Acclimatised and ready to go over the top.

Day 8

The Lava Tower at 4600m is a spectacular free-standing rock formation. It is a fine destination for acclimatisation. We walked up there for a full cooked lunch in the mess tent. Even the toilet was taken up, much to the delight of the females in our team.  At this stage we met up with the Machame route and lots of other climbers.

Innocent's folded napkins complimenting Clare's Earth Sea Sky kit.

 Then we left the crowds and deviated around to the north, reaching Moir Hut in the early afternoon. The landscape turned increasingly lunar.

Day 9

Moir Hut to Buffalo Camp.  

The rough path followed the 4000m contour around to the north side of the mountain.  We saw no buffalo, but their huge footprints showed they were somewhere close.  Also antelope footprints.  The local name for the antelope is Dik Dik. Apparently, they are “very tasty”!

We scrambled over walls of lava and crept through creepy misty canyons.

Nicky connected to Vodafone Kenya at camp and got updates on the Football World Cup. The lights of villages in Amboseli, Kenya, lit up the view after sundown. Kili’s bulk loomed high above us.

Day 10

At sunrise we looked down on a sea of fluffy white cloud. Continuing along the 4000m contour took us to Cave 3 camp, complete with cave under an outcrop of lava. The afternoon was spent playing cards.  Our waiter, named “Innocent”, proved an expert at Uno.

Godfrey, chief porter, and Willium, chef, in the cook tent.

Every morning and night we were subjected to health checks by the guides. Questions on how well we were sleeping, eating and if we had headaches. Oxygen saturation levels were taken with a pulse oximeter. At this stage we were all going well.

The landscape was barren, with sharp lava ridges and sparse vegetation. The sharp peaks of Mwenzi 5300m to the east. I found a single bright red flower in a niche in the rock.

Day 11.

After three days on the north side we climbed high around the east side of Kili. Gaining valuable altitude and all feeling well-acclimatised. Buffalo prints led the way across the “saddle” between Mewenzi and Kili. We had entered the “Alpine desert” zone where virtually nothing grows.

Our destination, Kibo Hut Camp, was crowded, dusty, dirty, cold and windy. Derelict and half-built buildings, blowing rubbish gave the wild outpost a feeling of disappointing neglect.

Arriving at Kibo Hut camp, Mt Mwenzi in the distance.

But the camp manager, “Beatus”, found a sheltered camp spot down and away from the throng of climbers. Our climbing route on Kili was now visible. We would leave that night at 11pm.  The rest of the day was spent in the tent, resting and preparing. 3.6 litres of drink, new head torch batteries, many layers of warm clothes, snacks, micro-spikes.  Our packs were at their heaviest.

Summit dinner prepared by Willium.

We tried to sleep after dinner but after just dozing got out of bed at 10pm for a late supper/early breakfast.