of mzungu tourists summit over the years. (Plus they did all the hard work of carrying all our gear!) They still mustered up the fanfare for our sake, which was very sweet and much appreciated.

Although we had already hiked around 9 hours, our day was not yet done. After a short rest and a meal we embarked on the approx. 4 hour descent to Mweka camp, where we spent our last night on the mountain. By the time we arrived, I was completely exhausted. However, noticing that this camp sold Kilimanjaro beer (very tasty by the way), we found the energy to share a cold one, and the remainder of my secret bottle of brandy, with our crew prior to crashing for the night.

Recovering

Day seven, after breakfast, our crew was eager to get down the mountain and home to their families. We were absolutely on the same page. (For the past six days, the shower at Ahadi Lodge had been on my mind.) Directly after breakfast we tipped all of our guys. I was really thankful for our crew and wanted to make sure they knew it. They were truly a fantastic group of guys; hardworking, friendly, and honest. They then surprised us with a “thank you” of their own. Who knew that all of these big strong guys were also amazing singers! They sang a few “mountain songs” for us , had a bit of a dance party, and then ran off down the mountain. (I have video . . . it’s fabulous but too slow to upload. You’ll just have to wait.) Those crew who shared our ride from the gate back to Arusha sang all the way there as well. I think they were as happy and relieved as I was that the week was successful, and finished.

I could not have asked for a better place to return to than Ahadi Lodge. Good company, a hot shower, movies on TV, big comfy bed, and delicious food were waiting for us. (I couldn’t help but compare with our overnight bus experience after finishing Mount Kenya! We had definitely learned our lesson . . .) We stayed a restful two nights at Ahadi, while Erica helped us to sort out a flight and hotel in Zanzibar. This time there was no question on transportation. We flew to Zanzibar where we would rest for a week before heading to visit Lantie, Anneri, and Petrone’ in Pretoria, South Africa. (Lantie had cricket match tickets on Sep 24th . . . For once, we actually had a deadline. I’ll miss this kind of “deadline” I think, upon my return to reality . . . )

For photos of our climb, see http://gallery.me.com/adamschen

Our Route (From Masai Wanderings/IntoAfrica)

Day 1 From Arusha drive to the Machame Park gate, then a gentle climb up through the original montane forest, carpeted with unique "busy lizzie" flowers, begonias and ferns. First camp amongst the giant heather at 3,000m. Ascent of 1,200m and 5-6 hours walking.

Day 2 Emerge from the giant heather zone and hike through fine open moorland to camp by the Shira Cave at 3,840m. Herds of eland up here (& occasional lion!) and there are fascinating geological features in the old volcanic caldera which can be viewed during a half hour optional walk in the afternoon. Ascent 840m and 4-5 hours walking.

Day 3 From Shira, climb towards the main peak Kibo, with the western glaciers clearly visible across the rugged high-altitude desert of volcanic rocks and boulders. Skirting around its base and under the imposing Western Breach, descend into the sheltered Barranco Valley for mid-way camp at 3,950m. 5-7 hours walking and only 110m total ascent - but having climbed higher and dropping back down assists acclimatisation.

Day 4 Up the steep Barranco Wall with some sections of very easy scrambling and drop down again to the Karanga Valley. This is a short walking day, around 3 hours, and again you climb about 300m but drop back down again to around 4,000m. There’s an optional further acclimatisation hike in afternoon up onto the scree below the glaciers.

Day 5 Up to a new camp about 100m above Barafu Hut perched high on a rocky bluff at 4,000m. Fantastic views across to Mawenzi peak, and a bit less to climb tomorrow morning! This is another short walking day, about 4 hours with a 700m height gain, and time for a good rest in the afternoon immediately before the hard summit day.

Day 6 A bracing 1am start to climb the steep frozen scree. This is unavoidable on any route but we aim to reach Stella Point on the crater rim for sunrise - another 40 mins and you’re at the highest point on the continent, usually in warm sunshine. We return on the Mweka descent route. Walking time 7 hours and 1,300m ascent to the summit, 5-6 hours and 2,800m descent to our camp in a clearing amongst the giant heather at Mweka. This is a long and hard day - you’ll feel tired but absolutely ecstatic after you’ve done it.

Day 7 A 4-5 hours descent through the forest to Mweka Gate to collect our certificates and meet our vehicle. Return to Arusha, arriving early to mid afternoon.