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The Children's Trust February 2005 Trek to Kilimanjaro |
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Role Call | 24 intrepid trekkers from England (at the earliest time imaginable) set off to conquer the roof of Africa, Mt Kilimanjaro. | ||
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Mandara Hut, Saturday, 19th February | The day starts in glorious early morning African sunshine and a briefing at the hotel before the transfer to Marangu Park Gate (1,970 meters). The trek is now on for real after ages doing paperwork and up the trail we go, weaving through dense rain forest, filled with monkeys, after 5 hours we reach Mandara Hut at (2,700 meters) | ||
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Horombo Hut, Sunday, 20th February | We trekked uphill to Horombo hut (3,720 meters) where the vegetation changes from rain forest to rugged alpine terrain. In the distance the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi loom ever closer. The sun beats down relentlessly as there is not a cloud in site and sun burn is rife in the team. | ||
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Zebra Rock, Monday, 21st February | To help deal with altitude sickness which was beginning at this altitude we spend a day walking up to Zebra Rock (4,000 meters) and then back down to Horombo huts to rest and acclimatise, and patch up the sun burn! | ||
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Kibo Hut, Tuesday, 22nd February | The sun is really begging to hurt as well as our lungs as we climb ever higher, past the Saddle & Last Water and into the "desert zone" and finally to Kibo hut (4750 meters). Altitude sickness becomes a stark reality as one of our team gets rushed back to Horombo on a stretcher and two others require an IV drip to deal with de-hydration and exhaustion. | ||
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Acclimatisation, Wednesday, 23rd February | From Kibo Hut we walk about half way up the slope of the Kilimanjaro crater which is getting steeper and steeper and the air thinner and thinner, there is a nervous anticipation in the air as we wait for our midnight walk, very early to bed as we are awoken again at 10:30 pm ....... | ||
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Summit Day, Thursday, 24th February | By popular consensus the walk from Kibo Hut to Gilman's Point (5,685 meters), and for some up to Uhuru Peak (5,895 meters), was the hardest thing ever, worse than marathons or having babies! The altitude brought the pace to a crawl, literally at times, with ever more frequent rest stops, even after just a few paces. Lets just say reaching the top was an emotional moment ........ | ||
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Bath & Beer!. Friday, 25th February | Its amazing how fast you can walk when it's downhill and there is oxygen to breath! Horombo Hut back down to the park gate at Marangu in one day. Then off to the hotel for a long overdue scrub up ..... and beer! | ||
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Arusha Safari, Saturday 26th February | After the trials and tribulations of climbing Kilimanjaro, sitting in the back of a Land Cruiser all day looking at the fantastic wildlife was so relaxing! .... but maybe not for the few people had monster hangovers. | ||
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Arusha, Sunday 27th February | From a travellers perspective Arusha is the crossroads between safaris & treks to Kilimanjaro. Arusha itself is no tourist Mecca and we stayed two nights as we had to. Sunday's in Arusha ..... bring a good book, a big one. | ||
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Zanzibar, Monday 28th & Tuesday 1st March | What can I say? With an air-conditioned beach hut with hot running water, proper sit down loo, 30 seconds from the sea and only 15 from the bar this place is heaven ..... and scuba diving was a first for me and absolutely fantastic! | ||
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Stone Town, Zanzibar, Wednesday 2nd & Thursday 3rd March | How hot? I have never been this hot in my life, somewhere between 35 -40 'C and Emma nearly fainted! What wonderful architecture and a total melting pot of African, Arabian, Indian and European cultures. Fascinating. ....... more info on Stone Town | ||
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Ngorongoro, Friday 4th March | The Ngorongoro crater is the largest unbroken caldera in the world. The crater (610 metres deep and 260 km squared) is a microcosm of East African scenery and game. Scenic grandeur and stunning views are the hallmark of this wonder of the world. There are 25,000 larger animals within the crater itself, mostly Zebra and wildebeest. However, this is undoubtedly the best place to see black rhino in Tanzania as well as prides of lion that include the magnificent black-maned males. There are lots of colourful flamingoes and a variety of other water birds around the soda lake on the crater floor. More than a 100 species of bird not found in the Serengeti have been found in the crater. Other game: leopard, cheetah, hyena, elephants, warthog, impala, buffalo, hartebeest, eland and lots of other members of the antelope family and smaller mammals of sorts. | ||
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Ngorongoro, Saturday 5th March | |||
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