by Eva Malecore
I am not used to writing about my travels, but many asked me for a short chronicle about my travel in Tanzania. I went there mainly for one reason: to climb Kilimanjaro. I had in mind this trip already since some years, but did not find the time and money to organize it before this year. I booked my travel via the DAV Summit Club (Deutscher Alpin Verein, the German Alpine Club, http://www.dav-summit-club.de/startseite.html) and had first chosen a two week trek that would have brought us first to mount Meru (4566 m), and then to mount Kilimanjaro (5895) through the Western Breach route, but later I had to change my plans. Some months before leaving, I received an e-mail from the DAV: the Western Wallis Breach route had been closed because of stone fall. The warmer climate is melting the glacier, freeing the stones contained in the ice. I changed plans, and booked a tour only to Kilimanjaro through the Lemosho route, adding to that a week on Zanzibar Island. Here follows a short description of the trek to the roof of Africa.
Departure day: I wake up around nine. I look out at the window. Snow! Cold! I am happy to leave for Africa! After a short piano session and some lunch, I leave with my bike. At the station, I buy my ticket just some minutes before the train leaves. Now the boring part starts: train to Frankfurt, flight to Addis Ababa, change plane, flight to Kilimanjaro airport, delay, more waiting…
Finally, after 24 hours of being around, we are there. Kilimanjaro airport! Finally, a pleasant and warm climate. At the exit of the airport, I meet the other participants of the tour. We are sixteen in total, all from Germany besides a guy from Luxembourg (and me being only half German). After a one-hour bus ride, we arrive at the Lodge. Here, the guide gives us a briefing about what is expecting us. Our hike through the Lemosho route will take 8 days in total. We split in two groups. I am in group “B” with Cyrille, Carola, Reinhardt, Rainer, Therese, Siegfried and Margot.
Trek day 1: We leave the following morning with the bus. First stop is the Lemosho-Route Checkpoint where we meet with our guides and porters. The porters will be carrying all the camping equipment like tents, sleeping mats, cooking stuff, food, sleeping bags. We ourselves have to carry only our daily backpack with water, food, some clothes. Each porter carries a maximum of 20 Kg. There is some safeguard by law. It is not like in Nepal, where the porter carry ‘til 40 Kg, some of the other trekkers tell me. The organization teams consists of two guides per group, one or two cooks, and so many porters!
Driving through agricultural land – potato and carrot fields planted among wood trees – we reach our starting point, at ca. 2300 meters of altitude. We are in the rainforest (Yes it is amazing to be above 2000 and be in a rainforest!). Our short hike to our first camp brings us through a lush and green landscape, with encounters of blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys and a variety of plants. Like the endemic Impatiens kilimanjari, that grows only here. I am just fascinated by the flora around me, so many impressions to absorb (for a plant biologist especially J). After a short time, we reach Big Tree camp. Tents and dinner are prepared for us. What a luxury!
Trek day 2: First night I sleep very well. Wake up is at 6:30, followed by a nourishing breakfast. We have even hot water with tea/coffee delivered to our tent-entrance. What a fu**ing luxury!
Of course, also in the early hours, my interest is drawn by the small. Like by a cute weevil (Curculionidae) sitting in a nettle plant. Or the lichens hanging like festoons from the branches.
I am not used to writing about my travels, but many asked me for a short chronicle about my travel in Tanzania. I went there mainly for one reason: to climb Kilimanjaro. I had in mind this trip already since some years, but did not find the time and money to organize it before this year. I booked my travel via the DAV Summit Club (Deutscher Alpin Verein, the German Alpine Club, http://www.dav-summit-club.de/startseite.html) and had first chosen a two week trek that would have brought us first to mount Meru (4566 m), and then to mount Kilimanjaro (5895) through the Western Breach route, but later I had to change my plans. Some months before leaving, I received an e-mail from the DAV: the Western Wallis Breach route had been closed because of stone fall. The warmer climate is melting the glacier, freeing the stones contained in the ice. I changed plans, and booked a tour only to Kilimanjaro through the Lemosho route, adding to that a week on Zanzibar Island. Here follows a short description of the trek to the roof of Africa.
Departure day: I wake up around nine. I look out at the window. Snow! Cold! I am happy to leave for Africa! After a short piano session and some lunch, I leave with my bike. At the station, I buy my ticket just some minutes before the train leaves. Now the boring part starts: train to Frankfurt, flight to Addis Ababa, change plane, flight to Kilimanjaro airport, delay, more waiting…
Finally, after 24 hours of being around, we are there. Kilimanjaro airport! Finally, a pleasant and warm climate. At the exit of the airport, I meet the other participants of the tour. We are sixteen in total, all from Germany besides a guy from Luxembourg (and me being only half German). After a one-hour bus ride, we arrive at the Lodge. Here, the guide gives us a briefing about what is expecting us. Our hike through the Lemosho route will take 8 days in total. We split in two groups. I am in group “B” with Cyrille, Carola, Reinhardt, Rainer, Therese, Siegfried and Margot.
