The rising sun painted a mild rouge across my cheeks, and I could feel the angst within me rise along with the surface temperature of my skin. Our 24-passenger van bounced its way across partially paved roads as men, women, and children walked along the street side in clothing ranging from Sunday best to worn and weathered work uniforms. Small rice fields came and went while sunflowers dotted the hillsides in the distance, some brought to life at dawn while others lie sleeping, not yet ready to greet the day. The pungent smell of diesel exhaust periodically wafted through the van windows as motorbikes and old Toyotas sped by. I turned slowly to catch a glimpse of a small cow herd grazing on the roadside, and that’s when I saw it... its bold facade softened by a light haze, yet its high borderlines stood proudly against the light blue sky. A frosted tip peaked out, looked slightly melted, as if spread along the mountainside like icing that had been swept across a cake fresh out of the oven and placed on a bit too soon. There it was, standing at over 19,000 feet above sea level. I just stared in awe, taking every piece in. I couldn't believe I'd finally arrived, and we were moments away from setting off on our trek atop the world’s highest freestanding mountain, atop the "Roof of Africa", better known as Mount Kilimanjaro.
** Note: It is recommended to spend at least six days along the Marangu Route. My husband and I were in a time crunch and eager to continue on to safari, so we opted to attempt the route in five days. Typically, an extra day or two is spent for acclimatization, but we opted out of it. Five days is not generally recommended for this route (or any route, for that matter) as it does not allow sufficient time for acclimatization, thus reducing the chances of a successful summit.
The Trek
Day 1: A Walk Through the Rainforest
Zone: Montane Forest
Marangu Gate to Mandara Hut
Elevation Change: 6,100 feet to 8,924 feet
Distance: ~ 7 miles
Our trek began at Marangu Gate, 6,100 feet above sea level. Placards at the gate recognized the accomplishments of Hans Meyer, the first European explorer who conquered the mountain in 1889, along with the four porters and two guides who assisted him. One of those guides, Yohane Lauwo, was also individually recognized for being the first Tanzanian to summit.
Within the first few hundred feet beyond the entry gate, I felt as though I’d been transported into a scene from Tarzan, expecting him and Jane to join my journey any moment. As far as the eye could see, trees serpentined in every possible angle, wrapped in flexible vines and surrounded by lush plants in every shade of green imaginable. Long, thick ropes seemed to be hanging from the sky, and, oh, how I longed to swing across them. Hairlike moss blanketed the faces of nearly all geological features while exotic plants in vibrant pinks and yellows peeked through thick shrubs. The elephant trunk flower, found only in Kilimanjaro, was one such plant.
Families of blue monkeys kept their gaze on us as we crossed timber bridges that arched over calm, clear streams below. Black and white colobus monkeys, their tales a bold, bushy white, were easy to spot atop branches. Throughout our day, we remained thankful for the sunshade provided by this beautiful, dense forest.
Four hours and nearly 3,000 feet of elevation gain later, we arrived to the lovely Mandara Hut camp.
This camp offers triangular shaped cabins consisting of four twin beds. A large mess hall, a solar panel grid, and rather nice personal facilities were a pleasant surprise. Our guides haggled a bit to score us our own private hut, which served as the perfect icing on top of a perfect cake kind of day.
Before the day ended, though, our guides took us on a short acclimatization hike to Maundi Crater, an open field of grass shaped like a shallow bowl surround by trees as far as the eye could see. Here, we received some intimate storytelling time and learned a great deal about the history of Kilimanjaro and Tanzania.
With hearts full of appreciation and bellies full of delicious food, we made it an early night, for we knew the more difficult sections were to come.
** Tip: Even if your legs are tired, and they will be, the acclimatization hikes are a must! As the days went on, I became more and more exhausted, which meant more climbing after my body had already a brief chance to rest was the last thing I wanted to do. Regardless, I pushed through it because those hikes help the body function much better the next day at higher altitudes, and I could feel the difference!
