Day 4 - Do you have any plans for tonight? (by Darina)

Thursday, 23rd September 2010

What are your plans for tonight? I don’t know about you, but I am going to climb the highest mountain in Africa!

This morning we are woken up at 6 and start our today’s trek at 8. First we need to climb up to get out of the valley. It’s pretty chilly but the sun is shining and burning against our layered backs. I am using the walking poles and after a few minutes of walking realise that the top of my hands are hurting. The first thought is that it’s caused by the cold wind but then I realise that they are actually burnt by the sun. After a mere ten minutes. I think it’s time for my silk undergloves!

The trek through the saddle is long, daunting and let’s face it, a little bit boring. There isn’t much to look at. It’s all stones and rocks, dirt and dust (there is only one distraction on the way – wreckage of a plane that had crashed here almost two years ago!!). The journey is also mentally exhausting as we can actually see where we need to get to but it doesn’t seem to be getting closer. What’s more, we all are very much aware that tonight is the Night! Kibo is just standing there in front of us, big and proud. I don’t know what the others feel but my feelings are mixture of respect, fear and excitement. Continuing on the trek towards Kibo Huts I also feel very sleepy and am trying hard to stay awake. I guess the lack of sleep is finally catching up. The closer we are to the final destination, the more the trek is dragging and I am very much looking forward to just sit down and do nothing for at least half an hour.

We are about a couple of minutes away from entering the camp when we encounter a proper reality check. Four porters carrying a stretcher are passing by. They are in a big hurry and we can see why. On the stretcher a body tied to it and wrapped in the sleeping bag is lying. It looks like a mummy, we cannot see the face but we don’t need to. It’s a victim of the altitude sickness, fighting for his/her life… No wonder the porters are rushing down… Just what we needed before entering the last camp before the summit night!

And now look at us. Mentally exhausted. Some of us can’t eat. Some us feel nauseous. Some of us have persistent headaches. But we’re here. And we’re determined to get to the top of the hill! Before settling in the camp we have to register in the reception and then finally we can rest a bit. It feels great. We’re at 4700m and any activity is a hard work. That doesn’t feel as great. But the excitement of being so close is immense. On the other hand, all sorts of thoughts are wandering through my head. Will I be able to cope with the lack of sleep, will I be able to breathe there, will I be too cold, will I be too hot, will my water freeze, will I be dehydrated, will I be hungry, what does it look like at the top, is it going to snow… neverending questions with no answers.

But first, time for lunch. During which we get a brief about the plan for the rest of the day. We eat. Then we sleep (or at least attempt to). Then we’ll have a dinner around five thirty in the evening. The detailed information will be given about the night ahead. Then again more sleep and wake up call at eleven at night. Woohoo! We’re quite chirpy at the lunch (although some of us our missing from the table…) and soon we part into our tents to get some sleep. But first we both (Paul and I) prepare our clothing and bags for the night. We only pack what we need for the night/morning as after the ascent we will be coming back to this camp so we don’t need to worry about our main rucksacks at the minute. I cannot decide how many layers to wear. It has not been as cold as I though it would be so far but who knows what it’s like up there? I prepare about five layers for the top and five layers for the bottom. Then I try to sleep. It’s not working. And the neverending trips to the toilet tent…

Dinner is at five thirty. Everybody is excited and the conversation is all about the adventure ahead. When Obote enters the tent with five other guides who will be going with us, the excitement reaches the max. It’s surreal. We’re all in this little tent almost at the top of Africa, eating beef kebabs and chocolate and listening to advice about climbing in the middle of night. Obote says it should be around minus eight degrees (Celsius) at the top which doesn’t sound too bad. He also says the lowest temperatures will be between three and six in the morning. A thought flashes through my head – what on earth will I be doing out there at three in the morning?? Then he describes the route. There are several parts – first bit takes us to Hans Meyer Cave (at 5182m), second part ends at Jamaica Rocks (5500m). Up to there the trek should be zig zag as it’s too steep to climb otherwise. From Jamaica Rocks to Gilman’s Point (5681m) it’s rocks and stones, more or less straight up. I am thinking – who cares when you’re so close? Obviously, I have no idea yet…. :) If we’re still lucid and feel up to it then we can continue to Uhuru Peak (5895m), the ultimate goal of this trip…. Sounds easy, non?

