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Adventure
to Mount Kilimanjaro
On
Thanksgiving Day of 2000, I successfully summitted
Kilimanjaro, the highest
peak in Africa |
Kilimanjaro
National Park in Tanzania features three peaks. The highest
of which is Mt. Kibo reaching 19,340 feet above sea level.
My name is Kevin O'Malley and my friends at Sonoma Outfitters
have asked me to write about my summit experience. What
follows is an account of my trip that will hopefully answer
any questions you may have about this adventure and encourage
others to experience this incredible climb. |
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| On the 18th of November I arrived at Kilimanjaro International
Airport via Air Tanzania from Johannesburg, South Africa.
The most recognized airline servicing this destination
is KLM, the Dutch carrier. Tribe Safari Adventure Travel
had arranged for me to be met by a representative of The
Springlands Motel upon clearing customs. A forty minute
drive from the airport and I am at the Springlands Hotel
in Moshi. From the road, I was fortunate enough to view
the summit of Kibo which is normally enshrouded by clouds
in the afternoon. The grandeur of Kilimanjaro is overwhelmed
only by the poverty of Moshi. Make no mistake. This is
the third world. The Springlands Hotel offers a welcome
sanctuary to any traveler. All creature comforts are available
here, but it falls short of a Holiday Inn for example.
The crickets in your room and shower are no extra charge.
Rates are negotiable as are most things in Africa. My
tour is a package and I am relieved of this ritual bargaining.
Be advised that communication with the outside world can
get expensive here with calls to the United States and
Canada costing $10 US per minute! Internet access is available
in downtown Moshi for about $5 US per half hour. The food
is okay but without flare. This is eating, not dining
as we know it in Sonoma County. A typical meal is chicken
and steamed rice with vegetables. Some kind of soup served
at the front end of the meal. Perhaps lamb or beef kabobs
on another night. I recommend the chili sauce for flavor. |
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The
next morning I am taken to the park headquarters where my guide and porters arrange the permits and gear
and we are underway! Depending on the route selected for
your climb, the amount of food, gear, and supplies can
greatly effect the cost of your trip. Because of the afternoon
thundershowers associated with November and December,
I have selected the Marangu route which provides for hutted
accommodation each night. Although the Machame route is
reported to be more picturesque, the thought of being
tentbound without the opportunity to dry out body and
gear at the end of each day reinforces my decision to
go the Marangu route. Keep in mind that should you select
another route, more porters are made necessary to carry
firewood, tents, and more cooking gear. This, most assuredly,
will increase the cost of your trip. This was a solo trip
for me which meant paying the single supplement, and taking
the full hit on transfers and customary tips for porters
and guides. Still the cost was less than one thousand
USD including airfare from Johannesburg.
I highly recommend researching via the web and booking
directly as this will save you vast amounts of money.
More on this later. The Marangu route is the most traveled
route within the park and has been given the nickname
"the coca-cola route". Yes, you can purchase cokes , bottled
water, and even beers at each encampment. But make no
mistake about it-this route is not easy! One outfitter
claims it is a tougher route because you spend more time
at the rim of the volcano above eighteen thousand feet
than via the other routes which dart you the summit and
back down again, thereby decreasing chances of AMS (acute
mountain sickness). I found the Marangu to be wonderfully
international with climbers from all over the world adding
to the flavor of this experience.
The huts are quite spartan by most standards. They are
equipped with solar powered lights that work most of the
time. The solar power is only for lights however and charging
batteries for video cameras or otherwise plugging in is
not an option. They can accommodate groups of four, six,
and twelve people. The odds of an empty bunk next to you
are greater during the rainy season of May. The bathrooms
are quite frankly deplorable. "Long drop toilets" are
what most people refer to them as. BRING YOUR OWN TOILET
PAPER!!!! It is not provided nor guaranteed to be there. |
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The
hike begins through amazing jungle rain forests starting
at 6,400ft.
Monkeys play amongst themselves until they notice you
have stopped for lunch. Then they attempt to entertain
you in exchange for a tidbit. Although pumped with adrenaline
upon being underway, guides insist that clients walk very
slowly. A pace which is uncomfortably slow but allows
for acclimation while hiking. Porters put clients to shame
while carrying loads of food and water and ascending in
flip flops, as clients begin to pant at this altitude.
The hike to the Mandara Huts takes about three and a half
hours. One needn't hurry here. Enjoy the jungle. In poor
weather its canopy can provide shelter from light rains.
The Mandara Huts are located at 9,000 ft. Maundi Crater
is a nice afternoon hike that takes an hour round trip
and adheres to the "climb high-sleep low" philosophy.
