Success! I made it to the Roof of Africa! Climb Kilimanjaro with Rachel: Post 5

The trek was such an incredible experience… It’s difficult to put it into words, but I think the term journey describes it best. Each day was unique, with ever-changing views, climate zones, different terrain and difficulty, and, of course, the altitude made things even more interesting.

The Western Approach Route provided the most gorgeous views, from dense rainforest with Colobus monkeys and the rolling grasslands of the Shira Plateau, to the barren, moon-like landscapes of the alpine desert and the glaciers near the summit. My favorite site on the mountain was definitely Crater Camp. It felt so remote and untouched, and I could literally walk out of my tent, cross the soft black sands and touch a glacier… I’ve never been anywhere like that before!

But there is no way our group would have made it to the summit without our extraordinary team of guides, porters, and camp crew. I was blown away by all the support we received from them… our guides kept us on schedule and performed daily medical checks; our chef kept us well-fed with the most amazing meals (pumpkin soup, grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches, lasagna, etc); and our porters picked out the best camps sites, set up our tents (directly in front of Lava Tower and with views of Mawenzi from Barafu), helped carry our bags, and even welcomed us into camp with a song. You could tell they were proud to work for Thomson and that they loved their new all-weather climbing uniforms (the only ones on the mountain).

Looking back, picking the longer route and properly training were two of the best decisions I made. Even on this longer climb the altitude made simple things so much more difficult (like getting out of breath while packing your sleeping bag away or even the slower hiking pace), so at least being in good shape meant that I could focus on getting to the summit and enjoying the journey along the way!

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After the climb, I celebrated my summit success with a spectacular wildlife safari to Tarangire, the Ngorongoro Crater, and the Serengeti, staying in our Nyumba campsites and the beautiful Gibb’s Farm. As with the trek, the guides, camp crew and food were fabulous, and I was completely stunned with just how much wildlife I saw… elephants, lions, wildebeest, zebra, flamingo, buffalo, hippo, ostrich, etc. I got to see the sunrise over the Serengeti from the hot air balloon, and even I walked up to a group of giraffe at Ndarakwai Ranch – how cool is that??

The list goes on and on, and there’s so much more I could say about my trip! I’d love to share more of my experience with you, answer your questions, and help you plan your own once-in-a-lifetime journey, so do feel free email me or call 800-235-0289.
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Post 4: Kilimanjaro Packing Tips

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