The mood after the dinner is not as chirpy as the weight of what’s ahead downs on us. I can’t sleep. It’s cold outside but it’s quiet. No wind although we’re in the open. It’s strange. Paul sleeps. I can’t hear voices of the others so I assume they too sleep. I travel to the cyber café and back. It’s ridiculous. I probably get twenty minutes of a nap and then wake up again. I hear Sonja being woken up – she’s starting the trek one hour ahead of us. So it must be ten pm. I am trying to push the minutes, to move faster as really, the only thing I want to do now is to get up and go and climb and be at the top of the highest mountain in Africa….

Day 2 - Holy Smokes, it's Kibo! (by Darina)

Tuesday 21st September 2010

We're woken up around six in the morning by one of the porter's deep "Hello". The following morning ritual is repeated every day - they wake us up and enquire about how we slept and whether we have any health concerns (head aches, nausea etc.) Then we're offered coffee or tea, straight into the tent! Two green bowls of water follow for the morning hygiene, then packing our rucksacks which will then be left on the big plastic sheet outside for the porters to sort out and finally the breakfast.

This morning I feel fine although I didn't sleep very well or very much. It's a bit chilly but the sun is already rising and just when we all meet at the benches and sip the hot tea - there it is! Kibo, proudly showing itself in the morning sun. Finally, after three days in Africa, we can see the destination of our trek. Such a beauty!

The breakfast is surprisingly tasty (again) - porridge, eggs, bread, even bacon! And choice of hot drinks - tea, coffee, chocolate or an energy drink Milo. What a luxury! Before we set off - our today's guide is Robbie - the porters fill our Camelbaks with water. We have a long way ahead of us so Robbie is rushing us a bit to leave the camp as soon as possible. As promised, the route is not very difficult to walk on and we walk very slowly anyway. Soon the porters are passing us, skipping like mountain goats although they carry possibly up to four times more weight than we do. The path is as dusty as it was yesterday, there are bushes around us that gradually become lower and lower as the path becomes more and more stony. The ever present Kibo is keeping us company, it's a little reminder of our final destination. So close but still so far, we're only a little over two days away from its top!

It takes around four hours for us to get to he Second Cave camp where we stop for a lunch. It's been a long morning for some of us and not everybody is feeling very well. There are reports of headaches and tiredness but still we're keeping our spirits up and stay cheerful and optimistic. We are currently in 3500m. The lunch is delicious (avocado salad, vegetable soup, chocolate, banana) and fuels us for the upcoming trek that will takes us up to 3750m; our overnight camp however will be in 3600m.

The path is starting to be a bit difficult as it's full of stones and rocks and at times it gets very uneven and slippery. So far the weather was warm and dry. During the afternoon the sun starts to hide behind the clouds now and then; the difference is remarkable. Suddenly the air is chilly and the fleece becomes my new best friend. We get to the camp in the late afternoon. The view is quite something. On the right side is Kibo that seems to be more distant now then it was in the morning. On the left side is Mawenzi, the twin peak of Kibo. And our camp is just between them. The tents are built already so we can get inside and have a little rest before our washy-washy bowls are brought to us. Our tent is on the downhill slope so it's going to be an interesting night!

The atmosphere at the dinner is a bit tense tonight. Some of us are very tired, some are not feeling well thanks to the never-stopping headaches and the temperature outside has dropped a bit lower than we expected. It's very windy too which doesn't help. The dinner is brilliant though (although from now on I have no recollections of what exactly we were eating - purely because I didn't make the notes); in conditions we currently find ourselves we couldn't have wished for better food! One of the guides tells us about tomorrow - it's a short trek towards Mawenzi (up to 4300m), then in the afternoon we'll have an acclimatisation walk to 4600m. At this minute, everybody seems tired and not very excited about tomorrow and soon we all part into our tents.