Day 2: A Walk Through the Grasslands
Zone: Moorland
Mandara Hut to Horombo Hut
Elevation Change: 8,924 feet to 12,205 feet
Distance: ~ 8 miles
Though they say the rooster greets the day, here on the Marangu Route, monkeys in a scuffle signal the sunrise. No matter, though, because we were ready and eager to see what the second day had in store for us.
This section of the hike began by phasing out Tarzan and adding some new film to the projector. For nearly 30 minutes, a canopy of thin trees swayed in the wind, their sounds reminiscent of the eerie creaks triggered by tiptoeing along wooden floorboards inside of an old cabin. Our guides gave us a much more reassuring interpretation of the sound, saying that the trees were clapping for us and encouraging us on our journey.
Once the clapping ended, though, we found ourselves standing in the wide open plains of the moorland. Shrubs, grasses, and a more diverse selection of flowers covered the rolling hills, and views of Kilimanjaro village along with nearby mountains could finally be seen due to the absence of yesterday’s towering greenery.
My inner botanist was elated at the sight of so many different plant species including St. John’s Wort, the Kilimanjaro crown, the Scottish national flower, and Everlasting (a fitting name as this plant can survive even in the high alpine desert altitudes). What looked like large, brown beehives with bright green succulent crowns on top, better known as Dendrosenecio trees, clearly stood out against the more muted tones of the grassland scenery. Creeks occasionally trickled along the route and served as our first real encounter with glacial runoff, glaciers we would encounter in less than two days.
We had heard many times since our arrival that the weather in Tanzania is unpredictable, so wearing layers is essential. Naturally, we questioned this as our first day through the forest consisted of nothing but perfect temperatures and clear skies. While the second day started in the same manner, the afternoon brought about sudden, sweeping masses of fog that covered our previously pleasant views and a significant temperature drop. Cue wind jacket.
At last, we stood above the clouds over 12,000 feet at Horombo Hut camp, a camp similar to Mandara Hut except on a much grander scale. Horombo contained many more huts, a few more personal facilities, an additional mess hall, and sweeping views of the lands below.
For the second night in a row, we lucked out by having a hut all to ourselves (thanks to our very persuasive guides). Once settled into our home for the night, we went on another short acclimatization hike, enjoyed another delicious meal (more on this later), and then another early night commenced in preparation to conquer the higher elevations and much cooler temperatures to come in our third day on the mountain.
** Note: I had a lot of questions about the bathroom situation on the mountain while we were planning. Since we took the Marangu Route, the only route containing huts, we did not need to purchase a portable toilet or use the more primitive facilities found along the other routes. The bathrooms at each camp were quite pleasant. They were always kept clean, contained multiple stalls, and I never waited in line to use them!
Day 3: A Walk on the Moon
Zone: Alpine Desert
Horombo Hut to Kibo Hut
Elevation Change: 12,205 feet to 15,430 feet
Distance: ~ 6 miles
Right after leaving Horombo, we were greeted with a challenging stretch of steep, rocky trail containing minimal flat spots. Our legs could feel the wear and tear brought on by the previous two days, but we had no choice but to soldier on.
Mawenzi Peak came closer into view with every step. Some clouds and fog began to weave their way through the sharp edges of the peak. About 90 minutes in, both the scenery and terrain instantly changed, a new sandy trail mixed with small, ground rock fragments led the way to the base of the colossal snow topped mountain that finally stood clearly before us, our first sighting of the actual peak we'd summit the next day. Small, chia pet like plant bundles popped out of the ground intermittently along the trail. A few dozen feet after them, though, no sign of plant life could be seen. White butterflies were the only sign of life around us, and their presence alone made the experience all the more magically surreal.
At about 14,000 feet, and still a couple miles from camp, snow began to fall, and my poor face began to grow numb. Nevertheless, experiencing all types of weather in just three days made me feel like I was really getting to know all that this mountain had to offer.
