Entries from Kilimanjaro
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Well known for its river valleys, wetlands, gently rolling hills, rocky outcrops, acacia woodlands, and numerous baobabs (the upside down tree). We are here at the Tarangire National Park which is one of my favorites. Perfect conditions weather wise during the game drive today. Wide open spaces and views to behold. Here we are at the Kikoti Luxury tent camp for the night after a great game drive through the park. I was just escorted to my tent by a man with a Rifle and another with a spear. Not uncommon for night movement while living in the bush.
Sure hope I survive the night so I can report in tomorrow.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
Well, we just pulled into Machame Camp, elevation 9,900'. It was a beautiful day here with plenty of sunshine. We climbed through the cloud forest today, although there were some muddy sections we did not get rained on at all. The temperatures were pleasant all day. Our camp is situated right where the forest gives way to the giant heather and it is a beautiful spot for sure. Once we move into our tents we'll have a little tea before dinner and a relatively early bed time. That's it for now.
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall and Team
On The Map
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
The day went like clockwork. We had a great breakfast and then hopped in our vehicles for a short drive to the entrance of the Ngorongoro National Park. The day was cloudy and cool to start, but by the time we descended some two thousand feet, to floor of the largest unbroken and unflooded caldera in the world, the sun was a shining. I would guess that we only saw about 20% of the 30,000 animals that live in the crater. On our way back to the amazing Plantation Lodge for another night we stopped into a Masai Village for a tour and some special shopping options. Tomorrow brings us to the home of more elephants per square mile than anywhere else in the world, Tarangire National Park. Somebody has to do it, wish you were here.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
Posted by: Seth Waterfall
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Well, today was our first full day as a team. We met up for breakfast at 9 a.m. and then launched into a good meet-and-greet and a big download of info about our climb. It seems like everyone will be getting along famously and that's always a good sign.
After our team meeting we reviewed the gear needed for the climb and how to pack it all up. Then it was lunch time. The staff here at the Dik Dik has been treating very well and the food is amazing. Lunch today was three courses, dinner was five! We're all carbo-loading for the trek and everyone is psyched to hit the trail tomorrow!
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Mark Tucker checking in. All is going as planned. Gotta love it. Had a very nice sleep in a bed with a big, cozy down blanket last night. Tough to miss the tent time high up the hill, but, suffer we must. Another great breakfast for the team. Our safari Landcruisers were readied last night so all we needed was a quick gear adjustment. We left most of our stuff back at the Dik Dik where we will stop by en route to our international flights in a few nights. On the way here to the fabulous Lake Manyara National Park, we stopped at a shop for a few snacks and had a fabulous time. We are located at the base of the Eastern Great Rift Escarpment where we saw all sorts of animals: giraffes, baboon, [lost connection] and birds. We are now at the Plantation Lodge for two nights. Tomorrow we travel to the eighth wonder of the world, the Ngorongoro Crater.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
RMI Guide Mark Tucker calls in from Day 1 of their Safari.
Posted by: Seth Waterfall
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Greetings from the Dik Dik Hotel. Everyone has made it to Tanzania safe and sound. All of our baggage has arrived as well! We've just finished a light supper and tomorrow we kick off our trip with our first full team meeting at breakfast. So far so good.
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
We were up early, slammed a quick breakfast then had a fun gathering of local staff and rewarded all of them with financial bonuses.This crew took great care of us while on the mountain, it felt really good to show our appreciation. A few hour descent to the park gate, a couple hour drive time watching the daily routine out the window of our monster truck and here we are. Back to hot showers and clean clothes. We just finished a dinner of fondue and topped it off with a bunch of summit certificates handed out to a group of well-deserving mountain climbers.
More excitement ahead as we repack for the game viewing safari we start tomorrow. A great trip just keeps getting better.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
RMI Guide Mark Tucker checking in from the final camp: down here at the Mweka Camp, 10,000 ft on Kilimanjaro. It’s all tall, giant heather; it’s beautiful. It looks like a fabulous night for a summit climb but that’s exactly what we will not be doing. It’s a done deal.
We will enjoy our last night on this beautiful mountain. Tomorrow we head to the trail head.
On The Map
Great achievement for all specially for those that live at sea level
Posted by: Alberto Sr. on 7/22/2013 at 5:41 am
Hey I agree with Ana! You guys rock!!! Especially the Mexican guy! Hahaha
Posted by: Jasmin on 7/22/2013 at 2:23 am
Saturday, July 20, 2013 - 9:20 p.m. PT
RMI Guide Mark Tucker checking in, I guess they call it Uhuru Peak, the tallest point in Africa. Here we are!
Pretty good conditions. The team did fantastic. I am happy to report 100% on top! Yes, everyone is doing well. A few beautiful clouds above Mt. Kilimanjaro and clouds below, a beautiful sunrise. We are having a gas, everyone is doing well. A couple more photos and we are going to start the descent. We are going to head down into the rain forest. That will be the goal.
Thanks for everybody’s support back home. We will check in again soon.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker calls from the summit of Kilimanjaro (19,340 ft) with 100% of the team.
On The Map
Mark Tucker checking in from Barafu Camp. We are at the lower camp at about 15,000’ just under the southeast edge of the Kilimanjaro Summit. We have the jungle below and the top of the mountain above and a team that is rip-roaring and ready!
We put on a couple of miles today from the Karanga camp. The upper mountain is a bleak zone, but quite beautiful in its own way. We’re going to have a quick dinner and crawl into the tents for about five hours of rest to get us ready for an early a.m. departure. I am happy to report that we are 100% go power with this team. Everybody is getting pretty excited and doing really well. A couple of minor headaches but the overall health and well-being is very very good. We are ready the weather is cooperating we had to puffy clouds in the afternoon not unusual. Last night was beautiful so we are keeping our fingers crossed that we have one of the same. We have a pretty bright moon illuminating our trip so we are in pretty good shape.
Talk to you later,
RMI Guide Mark Tucker & Team
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Mark Tucker Checking in from Barafu Camp
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Go get ‘em Don and Kathy! So jealous, God speed, and may you have a perfect summit!
Posted by: Daniel on 7/26/2013 at 9:43 pm
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