Before I hit the sack I need to go and send an email. It really is quite unpleasant outside and what's more, somebody is already busy in the cyber cafe so I stand outside and look around the camp. And then it hits me! There in the distance, in the dark, but illuminated by the almost full moon was Kibo. The sky very dark shade of blue, with thousands of stars, enveloping Kibo whose glaciers are glaring into the night. My heart misses a beat at this moment, this must have been the most amazing thing I've ever seen. It seems so peaceful but still so noble! I suddenly forget all the little issues like cold, full bladder, fears of altitude sickness and realise that I am very lucky - I don't have any headache, I don't feel tired, I don't have any muscle soreness and I can be here, in this magical place, seeing this beautiful picture. I am silently thanking my guardian angels for letting me experience this moment. (Now back in the real world, I would also like to thank Jason who took a picture of Kibo that night. I am very grateful for it...)

The night is very windy and at times I am worried that our tent is going to fly away in the direction of Kenya. Again, I can't sleep; it's partially because I keep sliding towards the bottom part of the tent, due to our unfortunate location. It is a bit annoying but I am surprisingly calm and manage to get at least a few hours before another morning comes.

Day 1 - Pole, pole (by Darina)

Monday 20th September 2010

Grateful that the morning is finally here, I get up at seven thirty and have my last shower for next six days. The breakfast is short and sweet and then we all meet in the reception, just before half past nine. Oh, btw. the morning is cloudy again so although Kibo IS there, we still can't see it! Our luggage is weighted in the reception; mine is 15 and half but still pass without re-packing (little sigh of relief!)

The cars that are taking us to the start of the route are already here and we also get pre-packed lunch boxes. The atmosphere is a bit rushed so nobody has time to be worried or scared. Until... there is a lady sitting in one of the armchairs in the reception room and she wishes us good luck. She is also saying that she had to come back from Kili the second day because she woke up in the morning blind! I am doing my best not to freak out. Blindness?? She was told it was due to the altitude sickness but really? Trying to think logically I am calming myself thinking that nobody ever mentioned blindness to be a symptom of an altitude sickness and on the second day morning she couldn't even be in a very high altitude? The next think she says - and it's an advice too - is to be prepared that from day one we will be covered in dust and dirt. Before we even have a chance to ask more, her sister comes to the reception - unfortunately another unsuccessful story; she came back on the third day because she couldn't handle the dust and while now safe in the hotel, she still can't talk properly and her coughing is right scary. Right, ten minutes before setting off, two bad stories are something we don't exactly need... But it's too late for anything anyway, we are being called to get into the cars as all the luggage has been loaded.

According to the itinerary we were supposed to go first to the Marangu gate where everybody entering the Kilimanjaro National Park needs to register. Marangu gate is about twenty minute drive from the hotel. As we're now driving for more than a hour (the driver estimates two and half), I don't think we're going to stop there. As it turns out - we don't bring us to Marangu but Marangu brings itself to us. At the start of the Rongai route - at Nale Moru village - there is an officer waiting for us and we all have to register into his ledger book.

The drive was about hour and half after all as some parts of the road are now tarmac and therefore easy and fast to drive on. Still the last bit coming to the village was quite rough and we were all quite grateful for our 4x4. So here we are. It's around eleven in the morning, it's us here, another group from Exodus company and many porters and guides who are sorting the luggage. We have some time so we take the opportunity and offer our best smiles for a group picture:

Please meet - Salma, Jason, Nilam, Nadia, Sonja, Denise, Darina, Ryan, Paul, Gary and Katherine. All happy and smiley :-)

Soon after our registration, Niagara guy - who is here with us but is soon coming back to the civilisation and beer - is introducing our dream team: lead guide Obote and three of the other guides, Dixon, Robert and Salomon. We greet them happily and I am thinking that these are the people in whose hands our lives are now. For some reason I feel ok about it.

We set off around 12 noon. We're currently at 1950m amsl. Our today's guide is Salomon. The porters are still sorting luggage and other stuff they need to carry while we're on our way to the first camp (2700m). Salomon assures us that the porters will soon catch up with us, pass us and then arrive into the camp hours ahead of us. No wonder, as from the first minute we walk very, very slowly. While it can look strange to some, I think it's a clever way how to get us used to walking slowly before we get to the high altitude.