A deck of cards should be considered standard equipment
. Otherwise dinner and conversation are about all there
is to do in the evening. Save your batteries for headlamps
and flashlights. They are not available for purchase here.
The next day begins with warm water being brought to your
hut by one of your porters. Being able to wash ones face
with warm water each day is a welcome way to wake up in
this environment. Breakfast of eggs and toast with fruit,
coffee, tea, and juice from a box will fuel you through
the five plus hours of hiking to the Horombo Huts. Lunch
of hard boiled egg and cookies with a banana or piece
of pineapple is served along the way but breakfast is
the key. Load up. As Horombo is located at 12,336 ft.,
stopping for lunch can get a little chilly. Additionally,
the cover of the rain forest is left within an hour of
exiting Mandara leaving hikers more exposed to the elements.
At this stage, the first of many people suffering from
AMS begin to turn back. The fatigue and altitude result
in headaches and nausea that some individuals cannot contend
with. A sobering reminder for even the most confident…There
is another 7,000 ft. to go.
I elected to take an extra day for acclimation in my tour
package. The next day would be spent hiking to the Mawenzi
Hut (14,900 ft.) at the foot of Mt. Mawenzi (17,564 ft.).
Again adhering to the "climb high, sleep low" Philosophy.
Although this added a bit of cost to my tour, it increases
ones chances of summitting Mt. Kibo from one in seven
to one in four. Money well spent in my opinion. Of the
forty or so people hoping to reach Mawenzi Hut, my guide
and I are the only ones to make it. An Austrian woman
makes it within forty minutes of the hut but turns back
in the freezing rain. Psychologically this achievement
proved to be very important to me when I began suffering
from AMS. |
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The
Kibo hut is a singular building that can accommodate sixty
climbers in five rooms that sleep twelve.
Porters and guides have separate accommodation. Above
fifteen thousand feet, everybody feels the thin air. Although
quite cold it is important to sleep with a window open
to allow for fresh air. With twelve people breathing the
already thin air, it becomes quickly evident that this
is necessary. A competent guide will make this sUGGestion.
Dinner is served at five p.m. and climbers arrange their
gear for the early morning start. This time can be quite
chaotic in the room and proves to be quite crucial later.
At eleven p.m. my guide awakens me and I now have a headache
that could stop a truck! Before leaving my sleeping bag
I am already questioning my ability to continue. But I
am not alone in my misery and find that with my gear all
ready to go, I must get suited up and try. A cup of tea
and moving about a bit helps but I am still suffering
from this headache of indescribable magnitude.
I had reviewed my clothing the night before with my guide.
I am wearing my Salomon boots, two pair of Wigwam socks
(synthetic then wool), Patagonia silkweight capilene underwear,
Marmot power stretch fleece pants and a Nike ACG Goretex
pant. Upstairs I am wearing Patagonia medium weight capilene,
Mountain Hardwear micro fleece (longsleeves), Mountain
Hardware Gore windstopper Jacket , and for a shell, the
Marmot Alpinist lightweight Goretex Parka. Multi layer
Combi gloves for my hands. Important accessories include
my Petzl headlamp, and Leki hiking poles (I could not
have summitted without them). The wind is blowing lightly
and the sky is clear. The temperature is well below freezing.
The conditions were superb.
Reaching the rim of the volcano from here is nothing short
of grueling. Gilman's Point is located at 18,650 ft. Though
not the true summit, many people who reach this place
turn back at this point. The views are indeed spectacular
as the sun is rising over Kenya, Tanzania, and Mt. Mawenzi
to the East. To the West, one can look down into the cavity
of Mt. Kibo, but this is not the mouth of the Volcano.
The last half hour before Gilman's is the true test. It
was the most difficult non-technical ascent I have ever
done. This is due primarily to altitude and fatigue. Climbing
out of Kibo Hut to Gilman's point is similar to Mt. Shasta's
Avalanche Gulch, but it begins over 5,000 feet higher
than The Gulch. Its beginning is even higher than the
summit of Shasta! Even the guides are suffering some degree
of AMS at this point. I vomit and doubt my ability to
continue believing that I'd had enough; my guide assures
me that I am fit and able to continue. The true summit
is only 90 minutes away. |
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The
ascent is much easier having reached the rim of the Volcano. Things flatten out for the most part although there are
some rolling areas that will slow even the heartiest of
climbers at this altitude. Upon reaching the summit known
as Uhuru (meaning "freedom") Peak at 19,340ft., I am overwhelmed.
