Tanzania, Kilimandaro

The trek to the top of Kilimanjaro was divided into a 2-day approach time, a 5-day walk and a one-day visit of Arusha for a 8-day stay.

The group was ten customers, mixed men and women equally divided. There was no guide of the tour operator. The support team was exclusively local, due to the Tanzanian government policy.

The trip was made in 1998, from 19 to February 27. After a Corsair flight, the arrival in Kilimanjaro Airport was one hour late.

The report is in three tables. The general comments are given by the Tanzania presentation.

Preparation of the ascent

Glimpse of Kili

A knife grinder

Approach: The time lag between France and Tanzania is two hours. The flight lasted 8 hours. Right after landing, we headed for Marangu where we arrived at 11:10 pm. The atmosphere was tropical, hot and humid.

Marangu, 1,550m high: The morning was devoted to an acclimatization trek in the lodge surroundings. The landscape is luxuriant, the earth is red and the ground is wet. The visit of the village and the colourful market was pleasant. The merchant stalls were full of fish, vegetables, fruits and further on of clothes. On this first trip to Africa, I discovered an African market. The people were hospitable, friendly. We walked on through a wood towards cultivated fields and a cascade. This acclimatization walk lasted 4 hours.
The afternoon was occupied by a long nap. A tropical rain fell as from 4 p.m., which did not forecast anything good for the next day.
The next morning was devoted to the preparation of the luggage intended for the porters and to a solid brunch.


The support team was made up of an "expedition leader", of two "assistant guides" and Tanzanian porters. "the Chief" made his 100th ascent to the top of Kilimanjaro with us.

The ascent of Kilimanjaro

Approach: We left the lodge at 11:00 p.m. by jeep to go to Marangu Gate, 1,970m high. The entrance of the " Mount Kilimanjaro National Park " is materialized by a corridor leading to the passport control and to the counter where we signed the ad hoc register. The return was five days later.

Mandara hut, 2,742m: The stage is 10Km through a cultivated plateau and a dense forest. A tropical rain fell during the 3-hour walk on a muddy and slippery path. At the refuge, the sun came out and dried clothes and shoes. The refuge is composed of a dozen constructions with 60 beds.

Horombo hut, 3,720m: New progress through the tropical forest, then a path through tall grass with a vegetation of giant groundsels and lianas cascades. The 18Km way was made in 5 hours with a stop every hour and lunch. The pace was given by the "Chief", a tall pleasant black fellow speaking approximate English.
The refuge is 120 beds with running water!

Kibo hut, 4,753m: A desert and volcanic plateau led to the following refuge. On the trail, a signpost indicates "Last point of water". It was necessary to fill the flashes for 24 hours. At the pass, the "saddle of the winds", the panorama on a lunar world was exceptional with a unrestricted view on Kilimanjaro. The way is 13km in a 5-hour walk. The afternoon was occupied by a nap, dinner at 6 a.m., then back to the sleeping bag.
The refuge is a military standard quartering, it has only 60 beds there.

Uhuru peak, 5,895m: The wakeup was given about midnight for a departure around 1 a.m.. The walk was with our headlights for a zigzag progress with pause every 10 minutes on a very stiff slope made of scoriae in a snow landscape. Around 6 a.m. Gillman's point, 5,685m was reached at sunrise. The group decided to continue as far as the real top, Uhuru peak, 5,895m high. This last part took two hours outward walk and return. I was exhausted.

Horombo hut, 3,720m: The descent was very painful on the unstable ground. We passed by Kibo hut the porters awaiting us with our luggage and we continued as far as Horombo hut. The 31Km were made in a 7-hour descent.  We were so tired that we walked like automats.
The staff of the refuge welcomed us as a heroes according to the Tanzanian tradition.

Marangu, 1,550m: The 28Km way was made in 6 hours. At Marangu Gate our "chief" gave the ten participants, who had all reached Uhuru peak, a diploma attesting our exploit. The staff of lodge also welcomed with dignity by a comforting meal. We found again our rooms to take a well deserved rest.

Park entrance

Mandara Hut

Porters

Approach of Kili

Once more effort

A winner


The two assistant guides helped along the ten climbers on the outward trip and return all the night to encourage us by Pollé, Pollé voice. In the night, the climbers on their way down because they'd given up the ascent of the "Kili." was quite depressing. We recognized some of them, from a country on the other side of the Rhine, jolly drinkers at each stopover point!
Without the moral support of the two assistant guides, I can say that we would not have been to the top.

Arusha

Arusha

A resident in the park


Approach: At about 9 a.m. the last day we travelled by bus to visit Arusha and returned to the hotel to take our luggage.

Arusha: The visit of Arusha enabled me to approach the African civilization which I did not know before, I saw an African art exhibit and an animal park where we waited the transfer time to Kilimanjaro Airport.

Kilimanjaro Airport: The checking time was around 6 p.m. for a boarding at 9 p.m. and a transit by Mombasa.


This short trip to ascend the Kilimanjaro a few hours was extravagant, but it was by this "personal exploit" that scandal I got hooked since I took a taste for a challenge to try other ascents in the Himalayas and the Andes.


The return to France was made by a Corsair flight via Mombasa to Paris.
Neuilly, le 2003/09/27