DAY ONE
After an overnight stay at the Mountain Inn in Moshi we are taken to the gates of the Kilimanjaro Nation Park at Marangu Villiage (1980meteres, 6495ft asl). From here we begin the climb. The first day is through the rainforest in the foothills. The climb is steadily uphill and it is hot and sweaty. The first hut is 8kms away with an ascent of 700 metres and this is the supposedly easy part!!! We pass through the forest seeing the occasional Blue & Colobus monkey. They chatter as you slog past. I am sure I heard one of them say "here's another bunch of mugs having a go at that hill!" It is easy to dehydrate so constantly drinking water (about three litres on the first day). We stay overnight in the Mandara Hut at 2,700 metres, 8856ft. The huts are basic with lots of fruit, pasta, rice, soup and sweet tea with lashings of bread and butter. The porridge is fantastically sweet at breakfast.
DAY TWO
Early start to Horombo hut, which is 11 kms away and an ascent of 1000 metres. You quickly leave the rainforest and move into the clouds in the moorland. Once again all uphill and you are walking in the mist. At the end of the day you clear the clouds and see Kili for the first time. WOW! It looks daunting with its sister mountain (Mawenzie, 5149m) looking bigger. We reach Horombo after six hours and stay overnight in the camp.
DAYS THREE AND FOUR
Another early start and another 1000 metre climb to Kibo hut at 4700 metres, 15416 feet. After the last water point and a climb over what is called the Saddle, you really can feel the effects of the altitude. The Saddle seems to be a windbreak and as you cross it the wind hits you full in the face. The temperature has really dropped now and with the wind chill factor it is down to -10F. A big slog up to the hut. It never appears to get any closer and after seven hours you eventually make it. Soup and tea have never tasted better. This is the smallest hut and only accommodates up to 60 climbers. There are 56 of us there that night. The view is awesome as you look down onto the clouds below. Helen, my daughter, cannot continue. Her knee had packed in and she had started getting severe headaches, so she stays at Kibo. We are woken at 11pm for the ascent. After mugs of hot tea and chocolate we begin at midnight. This is so you can see the sunrise over Kili and the scree is frozen at this time which makes the ascent easier - supposedly. Nothing can prepare you for the final ascent. It is only 4kms but it is very steep. The first stop is at Williams Point at 5000 metres. James (my son) who has suffered from altitude sickness since The Saddle has to return to Kibo. He cannot breathe and is very disappointed but it is not worth risking severe AMS for the climb. One of the guides helps him back to Kibo.
Every year up to 5 people die on the climb from Mountain Sickness, mainly trekkers who do not heed the warning signs from their body. The conditions are good with a three quarter moon to light the way. The temperature is down to -15f and bitterly cold. After three and a half hours we reach Hans Meyer Cave (5151 metres). This is a respite from the cold and we take a short break. At this point Sandra cannot go on. Her headache is severe, so she decides to call it a day. It is really hard to get going again. What with the altitude and the fact that the next part to Gillmans Peak is the hardest part. The moon goes down and I robotically follow the guide, Nicolas, with my head torch. The climb is now beyond anything I have done before as it zigzags up the mountain. I constantly seem to take breaks to catch a breath of air. People are now packing up thick and fast and three people stumble past me in the gloom aided by porters. The first light of dawn is a relief, so that you see what lies up ahead. It is now or never and Nicolas tells me just one more hour. The last part of the ascent to Gillmans is a clamber over the rocks. We eventually make Gillmans Point after seven and a half hours. The sun is up but it is bitterly cold. There is just enough time to take a few photo snaps. I could go on to Uhuru Peak which is another 200 metres around the rim of the crater. It would take me another 2-3 hours which would mean I would run out of time. I have already reached higher than anywhere else in Africa at 5685 metres, (18640 feet), so I decide that I should descend back to Kibo hut. This still take four hours and I fall over several times in the loose scree. Eventually get back to Kibo for soup and a wee lie down. This is not the end of the day and we have to descent to Horombo Hut a further 11kms. When I get to Horombo I am completely cream crackered. I crawl into my sleeping bag and sleep for 13 hours solid.
DAY FIVE
The descent down to the park gate is blissful and all downhill. It is still a 19kms hike, but once you see the park entrance it all seems worth it. The bus takes you back to the Mountain Inn, where you melt in the shower and the first beer never tasted so good. Trek again next year.....I think our gear will go into mothballs and if I did mention it, the trekking stick would be inserted where the sun don't shine.
Thanks to Peter for sending in his achievement. Anyone else who would like to share their story or achievements can send it along with a photograph (if you're not shy!)
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