We are walking through a forest - I could say a common forest and we could be anywhere in the world. It's strange to be walking on Kilimanjaro but still we didn't see any of its peaks. What's even stranger though is the fact that our conversation turns to the topic of toilets (don't ask). Salomon is teaching us new vocabulary - apparently on Kili you don't say you need to go pee (or otherwise). You say you "need to send an email" (or "make a download") and the toilet is a "cyber cafe". Very neat! Needless to say it doesn’t take too long for us to implement this system :-)

From the forest we get on the path leading us through corn fields where we also come across some of the villagers. The field is the place where the dust first introduces itself. The lady in the hotel was truly right. The dust is soon covering everything we carry (including ourselves). Thinking back about our preparations we realise that in no book or blog we have encountered anybody complaining about dust or warning us to be prepared for it. I wonder if that’s because we are in the middle of the dry season…? Maybe?

We stop for a lunch in another forest and can see monkeys in the trees (apparently waiting for what food we leave behind). There is also a first attempt of some of the ladies to use the famous SheWee device, I’d rather not go into any details as I am risking some leaking myself as at the memory I still have to laugh hard… From there we continue slightly uphill on a neat (dusty) path, small trees and bushes around us. It’s like a Sunday afternoon walk, no rush, just a slow pleasant walk. We arrive to the camp in the late afternoon, Salomon says it’s called Simba camp. There are other groups of climbers too, already settling for the evening. We only have a brief rest before Salomon takes us for a short acclimatisation walk, up to 2850m. The path is now mainly bordered by bushes and grass and we can see that soon we will be walking in and above the clouds.

Our first evening on Kili starts with green bowls. In the Kili language they are called “washy-washy” and apparently these green bowls with warm water are our new shower system. It’s hard to use the water from the bowls to wash all of the body, fortunately we have more than plenty of wet wipes which are working perfectly (at this altitude at least; later, when the dust gets too deep into our skin, the wet wipes only re-distribute the upper layers of the dust but don’t actually clean much :-))! Another funny business is our toilet tent. Oh yes, we have our own toilet tent – which is basically a bucket containing chemicals with a toilet seat over it. Believe me, compared to the “general public toilets”, ours one is a luxury!

Satisfied with the result of the evening hygiene routine I join the others in the dining tent. We have popcorn! Unbelievable. I don’t normally eat popcorn but this one tastes soooo good. For dinner we have some sort of vegetable soup, fish and roasted potatoes. I am not sure what I expected but this food has definitely exceeded everything. Yum! After the evening Salomon comes in the tent to greet us and tell us about tomorrow. Apparently, the second day is very hard. Actually somebody says that there are two very difficult parts on this trek. The second day and then the summit night. Hmmm. Shall I be worried? So far I’ve been feeling great. And we stil haven’t seen either Mawenzi or Kibo peaks!!!

Soon after the sun sets, our tent is in the dark. Turns out that Niagara guys forgot to bring lights so we’re sitting by the candlelight. Very romantic! Unfortunately it makes us asleep – at least I feel like that – so soon we separate and go into our tents. But before than we are warned that the camp has an armed guard (I believe this is because we’re very close, if not on the border with Kenya) and if we have a need to visit a cyber café during the night, we should have our torches with us. This way the guard will know we belong to the camp and won’t shoot us… Touching, non? J

I feel asleep but cannot sleep. There is noise coming from the other groups’ camps and the porters are awake till late night. When I finally fall asleep it feels like a few minutes before the morning knocks on the tent…

We did it!!!

We did it and it will take more than just say "we did it". We are freshly back and full of emotions and feelings which are currently difficult to describe but the least I/we can do is a big sigh of relief... and a picture of the certificate!!!

This one is mine, I am sure Paul will post his later:

Oh yes, the good African people thought I looked younger than my age and recorded my age as five years less than I actually am. The mountain has miraculous effects, apparently :-)

Plenty of blog posts will follow in the next few days, at the minute I am just getting used to be back to the civilisation, cleaning and de-dusting all my clothing and keep thinking about one very special hill in Tanzania...

What have I done?!

That's a question I've been asking myself all the way back from Abingdon where we went to visit Chris today. Chris climbed Kilimanjaro at the end of February this year and reached the summit on the 1st of March! Paul and me went to see him and ask him questions about our forthcoming trip and to just meet somebody who achieved something amazing!