Trek day 1: We leave the following morning with the bus. First stop is the Lemosho-Route Checkpoint where we meet with our guides and porters. The porters will be carrying all the camping equipment like tents, sleeping mats, cooking stuff, food, sleeping bags. We ourselves have to carry only our daily backpack with water, food, some clothes. Each porter carries a maximum of 20 Kg. There is some safeguard by law. It is not like in Nepal, where the porter carry ‘til 40 Kg, some of the other trekkers tell me. The organization teams consists of two guides per group, one or two cooks, and so many porters!
Driving through agricultural land – potato and carrot fields planted among wood trees – we reach our starting point, at ca. 2300 meters of altitude. We are in the rainforest (Yes it is amazing to be above 2000 and be in a rainforest!). Our short hike to our first camp brings us through a lush and green landscape, with encounters of blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys and a variety of plants. Like the endemic Impatiens kilimanjari, that grows only here. I am just fascinated by the flora around me, so many impressions to absorb (for a plant biologist especially J). After a short time, we reach Big Tree camp. Tents and dinner are prepared for us. What a luxury!
Trek day 2: First night I sleep very well. Wake up is at 6:30, followed by a nourishing breakfast. We have even hot water with tea/coffee delivered to our tent-entrance. What a fu**ing luxury!
Of course, also in the early hours, my interest is drawn by the small. Like by a cute weevil (Curculionidae) sitting in a nettle plant. Or the lichens hanging like festoons from the branches.
Today our hike brings us to the heat and moorland vegetation zone, dominated by high Erica bushes, good smelling Helichrysum plants, and some Protea shrubs. We go up and down for about 6 hours and towards the end, it starts to rain. The rain will accompany us for the next days, with the clouds covering our destination, the summit of Kilimanjaro, for most of the time. For tonight, our camp is built up at Shira I, the first camp on the Shira Plateau. Kilimanjaro mountain is formed by three volcanoes: Shira, Mawenzi and Kibo. Shira and Mawenzi where the first to be there, and where separated volcanoes, before a third vent developed, Kibo. Kibo was able to use slopes of Shira and Mawenzi to build its crater high above its neighbours. Shira ceased erupting around 500’000 years ago and by collapsing, formed the Shira plateau.
Before dinner, there is still some time to explore the surrounding area. I walk up the river through the shrubby vegetation and cross the water where possible. What a pity it is all cloudy around us!
Before dinner, there is still some time to explore the surrounding area. I walk up the river through the shrubby vegetation and cross the water where possible. What a pity it is all cloudy around us!
Trek day 3: Next day the weather is still cloudy. Again, we leave after breakfast (with some delays here and there), aiming for the Shira Cathedral, the remainings of the collapsed Shira volcano. The hike is easy and enjoyable for the first hours, but after climbing Shira Cathedral (about 3900 m) it starts to rain. The following hours we walk with the sky pouring on us. We are all happy and soaked when we reach Shira II camp.
After a short break, I walk up a little bit the path above the camp. I meet some guys from another group up here, and one of them tells me about his previous travel in Dar Es Salaam, where he got robbed by some guys, including his robbers giving him a nice amount of money to take a taxi to go back to the Hotel. I think back to South Africa, where robbing was always associated with some stabbing or blood.
Trek day 4: I wake up after a fresh night – and today is my Birthday! Our path leads us to Lava Tour at 4640. On the way up, we also meet a guy with a prosthetic leg. We do not climb up the rocky Lava Tour because again it is raining and the slippery stone can be dangerous. I start to feel the altitude after we pass the 4000 m: headache and dizziness mainly. However, I am so happy that these ailments are easy to bear. “Pole pole” is our motto, “slowly slowly” in Swahili. Up here, with the thin air, it is good to follow that advice. In addition, drink lots of water! The low oxygen makes you breath faster and deeper, which means water loss through respiration.
We finally reach our camp at Barranco hut at 3900 m. After a break, (I really need it today, with all the headache) we have dinner. Then the surprise for me: Birthday cake! No idea how they managed to make a cake (ok, it is nothing baked and is decorated with cucumbers, but hey!). I also receive a handmade tinfoil hat with Helichrysum flowers and a crow feather (that reminds me of the “Alpini hat” of the Italian military) by Daniel, our German-speaking guide. From my hiking mates, I receive a poem written especially for me. And at the end everyone sings for me. That was a nice birthday, despite the altitude headache.
We finally reach our camp at Barranco hut at 3900 m. After a break, (I really need it today, with all the headache) we have dinner. Then the surprise for me: Birthday cake! No idea how they managed to make a cake (ok, it is nothing baked and is decorated with cucumbers, but hey!). I also receive a handmade tinfoil hat with Helichrysum flowers and a crow feather (that reminds me of the “Alpini hat” of the Italian military) by Daniel, our German-speaking guide. From my hiking mates, I receive a poem written especially for me. And at the end everyone sings for me. That was a nice birthday, despite the altitude headache.
