Kilimanjaro : 19 - 26 septembre

A motley crew of Hatch and HMGJV international assignees spent a week of their well earned vacation up in the wilds of Tanzania hiking to the very roof of the continent to Uhuru peak on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Canadians well equipped for the colder weather up top, Britons ready for the rain and sleet at base camp and Aussies equipped with little more than a thirst for a good time made the group a truly global contingent, and with K-Way gear and Biltong in tow, the South African cause was there in spirit. With this in mind, convincing our guides that we were all expats living in Joburg was perhaps our first challenge of the day when commencing the climb at Machame gate deep in the dense rain forest that clings to the side of the mountain at an altitude too high for grazing or coffee plantations yet low enough for there to be enough of an atmosphere and temperature for a forest to thrive.

The trek commenced following the wisdom of our guides setting a ‘pole-pole’ pace (Swahili for slowly slowly), and soon the party found their rhythm on the six hour hike of the first day through much of the rain forest belt until we reached the Machame Camp in good spirits at 3000m and the edge of the moorland zone. We eat like kings on the mountain, and camp 1 sees the start of what is to become a ritual multiple hot drinks in the evening as the mercury drops as we ascend the mountain. We are blessed with a clearing sky after supper, and our first glimpse of the glaciers of Kilimanjaro are spotted over the ridge which sees our second day’s route up to the Shira plateau at 3800m. The second day offers incredibly scenic views back down to the plains surrounding the town of Moshi from which we left, and across to the peak of Mt. Meru, another of the ancient volcanoes which preceded the eruption that brought Kili to life.

The team remains in high spirits on the second day, continuing the banter, a spatter of cultural exchange (parlez vous Australien?) and a mammoth game of cards that evening in camp due to an earlier arrival than anticipated. Night two also sees the introduction of regular medical checks by the guides, and more than ever giving data to a bunch of engineers sans explanation or units becomes the worst nightmare for the guides who search for the words in what little technical English they possess to explain what vitals are being taken, what they mean and what they may mean if they read differently. Day 3 sees us climb further up towards the peak which by now is in full view as we ascend to 4600m and the base of a volcanic feature known as lava tower. Here one can see the full extent of the Western breach and the glaciers that characterise the view from much of Tanzania. The weather closes in on us that afternoon after lunch, and we don full wet weather gear for a descent back down to camp at the base of the great Barranco wall under the shroud of mist and sleet and the ethereal senecio forest. Barranco camp once the cloud clears again later that afternoon offers in my opinion the most scenic camp sight my 28 years have granted me, as we sit below the peak of Kilimanjaro and look outwards to the plains of Tanzania below.

Day 4 begins to weigh on the group as the path undulates several hundred metres up and down again multiple times in the morning prior to reaching the lunch spot at Karanga, where muscles begin to feel the kilometres under the belt and the spirit starts to wane at the prospect of the further 2000m ascent to go. The afternoon trek up to base camp at 4600m sees a more quiet, introspective session by the team as we all start to focus on the task ahead, ascending to the very top of Kilimanjaro later this night, commencing at midnight to see dawn from the top of Africa. Base camp at Barafu is a cold and barren place covered in mist and an icy sleet as we settle in for a final hot meal and a rather interrupted four hour sleep before waking with much anticipation and a whole lot of nerves at what lay ahead. A small trail of headlamps precedes us up the mountain as we set-off, and a glorious view of the lights of the town of Moshi and what seems like everything down to the Republic below us. Pole-Pole is very much the order of things as we inch our way towards the top over 6 hours of darkness as we all dig hard to manage breathing, drinking fastly freezing water supplies and ‘taking care of nature’ with four layers and a -10degree temperature to contend with. One of the crew turns around after several hours of hard yakka, unable to get his breathing right and with personal safety more important than bragging rights we all support him in the decision. The remaining seven of us continue at an excruciatingly slow pace and after an eternity the sky goes through the motions from pitch black through crimson to welcome the most stunning dawn rising behind the craggy peak of Mawenzi to the east to warm both our soul and aching bodies at one. We reach the crater rim soon thereafter, and after a further hour walking around the rim eventually Uhuru peak and the top of Africa. The glaciers may well be receding, but let me say that they still stand ever-majestic and imposing at the top.

After much merriment and celebration, coupled with just a few icy tears, we start the quick descent back down the mountain in the search of more oxygen and warmer temperatures. Celebratory beers are had at camp 5 back at the almost cosmopolitan altitude of 3100m. We leave the mountain the following day, and after a quick sing song from guides and porters, we reach the shocking sights of civilisation again at the gate, complete with Mzungu possessed salesmen and all the trinkets one could ever want to remember the experience. We all leave the mountain with one of the most unforgettable experiences yet of our time in Africa.

Kilimanjaro