Now, I know that this adventure won't be easy and I read a few books about trekking Kili and am aware of all the risks involved. The thing is, reading it in the book and hearing it from somebody real and physical are two different issues. And hearing how sick you can get, what does it feel when you can't breathe and move, has kind of sent me from my dreamy cloud back to the Earth. I admit I started to panic a bit for a minute, thinking why am I spending so much money for something that can cause my death? But Chris also said something else - you need to take these things as they come. You want to reach the summit, that's for sure, but if you can't because of the altitude sickness, you will still have an extraordinary experience of being in Africa and being on Kili.

I didn't think that I would change my mind now - after all the balance of the trip is paid, the visa, insurance and vaccinations are sorted - it just made me think a bit more about our mortality and about our dreams that we want to achieve. Meeting Chris was very inspirational and apart from the altitude sickness troubles there are so many positives and apparently it's one of the best things that have happened in Chris's life.

Btw. Chris is currently training for the Great British Bike Ride which is over 320miles long cycling route from Land's End to Twickenham Stadium. Chris is raising money for Help for Heroes, the RPA Benevolent Fund and the RFU Injured Players Foundation so if you're able, please support him here.

So what now? First of all, do something about my fitness. Although I've been running fairly regularly and even joined a running club (finally!!!), that's about it and I still do occasionally have my back pain issues (I do visit a chiropractor though). Strength exercising is calling again, I guess (I never really last for too long...). I also need to sort out a flu jab - funnily, it's one of the recommended vaccinations but my doctor or nurse didn't mention it. When I asked about it, I was told that it would be possible for me to get it but the vials are made for 10 people so basically I need to find 9 more people who want/need flu jab so the vial is not wasted... Is it me or is this some kind of bad joke? Anyway, if you know about anybody who wants a flu jab, you know where to find me :-) And then there is still plenty of stuff to be bought - Malarone pills, Diamox, more base layers (possibly), spare shoes laces, swimming suit, woolly scarf, knee & ankle supports, energy bars etc. etc. The list still seems to be quite long considering we are only 40 days away from the departure... Luckily the pay day is around the corner :-D

In any case, it's all getting very real. Apart from Chris I've met another guy (Mitch) who climbed Kilimanjaro in October last year with his friend Pete (both of them are my co-runners from my new running club!) so there are chances for getting more information and getting more excited (and potentially getting more scared too)... if that's even possible :-)

The Itinerary

So here is the final itinerary they sent us through, it is quite long and detailed for each day so I will just post it here rather than commenting.

Overview

Sat 18-Sep-10 Arusha : Moivaro Lodge
Sun 19-Sep-10 Marangu : Kilimanjaro Mountain Resort
Mon 20-Sep-10 Kilimanjaro Rongai : Moorland Bivouac
Tue 21-Sep-10 Kilimanjaro Rongai : Kikelewa Caves Bivouac
Wed 22-Sep-10 Kilimanjaro Rongai : Mawenzi Tarn Bivouac
Thu 23-Sep-10 Kilimanjaro Rongai : Kibo Bivouac
Fri 24-Sep-10 Kilimanjaro Rongai : Horombo Bivouac
Sat 25-Sep-10 Arusha : Moivaro Lodge

Sat 18-Sep-10 Day

Fly : KL571 : 11.00 to Kilimanjaro arrives 20.25hrs

Arusha : Moivaro Lodge

Sun 19-Sep-10 Day 2

Walking around the lodge : 1 to 5 hours : Moivaro is in a beautiful semi-rural setting below Mount Meru and it is possible to walk right out of the lodge to explore the farms and villages. A guide can usually be provided, for whom you should pay a fee direct to the lodge and offer a tip of perhaps $5 per person. The money raised by the lodge goes directly into the local community, which is why you will usually find the people very friendly and welcoming. If you are with a guide then you will probably be invited to visit local houses and even to try the locally brewed beer, both of which we advise against, especially the beer which can play havoc with your insides. Our favourite walk heads south over the mini volcano, along the railway tracks (beware of trains), through the rose farm and back over the stepping stones across the river. Two hours is enough time for a decent walk, but you can easily spend all day out.

Car : Moivaro Lodge to Marangu approx 2 hours

Marangu : Kilimanjaro Mountain Resort

Mon 20-Sep-10 Day 3

Kilimanjaro : Rongai route : group trek : for up to 12 climbers

Kilimanjaro National Park : "Kili" is not only the highest mountain in Africa, but it is also one of the highest "walkable" mountains in the world. As such it acts as a magnet for people around the world in search of a truly life-punctuating challenge.