When we finally reached camp, we realized this one was unlike the previous two camps. In addition to the fact that Kibo Hut sat at over 15,000 feet, a great deal higher than Mandara and Horombo, it was also the only camp that was just one, large structure with various rooms containing multiple bunks. There were no separate little huts here... Though, there were small tents outside the building for hikers who took other routes that required tents. In this ice cold, snowy moment, we were extremely grateful to have taken the Marangu Route that allowed us to secure a spot in a large building to stretch and get comfortable and cozy in. We actually really enjoyed this larger change of housing, as it allowed us to get to know some of our fellow hikers who we'd reconnect with the remainder of the trek. It felt like a day at summer camp!
Day 4 - A Walk Unlike Any Other
Zone: Alpine Desert
Kibo Hut to Summit and back to Horombo Hut
Elevation: 15,430 feet to 19,340 feet to 12,205 feet
Distance: ~ 13 miles
What. A. Day.
11 PM wake up call on Day 3 with a light soup breakfast to get us on the trail at midnight to begin Day 4. It was pitch black, except for some stars shining in the night sky. Not to mention, it was absolutely freezing. Fresh snowfall from the day prior covered the trail, but we continued on pole pole, listening to guides sing songs to help us continue to put one foot in front of the other.
We zigged and zagged for hours in the dark, and at this point, the trek became a mental game, as I often found myself getting in my head and, at times, just wanting to call it quits so that I could lay down and take a nap while wrapped in an extra large wool blanket. Just as I was nearing my mental end, we finally reached Gilman's Point, the first real sign that we were actually making progress to the summit (more on this later). We now needed to put on our crampons as the ice and snow were thick. This task posed its own challenge, and the guides had to help us put them on because neither my husband nor myself could feel our fingers. Once we reached the next noted achievement marker, Stella Point, the sun was finally rising, which gave me the little boost I needed to wake up and step up. We could see it, finally, in the distance... the summit, still several miles away, but it became real in that moment, and I had never wanted my legs to move more.
Throughout this stretch, I yearned to dunk my hands in hot water (thanks, Raynaud's Disease), my husband and I both wanted to take more breaks than allowed (the guides only allotted for just a couple of breaks because we would never have made it with such extreme altitude if we kept stopping), and yet even though we didn't do either of those things, we still made it! Crappy crampons and all.
Our guides surprised us with a nice, cherry victory beverage and a summit song and dance overlooking the volcanic crater with the vast clouds and space around us, which made the experience that much more extraordinary. We didn't take many photos along this part of the journey because our hands could barely hold the trekking poles, so thankfully our guides snapped some photos for us! I did manage to grip my phone for a few moments thanks to my lobster claw mittens.
Our legs and knees were near defeat at the end as we slid down rocky mountainsides to get back to Kibo Hut. A quick one hour nap, and we were on the move again to Horombo Hut. Snow fluttered across the sky en route to our second to last stop of the journey. We were cold, exhausted, and mere robots only capable of processing simple directions like left, right, left, right. Despite all of that, we were stoked!
Once at Horombo Hut, we had a nice dinner, chatted with our guides and new trail friends in the dining hall late into the evening, and continued on to celebrate our bucket list victory. I could breathe a bit easier thanks to the decrease in altitude as well as from the relief in knowing that I had just climbed to the roof of Africa, making a long awaited dream come true!
** Note: As previously mentioned, we passed Gilman's Point and Stella Point on the way up to the summit. They served as lovely, brief resting spots. However, during our first encounter with them, the sun was barely up, and we were walking popsicles, so I wasn't able to snap any photos of the signs. I did make sure to snap some on the way down, though!
Day 5 - A Walk Back to Civilization
Zone: Montane Forest and Moorland
Horombo Hut to Marangu Gate
Elevation Change: 12,205 feet to 5,500 feet
Distance: ~ 13 miles
Jambo!
