On top of Africa...Mt Kilimanjaro..the Trek

Still a work in progress...last updated 17 Mar...come back again soon

A Table of Daily Treks on the Lemosho Route:

Day       Camp      Height     Highest    Hours      kM
       Start               2,100                      
  1   Big Tree        2,650                        4-5           18
  2   Shira 1           3,480         3,610      5-6           12
  3   Shira Huts*    3,840                          2              5
  4   Barranco       3,985         4,642      7-8           15
  5   Karanga        4,040         4,233       4-5            8
  6   Barafu           4,681                          4              4
  7   Stella Point    5,752
       Uhuru Peak   5,895                          7              7
       Mweka          3,090                        7-8           23
  8   Mweka Gate  1,641                       4-5           12

Highest = highest point reached during day in metres
Hours & kM are from my trip notes and I probably took a lessor time.
* We diverted to Cathedral on the way, adding another 2 - 3 hours

Daily Maps

My Crew :

Honest, Michael, Wilibard, George, Mellie

Mountain Guide : Wilibard  ( 27 yrs, married, 1 son )

Cook : Michael

Porter & Waiter : Honest  ( 20 yrs, single )

Mellie : Porter & Tentman  ( 30 yrs, married, 2 children )

George : Porter

Early, my crew decided they should call me Papa , or father in Swahili. I guess I should have been happy it wasn't Babu ( grandfather ) ! I didn't really didn't warm to George or Michael and this was partly down to language problems. Only Willibard and Mellie spoke reasonable English but Honest tried hard with his limited English. I had read several stories about "games" the guides play to extract extra cash from their clients and one is to make the client believe there are more porters in his team than really exist. Then extra tip money is handed out at the end of the trek. For quite some time I thought I shared George with the Norwegian team with which I was traveling in tandem. I saw him often helping out in the other camp and he didn't seem to be allocated a "camp job". Having a compliment of over 25 in their team, there was no way the Norwegians could recognise all of their team members. All the others in my team, as well as portering, had jobs to do around camp eg Honest was the waiter, bringing me meals and washing water...Mellie erected and dismantled all our tents...Micheal did the cooking. When I hinted to Willibard that George didn't appear to part of my team, he explained that at the entry to the park, he and John, the tour leader for the Norwegian team, had to get 5 free lance porters to make up our compliments. All of the others were on Zara's books and semi-employees. So the others in my team didn't know George and he naturally gravitated to the other 4 free lance porters employed at the gate. I still suspect that something was amiss but he did get the minimum tip at the end. Michael was also a bit remote and did screw up near the end which I will detail later.

Honest was a real treat..he was always trying to do his best with his limited language skills. Always pleasant, helpful and happy.

I mentioned at the start that I thought I might not have others to talk to for 8 days. This was not the case as you meet lots of other groups on the mountain with which you have something in common. Obviously, I had lots of contact with the Norwegian team. There were 8 of them and were really a lot of fun to travel with. I can't remember all their names so if any of them read this, he or she can send corrections. They were celebrating a birthday. Arhland was turning 50 shortly. So he was climbing Kilimanjaro and then going on to Zanzibar where further friends and relatives ( including his daughter ) would join them. He was traveling with his wife who I will call Grace here, 3 workmates from the Norwegian helicopter rescue squad, his brother Sven, the deputy Norwegian ambassador to Tanzania, and his neighbor, manager of a fish factory ( with one of the better Norwegian fish brands ).

Some of the Norwegians

 As well, one of the workmates brought along his wife Victoria, an office worker. They lived in the upper part of Norway so were used to and well prepared for cold conditions. All of the men except the fish factory manager were extremely fit and gung-ho about fitness. I think they all had military backgrounds so there was a lot of macho competition between them. Most were in their late 30's and 40's except Tor, a mere lad at 28. He apparently lived further north than the rest so I joked that he was really the same age as the others but hibernated for ½ of each year and hence looked younger! They had a ball on the trek. You could tell where they were by the sound of raucous laughter. Always in party mood even though alcohol is not available or recommended on the mountain. I received frequent invitations to join them for meals etc. Their only worry was that they had no worries.

Others I met quite frequently were a couple of Dutch guys, Phike and Ted, two guys from England, Dan and Nandan and two American girls, Tara and Dwan who will feature later. As well there were 2 old kiwi guys, celebrating a 60th birthday. They had done many treks together over 40 years, both were scientists and one had stood for the National party over several elections in a Dunedin seat. Their names were Barry Scott and Conway Powell. Conway was the only person I knew who didn't make it and this was because he suffered a whole day with diarrhea shortly before summit day. So I spent many hours with Willibard discussing world affairs and the state of African politics during the day and visiting the other groups in the evenings.

Red one is our cooking tent.