Gratitude and achievement make this the most unforgettable
Thanksgiving Day of my life. The wind is not blowing and
the sun shines brightly. Sunscreen and lip balm are vital
here. The time is 7:30 am. I stand with my guide atop
the highest peak in Africa. For thirty minutes the summit
is ours. Some have already come and gone. Nine of the
twelve in our room have summitted. But less than half
of the sixty who set out for the summit from Kibo Hut
have made it to sign the register here.
My headache is pounding and with each breath I am losing
moisture from my body. It is time for me to get down.
It takes only thirty minutes to reach Gilman's Point where
I must stop and try to eat something. I force down a Clif
bar hoping not to see it again soon. I drink some water
and begin the descent down the thawed volcanic earth.
While frozen this morning it provided excellent footing.
Now it is soft like snow and a giant stride and slide
technique gets one down rapidly. It is vaguely similar
to a telemark skiing motion. One must have gaiters on
at this point to keep the fine volcanic stones from getting
in your boots.
It takes about two hours or so to reach the Kibo hut for
a much needed rest and rehydration. Though I try, I am
unable to sleep. After packing up my gear for the descent
to Horombo , I find an American couple that I had met
previously who will be attempting a summit bid that night.
While exchanging information a Japanese climber offers
a device that will instantly measure my blood oxygen saturation
and heart rate. While normal O2 saturation is 99% and
below 90% is alarming to any physician, I find my saturation
level to be an astonishing 74-76%. My heart rate is 126
bpm while simply conversing here at 15,550 ft. in order
to deliver O2 to my body. I now know why I could not sleep!
I inform my guide that I will begin my descent immediately!
We are both exhausted and silent during the two and a
half hour walk down to Horombo. My headache does not and
will not go away until the following morning. To my great
relief, my heart rate has slowed enough for me to sleep
for a couple of hours upon reaching the Horombo Huts.
My new friends and I enjoy a special dinner this night.
Though only two of us are Americans, I ask my cook if
there is any poultry available for a Thanksgiving Dinner.
He goes the extra mile and mashes the potatoes and manages
to create some gravy. We enjoy a plum jam instead of cranberry
sauce. My point here is that the cooks and guides are
willing to accommodate as best they can in these conditions.
I am grateful and this reflected in my gratuity for him. |
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The
next day we rise early and have breakfast before beginning
the descent into the jungle and ultimately back to the
park headquarters.
There we are issued the gold bordered
certificates signed by our guides and park warden. Those
people who reach the rim of the volcano receive a certificate
with a green border. Gratuities are given to my team at
this time. This was a major topic of discussion among
the climbers. "What is an appropriate tip for my guide,
cook, and porter?" I was deeply grateful to my guide and
cook. I gave my guide $60 US and a spare pair of Smith
sunglasses. My cook received $35US and a digital watch
that I used only for its alarm. My porter received $25
US and a hooded sweatshirt. The other climbers thought
I was far too generous ; I was the only one that they
were working for- however compared to multiple people
tipping the same guide. But I was extremely grateful to
my team and I can recommend the services of my outfitter
without hesitation.
The entire distance traveled on foot over the past six
days was just over 61 miles, and I ascended almost 12,000
vertical feet. A shower and shave was what I needed more
than anything else. A wonderful dinner that night at the
Springlands Hotel after a swim and a nap. My new friends
and I rejoiced and reviewed our trip from beginning to
end. Saying 'goodbye' the next day was difficult as we
knew our adventure had come to a close. I am left with
fantastic memories of the sun rising over the eastern
plains of Africa. Memories of new friends and shared accomplishments.
A new understanding of myself, my capabilities and my
limitations. And for the rest of my life, I'll close my
eyes on Thanksgiving Day and for just a precious moment
return to the summit of Kilimanjaro.
This is a totally achievable adventure for mountaineers
and recreational hikers alike. Though fitness is important,
it is not paramount. I was not nearly the most fit person
on the mountain. There were successful summiteers in their
sixties. An individuals ability to cope with high altitude
conditions physically and mentally is most important.
The ability to continue on in spite of discomfort and
fatigue, in a word "perseverance" is most important. I
would encourage anybody interested in this adventure to
do so. Along the way, you can visit nearby wonders such
as the Serengeti, and Ngorngoro Crater. Safari companies
are prolific here. The nearby spice island of Zanzibar
off the coast of Tanzania is an amazing place rich in
culture and history. And a wonderful place to thaw out
after being on the glaciated volcano. The dollar is strong
and travel here is quite affordable.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact
me at omalleykevin@hotmail.com I would be happy to answer
any questions you may have about this amazing adventure.
I would very much encourage people to contact my friends
at Tribe Safari Adventure Travel on the web at www.tribesafari.com I highly recommend them without hesitation for planning
any African adventure.
Good Luck.
Best wishes in 2001!
Kevin |
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