Cheers to a 7 AM wake up call to our very own celebration party that woke up the entire camp. We enjoyed our final, delicious camp breakfast before descending the last leg, making a lunch stop at Mandara Camp. The entire way down was painful on the body, yes, but the views were absolutely stunning. We could finally enjoy the flora and fauna to their fullest because we. did. it! Once we got to the trailhead, it was packs off, bathroom break, and time to get our summit certificates!
The drive back to the hotel was long, and we napped most of the way. Our feet were swollen (I'm talking water balloons on sticks), our legs were sore, and we hobbled to dinner that night, but it was all worth it because together, we successfully climbed to the "Roof of Africa" and stood atop the highest single free-standing mountain in the world.
The Company - Easy Travel
Easy Travel is one special company. I've been fortunate to do a significant amount of travel in my life, yet I've never worked with a travel company before. After this experience, my expectations are incredibly high because Easy Travel set the bar at an astronomical level.
From the early planning stages, Brenda, our Tanzania Specialist with Easy Travel, worked with us nearly a year in advance, every moment up to our arrival, and throughout our entire stay to ensure that we were all set up with transportation, lodging, and that we had the appropriate information to guarantee proper packing. Our flight sequence unfortunately got messed up en route to Tanzania, but Brenda reorganized the plans like a true champion! Her responses were always thorough and timely, and she was flexible in working with us when we had to make adjustments as we planned. Not to mention, Easy Travel organizes private trekking groups, so we had the entire crew all to ourselves!
Once we began the trek, we knew we were in for something special. Our guides, Said and Reagan, held extensive knowledge and communicated with us along the way to teach us all about the flora and fauna of Kilimanjaro. Once we summited, we said that we couldn't have made it without them. Their fun, caring spirits and depth of support meant everything to us, and their wealth of experience made sure that we took our time and never gave up. Chui, one of the wonderful crew members, accompanied the guides for our summit day. Chui knew I had a bad back (yay for bulging discs), saw me struggling while zig-zagging in the dark, and offered to take my pack for me for a bit to help me gain more steam. That made such a difference! Their collective kindness is something I am beyond appreciative for. Together, the three of them made for one heck of a summit squad.
One of my favorite stories to tell is about Summit Day when we were descending and just a few miles away from our first stop to Kibo Hut. We were struggling to continue putting one foot in front of the other. Unbeknownst to us, our guides had radioed the rest of the crew who were back at camp that we needed some fuel and motivation, so they met us a ways up the mountain with ice cold juices and snacks, singing as they did! I cried tears of gratitude because the mere sight of their faces making such a thoughtful gesture gave us our second wind to continue on.
Now, to the food... one word... YUM! Every morning, we were greeted with a hot beverage and some wash water, and then onto breakfast in the dining hall which was always delicious! Our setup consisted of both cold and hot water with options for tea and coffee. The cook always made sure to accommodate my lovely gluten and dairy allergies. I'll admit, I was nervous going into this experience more so due to food than the trek itself because my stomach and I have been at odds for years, but Easy Travel and this super crew ensured my tummy was happy every single day. Meal time was my favorite time... soups, delectable dishes, and more than enough for just us. We also loved having the guides join us for our meals because it helped solidify those familial bonds that really made this trip special.
Each person at Easy Travel took tremendous care of us along the way. Upon our return to town from the mountain, the Easy Travel facility was filled with a victory cake and drinks to celebrate our summit! The employees surrounded us and sang, honoring us with traditional cloths as a gift to complete the experience. They made the entire journey, from start to finish, feel like one giant family vacation, and we still think about our time together and miss them dearly!
If you are considering making the trek to summit Kilimanjaro, know that it is certainly long and physically exhausting, but this amazing group of people made it much more entertaining and enjoyable! Thank you, Easy Travel! We love you!
** Note: We also used Easy Travel for our safari experience. More on that in a blog post soon!
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