Each day became routine. I got up early and Honest bought a small bowl of water for washing. At no time did I have a full body wash on the mountain. Just washed different bits on different days. Everybody smelt so it didn't matter after a while. Then came breakfast, usually a large helping of porridge, hot water for coffee or tea, toast, a sausage and piece of ommelette. Indeed I was extremely well fed on the mountain and Willibard did check I was eating lots as loss of appetite is a sign of mountain sickness. I would then get my water bottles filled with previously boiled water. It was recommended that you further sterilise this with chlorine tablets. I would start the day with 3 x 1.5 l bottles as drinking lots of water is part of the anti mountain sickness regime. It also means you make frequent "pee stops" on the trail. Then I would pack up and Willibard and I would depart camp for a days trek. During the early part of the trek, we would be overtaken by the porters who had to get the next camp setup before we arrived as well as set up for our lunch stop.

Usually the weather was crisp and clear at the start of each day, often there had been a frost in the early morning. Then around 10-11 am, the wind picked up and then later clouds would roll up from down below. The mountain complex is large enough to have it's own weather system. So in mid morning I was often just walking in a cheap T shirt and light trekking pants and then would progressively layer up as temperatures dropped in the clouds. Then miraculously, the clouds would disappear just before sunset, giving good new views of the mountain and the surrounding countryside.

 As detailed in the maps above, we often climbed high, slept low and again this is part of the acclimation process. Lunch was another full meal. I was asked at the start whether I needed my own mess tent and I figured that as I had a two man tent to myself ( another benefit I found useful when traveling as a party of one ), this did seem to be a luxury I could do without. In hindsight I would have taken the extra tent as it didn't save my porters from any burden as they were filled up to 20 kg each anyway. I had my own table and one chair so at lunch time, this would be set up for me to have lunch. This was fine when the weather was fine but a bit uncomfortable in inclement conditions. This was the first time I encounter a common problems with poorly educated folk not being able to think outside the box. They could follow a set programme well but couldn't make alternative arrangements when conditions changed. More on my theories on educational standards later.

I would get another bowl of water for washing at the end of each day as well as tea/coffee with some nibbles such as nuts or popcorn. Dinner was another hearty meal. A big helping of soup, noodles or rice with a meat casserole ( called sauce ). Then fruit. I found it amazing that bulky items such as watermelon, mango and potatoes would be carried all the way up the mountain for us. Indeed, I had potato stew at base camp. There was no water supply at base camp ( Barrafu ) so all water was carried up from Karanga valley, some 750 m below.

Toilet facilities within the park were just atrocious. All long drops and in terrible condition. I suspect that little of the quite hefty daily park fees find their way into maintaining park facilities. Another thing I would do in hindsight would take my own toilet...cost $100 per day. This obviously is a good deal for larger groups. As with many African countries, Tanzania has high levels of corruption.

The terrain covered was not difficult nor particularly interesting or scenic. There were wide panoramic views of the surrounding countryside as well as a good view out to the nearby Mt Meru ( 4,562m ). The mountain itself is a craggy block as a result of successive eruptions and then erosion over millions of years. Small glaciers tumble off higher parts but the highest part is ice/snow free. We did not trudge through snow and at only one stage, leaving Barranco camp and up the Barranco wall did you need to climb up using your hands and only for a short time. There is limited wildlife on the mountain, mainly a few bird species and a 3 striped mouse which seems to be able to survive well at high altitudes. Two interesting plants were the Lobelia deckenenii ( the giant pineapple ) and the Tree Groundsell ( in the other photo ).

Seedlings of both

On top of Africa...Mt Kilimanjaro - Getting Started

My trek really started where I finished the Serengeti safari, in Arusha. Luckily, my room mate Harri was staying an extra day in the hotel so I did not need to check out early. On a side issue, I discovered Harri contracted a bacterial infection and was hospitalised for 5 days on his return to Finland. Emmanuel, our tour leader booked me on the 2 pm shuttle bus to Moshi with a pick up from the hotel organised at 2 pm. Now there are some things you need to know about Africa - things do not always work first time but somehow they get done in a muddle-through fashion. You are not always told the full story either. Other attributes for Africans are that they can walk very long distances and can sit around doing absolutely nothing for long periods of time. I was about to experience doing the latter. There is a Swahili expression "hacuna matatu" that covers these situations meaning "no worries" or "don't worry". Stress can kill you! Sometime after 2 pm, the hotel staff rang the bus company to make sure they were going to pick me up and yes, they knew I was awaiting. Anyway, someone came to pick me up and deliver me to their bus depot where I learned that the Arusha - Moshi service is a continuation of the Nairobi - Arusha service and because of lots of road works and a rough road, this service mostly runs late these days. So while I was waiting at the bus depot I met several other trekkers on the same journey including Dan & Anand from the UK. When the Nairobi service eventually arrived, there were lots more trekkers, several traveling with GAP Adventures as was I. The 2 pm shuttle bus, which is mainly used by tourists and a few Tanzanians of Indian descent, departed at 3:15 pm.

