Group 2 - Kilimanjaro Trek

Group 2 - Kilimanjaro Climb

After a hard week of community service and a couple days of relaxing at the Oasis Lodge our group of 22 people boarded the bus for the hour ride to the base of Kilimanjaro. After hearing from the other group what a daunting task the climb was, we were focused on the task at hand. What lay ahead was both difficult and completely rewarding.

Day 1

We left Macheme gate and made the trek through the rain forest at the base of the mountain. Unfortunately for us the worst possible thing happened and it began to rain, by the time we reached camp for the night at 3000 metres, we were cold, wet and definitely off to an auspicious start.

Day 2

We awoke to sunshine on day two, and a climb above the clouds. This climb included a lot of bouldering and some spectacular views of the land below. We arrived in camp in the early afternoon with plenty of  time to dry wet gear and recharge our batteries for a challenging day three. The view of the sky at dark from camp was amazing as many had never seen that many stars in the sky at one time.

Day 3

This was an important day in our attempt the summit of Kilimanjaro. In an attempt to get accustomed to the elevation, we ascended to 4650 metres to get our bodies ready for the couple days ahead. The day involved some steady slow climbs until we got to Lava Tower and our highest elevation of the day. The day ended with a slow descent to Barraca Camp and gave our group an impressive view of the next days task.

Day 4

We awoke on day 4 faced with a 500 metre walk of rock to tackle to begin the day. After tackling the rock wall we were given an outstanding view of the ultimate prize (group picture below). We made great time in getting to base camp and our prep for the last stage our trek and the summit. We arrived at base camp in early afternoon and got some rest before we got ready for the "midnight assault" that evening.

Day 4/5

We awoke at 11pm for tea and readied for the last stretch of our adventure upward. We ascended into the darkness as a group at 1130pm with headlamps lit and warm clothes on to tackle the most difficult mental and physical task we had faced in our lives. The six hour hike upward was almost an unthinkable feat but our group responded with fire, desire, perseverance to finish the task. As we trudged through the darkness we helped each other get over the enormity of what lay in front of us. As we one by one stepped over the edge at Stella Point and the first step of the summit we relished in each others victory. The 45 minute walk from Stella Point to Uhuru Peak (for many in the dark) added the last bit of adversity to this amazing day. Like a clan of Andrean Zombies, we each made our way to the official top of Africa and posed for the obligatory photo. Many broke into tears at the emotion of the moment and most definitely created a memory of a lifetime. What followed unfortunately was the trek downward which was the most difficult part of journey. The two hour trip down was difficult, taxing and overall an awful way to end an otherwise rewarding day. Following a few hours rest we walked 4 more hours downward to our last camp in the rain forest.

Day 6

We awoke on day 6 with two hours left to go and our exit of Kilimanjaro National Park. Before departing the day the entire staff of our trekking company serenaded our boys in a traditional manner. We response with a spirited version of the Gangwa to the delight of our hosts. We descended the last few metres of our climb to the shared welcome our group members. We arrived dirty, smelly, and beaten, but not broken. We challenged ourselves and responded with the most resounding effort many had ever mustered. As a group we bonded, picked each other up when we struggled and relished in each other's success. We certainly lived our motto, "quit ye like men be strong"