Trek day 5: So now I am 27! Today we have to climb up the so-called breakfast wall. It is a steeper part of our path. The steepness slows people down, and with all the crowd going up this mountain, traffic jams start to form. At the end we spend lots of time…waiting. Below our eyes, the huge Barranco hut tent-ville disappears, leaving an empty space. Our highest point today is at 4250 m, and our goal is Karanga camp. Here flows the last river we will meet during our hike. This means that all the water for the next days has to be carried to the next camp. So less washing, because drinking is the priority. Here, finally we see him: Kibo, the highest peak of Kilimanjaro reveals himself behind the clouds.
Trek day 6: Today we will reach Barafu hut at 4600, our last camp before the summit. The landscape has become rocky and bare.The hike is not too long, but the altitude slows us down. After reaching the camp (today our tents are standing especially skewed!) we climb up at 4800 m to get acclimatized. On our way up a group of about ten people comes towards us. They are carrying someone on a gurney, calling “Pole pole” (slowly slowly) while running down the rocks. A nice Omen for someone that has to climb the summit the next day!
We have an early dinner, then bedtime at 20:00. My tent stands in a very uncomfortable position and I keep sliding down to one edge while sleeping. Outside a very strong wind is blowing, causing some havoc with other tents.
We have an early dinner, then bedtime at 20:00. My tent stands in a very uncomfortable position and I keep sliding down to one edge while sleeping. Outside a very strong wind is blowing, causing some havoc with other tents.
Trek day 7: Wake up at 23:00, light breakfast with porridge, and at midnight we start the hike to the highest summit of Africa. Headlamps on the forehead, hot tea in the backpack and lots of warm clothes on.
It is so cold! So damn cold. An icy wind is blowing in gusts, the altitude makes me a little dizzy and at some point, I have a microsleep. We have several breaks for drinking, during which I cannot avoid trembling. It is just terribly cold. Later one of the guide tells me that in all the hundred times (yes, that’s a normal number of times to climb Kilimanjaro for a guide) he had been on Kilimanjaro, he had never had such a bad weather. I know the sun will be there in only 5-6 hours, that’s why it never comes to my mind to give up.
When it arrives, the sunrise is wonderful. Going up the rocky path, we reach Stella Point (5793 m), the crater rim, at around 8:00. Some are happy with this achievement, but I want to reach Uhuru Peak. I mean, come on, only 200 m d+ missing. Frank, one of the guides, comes with me. The altitude is really slowing me down. Each steps seems to be a huge effort. The view on the glacier from up here is just amazing, and I am happy! Of course, Uhuru Peak is crowded with people making pictures, and it is still very windy. I manage to get some pictures of me with the rainbow flag (no idea how I managed not to get my hands frozen off). We do not stay too much on the top, and after a short time, we start the descent. This time we use the sandy slopes of the crater to slide down quite quickly. It is amazing how suddenly you become stronger, just because you are breathing more oxygen.
Back at Barafu hut, we eat something, than the hike continues down to Millenium Camp at 3861 m. It is still cold here, but I am just happy. I would almost go back up there.
It is so cold! So damn cold. An icy wind is blowing in gusts, the altitude makes me a little dizzy and at some point, I have a microsleep. We have several breaks for drinking, during which I cannot avoid trembling. It is just terribly cold. Later one of the guide tells me that in all the hundred times (yes, that’s a normal number of times to climb Kilimanjaro for a guide) he had been on Kilimanjaro, he had never had such a bad weather. I know the sun will be there in only 5-6 hours, that’s why it never comes to my mind to give up.
When it arrives, the sunrise is wonderful. Going up the rocky path, we reach Stella Point (5793 m), the crater rim, at around 8:00. Some are happy with this achievement, but I want to reach Uhuru Peak. I mean, come on, only 200 m d+ missing. Frank, one of the guides, comes with me. The altitude is really slowing me down. Each steps seems to be a huge effort. The view on the glacier from up here is just amazing, and I am happy! Of course, Uhuru Peak is crowded with people making pictures, and it is still very windy. I manage to get some pictures of me with the rainbow flag (no idea how I managed not to get my hands frozen off). We do not stay too much on the top, and after a short time, we start the descent. This time we use the sandy slopes of the crater to slide down quite quickly. It is amazing how suddenly you become stronger, just because you are breathing more oxygen.
Back at Barafu hut, we eat something, than the hike continues down to Millenium Camp at 3861 m. It is still cold here, but I am just happy. I would almost go back up there.
Trek day 8: Last hike, from Millenium camp to Mweka Gate at 1790 m. I will miss this volcano. Maybe one day I will be back!