A throwback from our trip in June 2022
So, was it worth it?
Why did we do it, going through all the hardships of cold, altitude sickness and exhaustion, why we could have simply stayed on an idyllic beach in Zanzibar. I was thinking of all these things during our last descent.
1. The challenge.
Some people run marathons. People who like to travel enjoy epic hikes. Sumitting the highest mountain in Africa certainly has a nice ring to it.
2. The people and their culture
When we first started preparing for this trip, we were wondering… “Why do we need a crew with porters”. We always carry our own stuff.
Believe me, … you need a crew!
Kilimanjaro is an industry of thousands of people.
The product: helping people summit the highest freestanding mountain in the world.
The focus: the client… Always.
So how does a typical day on Kili usually look like? You wake up in a tent and a porter brings you warm water to wash up, then he will bring you breakfast (3 courses), and after that, it’s time to pack.
While we carry our day pack, the porters carry our packs to the next camp.
Porters are allowed to carry up to 20 kg. 5kg of their own belongings, leaving 15kg for clients and crew. All of this is carried in a backpack and a bag on the neck or on the head.
So what are they carrying apart from our luggage? Our tent, which has a dining area (groups have mes tents), a foldable table and chairs for us, the tent where the crew eats and sleeps. Food and cooking gear for the whole journey.
The water will be carried from streams nearby or not so nearby and filtered for the visitors.
So we start hiking while the porters break up and pack the camp and start walking. They will eventually catch up and pass us with a smile, offering a friendly “jambo”, while we are working our way up, focussing on just breathing… because they have to set up the next camp before we arrive.
Camp is set up around noon (since lunch is served) and again at night.
When we arrive in the evening, our belongings are inside and water is prepared to wash up. Then a 3 course dinner is served and after dinner, the head guide comes to do the medical check up and deliver the briefing for the next day .
So in short, why is this different from making friends with the people on the beach chairs next to you in Tulum?
You are getting to know a breed of super people with extraordinary powers, always meeting you with a genuine smile. The motto here is: hakuna matata (no worries).
We travelled as a couple with a crew of 11:
2 guides, 1 cook and 9 porters, which gave us the opportunity to know each of them by name.
We chose Exuberant Kilimanjaro to book our expedition, they are a small, locally owned company and they were outstanding!
3. The scenery
During our 6 day journey, we traveled through 5 climate zones and ecosystems, ranging from cultivation to enchanting tropical forests where we spotted blew monkeys and black and white colobus monkeys;
The semi-alpine heath moorland with giant lobelia’s and other strange looking plants which makes you feel like you landed on a different planet or you are featured in a Dr Zeuss book;
the alpine desert zone, where only volcanic rocks can be seen
and then the summit climate zone, where you can see glaciers.
The only regret I have is that I’m still struggling with astro photography and that I was not able to capture the amazing view of the stars and milky way, clearly visible from the mountain. It was cold and I just couldn’t be out of my -40 degree sleeping bag for even a minute.
As from the second day, we were hiking above the clouds, which was spectacular, specially during sunrise and sunset.
On this photo: Exuberant “Dream Team” on our last morning prior to our final descent.
For more pictures, you can view my photo gallery and video.
