Everyone is back at the Dik Dik hotel safe and sound! It was a whirlwind past few days on Kilimanjaro as we went from 15,200 feet up to 19,340 and all the way out in just over 24 hours. The team did really well and the weather was good, even though we got rained on a bit after the summit.
The weather for our climb was amazing and we all had great conditions on the summit. We started just after midnight under a partly cloudy sky. It was a windless night and that kept the temps from dropping to extreme lows. That said we did climb to over 18,000 feet before the sun came up so staying warm required us to be vigilant with our gear. Everyone kept their focus though and we all made it up. We summitted in a big wave spread out over about 45 min which was really cool for me as I got to spend a lot of time on top.
After returning from high camp we resisted the urge to relax too much as we still had a decent hike down to our last camp. As we snacked on french toast the clouds came up and we started to get some light rain. The rain picked up as we hiked down to Mweka camp and that added some challenge to the day but our excellent staff had dry tents and hot tea waiting for us. After dinner we dropped onto our sleeping pads for a well deserved rest.
This morning we woke up to more cloud cover. After another excellent meal we had a wrap up celebration with our mountain staff. The guys from the Dik Dik do an amazing job and we all wanted to make sure that they know we greatly appreciate the hard work. Then we hit the trail. A few hours of hiking was nothing for this crew and before we know it we were down at the gate.
We will have dinner in a couple of hours and toast to the great times we had on Kilimanjaro! Tomorrow it's safari time!!!
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
Today the trail became steeper on Kilimanjaro and rockier as we left the Giant Heather Zone. The team did a great job as the terrain got rockier. We even climbed some large rock bands testing our solid footwork on the slippery rocks.
We now are in the Moorland consisting of unique grasses and beautiful wild flowers unique to East Africa including Lobelias and Senecios.
After climbing a wide ridge we gained the broad and sloping Shira Plateau. It was a terrific day and we would love to include photos but the heavy mist kept the distant views out of sight. However, now at Shira Camp (12,200') we are hoping it clears offering our first view of the upper stretches of Kilimanjaro.
RMI Guide JJ Justman
Dear Nat, John and Dave, looks like things are going well!!!! So happy for you all to be sharing this experience. Can’t wait to hear all the stories. Happy trails. Beth,Bill,Rachel,Lauren&Maria; :)
Posted by: Mastros on 8/1/2013 at 9:49 am
Way to go Samantha!! So very proud of you and Team Junell! A couple more days and you will be at the Summit and it will all be worth it. Enjoy yourselves and have fun. Lots of Love!
Today we traveled to the entrance of the Kilimanjaro National Park at the Machame Gate. We registered as a team and began climbing up from 5,900 feet.
We left the Cultivation Zone, where bananas and coffee plants grow and we made our way through the Forest Zone. It's lush rainforest made a beautiful day walking in the cool mist.
We kept our eyes out for the occasional Colobus monkeys in the canopy above but we only heard their screeching love songs.
Approaching camp at 9,800 feet, we entered the Giant Heather of the Heather and Mooreland Zone. Some of the heather grows over 30 feet tall. We are now sitting in our dining tent eating popcorn, drinking tea and relaxing.
RMI Guide JJ Justman
July 30, 2013 at 9:35 a.m. PST
Hi, this is Seth checking in from Mweka Camp. The summit was great today and I'll be emailing a pic out as soon as we get back to the hotel tomorrow. Everyone is tucked into their tents now listening to the pitter-patter of rain. We're hoping the morning brings some sunshine!
July 29, 2013 at 9:34 p.m. PST
Hey, this is Seth calling from Uhuru Peak, tallest point on Kilimanjaro, highest in Africa at 19,340'. The whole team made it, at least to Stella Point. We had a beautiful day with a few high clouds but zero wind for the whole climb and everyone did very well. We are going to take a few minutes, take some photos with the big sign and then head on back down. Tonight we will be dropping all the way down to 10,000 feet, which will feel great for us. Summit of Kilimanjaro for our team!
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall calls from the summit of Kilimanjaro!
Things are getting pretty darn exciting here. Our team is packed and ready to go! Everyone had a casual morning catching up on some well-deserved sleep.
After a hearty breakfast and for me...one too many cups of coffee, we packed our personal gear in two categories. One, we arranged our mountain duffels, which will be carried by our team of porters. This duffel holds all the items we don't need until we get to camp. And two, we packed our day packs we will carry on our backs as we trek. It's nice to have a lighter pack full of water and a few clothing items. Hey! Don't judge. It's just the way we do things on Kilimanjaro. And believe me, we put the luxury, in luxury travel.
We are super excited to hit the trails and enjoy the beauty of Kilimanjaro. For now it's another great gourmet meal at the lodge.
RMI Guide JJ Justman
Seth checking in from Barafu Camp, high camp on Kilimanjaro. We've had exceptional weather today and we hope it continues for the next 24 hours. We'll be getting up in the middle of the night for our summit bid!!!
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
Hi RMI family. Our Kilimanjaro team has landed in Tanzania. It is always a long day flying so we have settled into our luxurious hotel. On the agenda is having a great meal, resting and relaxing. Stay tuned for more...
RMI Guide JJ Justman
This is Seth checking in from the top of the Barranco Wall. We've been climbing in a cloud all morning which has kept the temperatures nice and comfortable. The team is doing well and we're all looking forward to spending the afternoon at our next camp, Karanga Valley.
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
Mark Tucker checking in. We are presently located at the airport, Kilimanjaro International. Great views of the mountain on the way here. We spent a few hours on the road today. Got through Tarangire one last time, saw many animals as expected. Had a lovely snack at the fabulous Dik Dik Resort, hot showers, and everybody is good to go. We are winging our way back home. Looking forward to seeing everybody in the states. Thanks for following the trip.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
We're at Shira Plateau Camp! We had another great day on the trail and everyone is adjusting to mountain life. We got up with the sun and had a great breakfast. Fruit and eggs and of course the wonderful bread from the Dik Dik is a great way to start a day.
Unfortunately for us though one of our team had to head home due to a work emergency. We'll miss him sorely and feel bad that he had to leave the trip.
After our goodbyes we hit the trail for a 4 hour and 45 minute hike to camp. The weather was mostly cloudy which meant we were inside the clouds all day. That is until we hit the top of the Shira Plateau where we moved out of the cloud deck. Once we topped out we were greeted with an amazing view of the summit. It's still a long way off but tomorrow we'll get right up under it!
A message from team member Gayle: She wanted to say hi to her Mom.
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
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Dear Nat, John and Dave, looks like things are going well!!!! So happy for you all to be sharing this experience. Can’t wait to hear all the stories. Happy trails. Beth,Bill,Rachel,Lauren&Maria; :)
Posted by: Mastros on 8/1/2013 at 9:49 am
Way to go Samantha!! So very proud of you and Team Junell! A couple more days and you will be at the Summit and it will all be worth it. Enjoy yourselves and have fun. Lots of Love!
Posted by: Beverly Jones on 8/1/2013 at 9:47 am
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