I booked my trip through GAP who I knew contracted the mountain trek to a local company called Zara Tours which had a good write up in the bible for the mountain, Henry Stedman's "Kilimanjaro". They also own one of the better hotels in Moshi, the Springlands, though it is located a way out of town along a very rough road. We arrived after the trek briefing for the next day had begun but didn't miss much. We were handed out two sheets of paper with "tip" recommendations, one from Zara and one from GAP with the instruction that there was to be no discussion of tips on the mountain and the tips should be handed out back at the hotel. Indeed we should only take a token amount of cash with us. I was aware that tipping is a most contentious subject with Kilimanjaro treks and I had, against all my instincts, come to realise that the so called recommended tips were really compulsory and made up about ½ of a reasonable wage for the support crew ie the company was only paying about 50% of a decent wage but if they paid the full amount, the total cost of your trip would increase by this amount so in the end, all balanced out. I had heard of stories where fights had nearly broken out over tips at the end of a trek.



I booked with Gap for two reasons...I may have a better chance of recovering a refund should things turn to custard and that other travelers would travel with me.



However, I discovered that I was the sole Gap traveler on my particular route for the day I booked so was initially not too happy about this. Indeed I had several "woe is me" moments that night and didn't sleep too well. Who would I talk to for the next 9 days and I would be landed with the full amount of tips expected by my crew!

During the briefing, I also learnt that there was one other Zara group traveling on the Lemosho route over the same number of days as I, a large group of 8 Norwegians. We were told we needed to take our own water supply for the first days climb as well we should purchase snacks needed on the trek from the company shop. The company/hotel also have a rental shop for any extra gear and that we should be ready to depart between 8 - 8.30 next morning. I also met my guide, Wilibard, a serious young man , 27 years old, married with one son, Joshua who had worked his way up the ladder from porter. We would be spending a lot of time together over the next 8 days. He helped choose the extra gear I needed to rent..walking poles and thanks to Tommy's recommendation, I got ones with shock absorbers though as they were hard to find in a massive pile, they were not matching but then fancy appearances is not really my scene. I also got gaiters ( they wrap around your lower legs, protecting the top of your boots and lower trouser legs from mud and dust ) and a storage bag for my excess belongings.

Of course, I was ready prior to 8 am but the African way forces it influences again. Lots of trekkers for the various routes were departing simultaneously so you can imagine the chaos. The start of the Lemosho route is some distance from Moshi so I knew we would take some time getting there. Guess what the first stop was...a supermarket so the guides could buy their supplies at less than hotel prices!!

We then had another long stopover in a small town on the way up so the porters, who were being transported in an old army truck, could have their last "non mountain" lunch. We traveled by bus and my fellow travelers were a couple of German ladies, doing the 7 day trek and 2 Dutch guys, Jim and Phyke doing a slightly different version of my trek and with whom I would meet several times. As well, there were our guides and assistant guides. A funny situation did arise when we encountered a broken down jeep with 2 passengers.

I learnt these were a kiwi couple, living in the UK. She was of Japanese descent and his father was born in Geraldine so I probably went to school with the father. One of our guides told us that they had requested private transport as they didn't want to travel with the masses in our bus! After much tinkering, they got the jeep going but we passed it again apparently broken down again. We dubbed the driver the "crazy driver" because of his erratic style but we would be thankful for this later.
It was then up to the Londorossi gate to sign in and be assigned our full crews. Again, chaos appeared to reign as all luggage and supplies were weighed by the park authorities.

Clients were permitted to take up to 15 kg. Each porter was required to carry exactly 20 kg ( and as you can see from the photos, usually on their heads ) plus their own personal supplies and water needed for each days hike. This added another 5 - 10 kg to their load. Guides carried their own personal gear ( about 15 kg ) and cooks had slightly lower loads than the porters.

 To get a gauge on the size of Zara, of the 33 clients who had checked in when I did, 17 came with Zara. And each client will have a crew of 4 - 5 each. It was probably after 3.30 before all was complete and we then drove back out of the park and up some very rough and muddy tracks to get to the real Lemosho trail start. The road was really 4WD country but amazingly our 2WD bus go a fair way there.

At one stage, we had to pass through a young pine forest so we transferred to "the jeep" but then met the porters truck. The truck driver refused to take it any further up the road and hence there were a large number of unhappy porters thinking they would have carry everything an extra 2 -3 kM than planned. However, after much African discussion, our so called "crazy driver" volunteered to drive the army truck up and when successful, received a round a applause and a small reward from the porters.

We arrived at the first camp called Big Tree shortly before nightfall for our first night on the mountain at 2,650 m having started trekking at 2,100 m