The mountain is remarkable for being free-standing, rising out of an otherwise flat and dry steppe and disappearing eerily up into the clouds. And when the clouds part to permit a view of the snow-covered summit it is so utterly out of place here in equatorial Africa that one can easily understand why this mystical mountain is the inspiration for so many legends. The park itself extends over the whole mountain and down the lower slopes in all directions, almost as far as the surrounding plateau, thus protecting the forest from the encroachment of villages, which cling to the well-watered lower slopes.

Rongai Route : Approaching the mountain from a northeasterly direction, Rongai is quite a remote route, one which retains a genuine sense of wilderness.

Nale Moru Village : 1950 m
Moorland Camp : 2600 m
Ascent : 650 m
Descent : 0 m
Walking time : 3 to 4 hours

After a short walk through the attractive banana and coffee farms of Rongai village, the trail enters an attractive pine forest. This can be a beautiful walk in good weather, with plenty of interesting flora and fauna. Most notable are the black & white colobus monkeys and some excellent bird-life.
The path continues climbing steadily through the forest until gradually it emerges out of the forest and into the next climate zone, the moorland. Soon after this, around mid-afternoon you will arrive at the first campsite, where your camp should be already in position and a nice cup of tea waiting. It may well be misty at this altitude during this latter part of the day.

Kilimanjaro Rongai : Moorland Bivouac

Tue 21-Sep-10 Day 4

Moorland Camp : 2600 m
Kikelewa Caves Camp : 3600 m
Ascent : 1000 m
Descent : 0 m
Walking time : 6 to 7 hours

Early morning is normally clear at camp and as you make your way up across the moorland you should get increasingly good views of Kibo, the Eastern Icefields and to the left the jagged peak of Mawenzi, especially after the Second Rongai Cave at 3450m.

After lunch, leave the main trail and head left out towards Mawenzi. This is the start of the extra day acclimatisation trek. The campsite is in a sheltered valley near the Kikelewa Caves.

Wed 22-Sep-10 Day 5

Kikelewa Caves Camp : 3600 m
Mawenzi Tarn Camp : 4330 m
Ascent : 730 m
Descent : 0 m
Walking time : 3 to 4 hours

A short but steep climb up grassy slopes is rewarded by superb all round views and a feeling of real remoteness. Shortly afterwards the vegetation is left behind and the immensity of the mountain begins to loom.

The next camp is at the glass-like Mawenzi Tarn, spectacularly situated in a sheltered cirque directly beneath the towering spires of Mawenzi. This is good terrain for the famous giant senecios to grow into impressive specimens and the afternoon will be free to rest or explore the surrounding area as an aid to acclimatisation.

You are now at 4330m and may well be starting to feel the effects of altitude. Don't worry too much as it is a necessary part of the acclimatisation to come up a little bit too high and then descend. It is not impossible for the effects of Acute Mountain Sickness to occur even at this altitude, in which case your climb-leader will call for an immediate evacuation down the mountain. Under these circumstances, do not let any other thought of the summit cross your mind, but just get down as fast as reasonably and safely possible. AMS is quite rare on these more considered routes, but plenty of climbers experience headaches, slight dizziness, loss of appetite and irregular digestion.

Thu 23-Sep-10 Day 6

Mawenzi Tarn Camp : 4330 m
Kibo Camp : 4700 m
Ascent : 520 m
Descent : 100 m
Walking time : 4 to 5 hours

Today the trek leads directly across The Saddle between the two volcanoes of Mawenzi and the towering Kibo. As you come out from the Mawenzi massif it feels like you are walking out onto centre stage. Keep an eye out for the elusive eland, the largest antelope in the world ... horselike in proportions ... which inhabits this high altitude zone.

As you cross the alpine desert, the open landscape affords all round views and right the way through the day Kibo looms every closer up ahead. Eventually you can make out the winding summit path high above on the flanks of the mountain, wherein lies tomorrow's nightmare.

Throughout the day you should try to eat as much as possible in preparation for the summit attempt very early tomorrow morning. Keep snacking through the afternoon if you can, although your appetite will probably be diminished by now due to the altitude. You should get into camp early afternoon. The remainder of the day is spent resting in preparation for the final ascent.
Kilimanjaro Rongai : Kibo Bivouac

Fri 24-Sep-10 Day 7

Kibo Camp : 4700 m
Summit 1 : Gillmans : 5681 m
Summit 2 : Uhuru : 5896 m
Horombo Huts : 3720 m
Ascent : 1146 m
Descent : 2016 m
Walking time : 9 to 15 hours

Your climb-leader will by now have assessed your levels of fitness and will have decided how early you need to set out. You will thank yourself if that extra fitness training earns you another half an hour of sleep tonight. On his decision, you will be woken with tea some time between 12.00hrs and 01.00hrs and set out shortly afterwards.
The ascent is by torchlight and the plan is to get to Gillman's Point on the crater rim in time to watch the sun rise over the jagged peaks of Mawenzi. This is the nightmare. Five to six hours of trudging up generally well-graded zigzags, this way and that, backwards and forwards in the dark, uphill all the way. On some stretches the ground is stable, whilst in others the loose volcanic scree scrunches and slides underfoot. Head up past Williams Point (5000m) and keep going to Hans Meyer Cave (5182m). All the way your climb-leader is keeping you going - not too fast, not too slow, taking regular rest stops to drink and catch your breath.

But the air is now incredibly thin and nausea can easily set in. If at any point your climb-leader says that it is time to stop, then that is final. His decision is not to be disputed. If he counts you out, then you are out.
Anyway, after about 5 or 6 hours you should reach Gillman's Point at 5735m. Actually, after all the endless false ridges it can come as quite a surprise to some people. If you reach this point, then the park authorities will grant you a certificate.
This two hour round trip is the highlight of the climb, around the crater rim, passing close to the spectacular glaciers and ice cliffs that still occupy much of the summit area and finally on to Uhuru Peak at 5896m. It is this summit experience that climbers talk most enthusiastically about when they get off the mountain. That might seem like and obvious thing to say, but there is something strangely surreal about the summit in the early light of the day. The light plays tricks on the ice and the thin air plays tricks on your mind. Many people talk of perculiarly uplifting experience. Some people even forget to get their camera out and have to rely on Photoshop to graft their faces onto other people's pictures when they get home. Another rather surreal thing is that there is a good chance your mobile phone will work on the summit, if it doesn't freeze to death. Chances are you won't be up there for long, as with the wind-chill it could be forty below zero, strangely enough in both Celsius and Farenheit.

As if that were not enough for one day already, it is still only about 07.00hrs and now you are faced with the descent.

Coming down may not be as tough as going up, but it does present its own set of difficulties. The main problems are usually knee and toe related. Knee problems can be alleviated by proper use of two walking poles. Toe problems should be alleviated by tightening your boots up before the descent in order to prevent your feet from crushing your toes inside your boots. You can easily lose a toe-nail if your boots are too loose or too small.

The descent between Gillman's Point and Kibo is the steepest and most challenging, with some long scree slopes. If you have the confidence and energy to scree-run, then this can be quite fun. If not, then it is a long and tiring slide. Either way you will really need your walking poles on this section.

Your camp will still be at the base of this descent and if you have made good time you will have the chance of a lie down, some tea and maybe something to eat if you can manage it.
The descent from Kibo to Horombo is a long and generally gradual descent that is generally underaken in a kind of post-summit daze, the fact that you are now on the busy Marangu Trail is neither here nor there, your aesthetic appreciation having been replaced almost completely with a simple desire to get back down. Arrival in camp comes as an enormous relief.

Kilimanjaro Rongai : Horombo Bivouac

Sat 25-Sep-10 Day 8

Horombo Huts : 3720 m
Kibo Hotel : 1650 m
Ascent : 0
Descent : 1890 m
Walking time : 5 to 6 hours

By now you have probably lost all interest in your surroundings and are thinking only of a shower, a massage, a good meal, a drink and above all a comfortable bed. The descent returns back through the forest to the park gate at Marangu at 1650m. Sometimes alternative descent routes are used at the instruction of the park authorities, but they are all pretty similar.

Arusha : Moivaro Lodge