Day one on Kilimanjaro!  We left the comfort of Rivertrees Inn at 8 AM under cloudy skies.  The bus ride to the Machame Gate of Kilimanjaro National Park took about two hours.  It then took us fully ninety minutes to jump through the administrative hoops of completing the permitting process and getting admitted to the park. But then we were off.  Twelve climbers and fifty one local staff.  We were still under cloud cover and then sometimes in the clouds, but it never actually rained as we worked steadily uphill in the rainforest.  The team made it up 4000 vertical feet to 10K in 5 hrs and twenty minutes. All were happy to come into a fully built camp and to take tea and dinner in a spacious dining tent. Tomorrow is another big day, perhaps we’ll even get to see the mountain.

- RMI Guide Dave Hahn & Team

As promised, we got to work today, packing and prepping for Mount Kilimanjaro.  After a great breakfast at Rivertrees Inn, sitting outside under cloudy skies, our team of 12 got to know each other a little while we discussed the climb and how to get ready for it.  Next came a gear check to ensure that climbers weren’t bringing either too much or too little on our week-long expedition.  Folks then used the afternoon to get packs and duffels ready. 

We enjoyed a great dinner together, received the last missing bits of luggage from the airlines and then turned in, ready to get on the bus tomorrow and get walking. 

Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
 

Our Kilimanjaro climb began taking shape today. The entire twelve person team assembled -as scheduled- in Usa River, Tanzania at the Rivertrees Inn. Not all of the luggage followed the team to the assembly point, but we’re optimistic for tomorrow. Tomorrow is when we’ll get serious about planning and packing for the mountain, tonight it was enough to get together in one place. First priority now is sleep after the gargantuan transcontinental flights that got us here. 

Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn