Day 6-8: Trekking Day 4-6 Shira 2 camp to Barranco Hut to Barafu Camp

Day 4: SHIRA TWO CAMP to BARRANCO HUT (12,956 ft.)
Hike time: 5 hrs,
Elevation change: + 100m
Estimated distance: 6km
Final elevation: 3950m

"Today is the last of the “easy days”. It is about a 7-hour hike. We pass the Lava Tower, around the southern flank of Kibo, and slowly descend into the spectacular Barranco Valley, interspersed with giant lobelia and senecia plants. After arriving at our most spectacular campsite, everyonestands in awe at the foot of Kibo Peak, looming high above, on our left.Our camp is only 465 feet higher than where we were last night, but during the day, we will have climbed to just over 14,000 feet. This is one of our most valuable days for acclimatization."

Beautiful Morning. 

Mt Meru on the right.

Start of Day 4 Trek

Porters.

These folks packed everything after we left the camp, and overtook us (as we were much slower) to set up the tent at the next campsite.

Beautiful highland Desert

A trekker who died in Kilimanjaro.

A reminder of the risks of trekking in high altitude.

"Pole Pole"

Slow Slow in Swahili

Lava Tower (4600m) at the far end.

We are small and insignificant.

White-necked ravens

Summit of Kilimanjaro

Highland Dessert.

Descending from Lava Tower.

Love the trek & the view.

It was freezing.

Lava Tower at the back

Descending further.

Around this point, AMS hit hard on SM who vomitted a few times.

Dendrosenecio

"Dendrosenecio is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Asteraceae. It is a segregate of Senecio,^[1] in which it formed thesubgenus Dendrosenecio.^[1] Its members, the giant groundsels, are endemic to the higher altitude zones of ten mountain groups in equatorial East Africa,^[3] where they form a conspicuous element of the flora."

More Dendrosenecio

Beautiful

We arrived the camp quite early and I managed to wash my hair, which is a luxury.

Day 4 evening, the morale in the camp was quite low. AMS has affected quite a number of us - I could feel the pain and struggle on the face of my friends. It wasn't a good feeling. Ivan was asking about the evacuation plan - preparing for worst case scenario.

My resting heartbeat was 100/minute (my avg resting heartbeat at sea level was around 55-60/min)

Day 5: BARRANCO HUT TO KARANGA VALLEY (13,743 ft.)
Hike time: 3.5 hrs, Elevation
change: +240m (787 ft);
Estimated distance: 4km,
Maximum elevation: 4190m,
Final elevation: 4000m

"On the eastern side of the valley, across the stream is the Barranco Wall-a 950ft. barrier of volcanic rock. Although it is tall and looks steep, it is very easy to climb. This is our first challenge of the day. The views from the wall are nothing less than magnificent. The rest of the day is spent skirting the base of Kibo peak over our left shoulder. We descend down into the Karanga Valley, where we rest up for the night before the tough climb up to Barafu hut."

Every morning, a mug of hot tea was delivered to our tent.

Having a hot tea in a cold tent is heavenly.

My camp-mate (DD) reminded me that we are very fortunate. We have the luxury of flying halfway across the globe (from US, Europe & Asia) to trek the highest peak in Africa. We were staying comfortably in a tent in the mountain supported by a big crew of guides and porters. Indeed, we are very fortunate and I am very grateful. 

Our guides.

Amazing View

I was on the roof of Africa, looking its great plain. 

It was surreal. It was beautiful. 

I told myself "even if I do not make it to the summit, this view has made all the time/money/effort worthwhile."

Grateful!

It was a great time to contemplate about life too. I was asking what king of life I wanna live. It was quite clear - one that gives hope and loving-kindness to the weak and needy.

Day 6: BARAFU CAMP (15,088 ft.)

Hike time: 3.5 hrs, 

Elevation changes: +410 M (1,345 ft)

Estimated distance: 4km,

Final elevation: 4600 M

"First thing, you will be making a steep hike out of the valley. The air starts getting quite thin, and you will be running short of breath. It is a tough, but rewarding uphill to the rocky, craggy slopes at the camp. Barafu means ice in Swahili, and it is extremely cold at this altitude. So, go to bed early because we will be waking you at midnight for the final leg to Uhuru Peak."

Indomie for breakfast.

(Thanks to PY who purchased it Arusha

Day 6 morning

Ladies had a hard time finding rock to relieve themselves.

Piles of rocks for good luck

Day 6 - Campsite.

It was snowing for a while.

What an experience.

This might be my first and last time experiencing snowing in equator.

We are supposed to have an early dinner, take a 2-3hour nap and set off at 12midnight for the summit climb. Everybody was nervous and worried.

To our pleasant surprise, the guide told us that the guides & some porters will be carrying our day bag (3-4kg) for the summit climb. This would significantly improve our chances of reaching the summit. 

Day 9-10: Trekking Day 7-8 (Summit Day & descending)

Day 7: BARAFU to UHURU PEAK (19,340 ft.) to Mweka CAMP (9,550 ft.)

SUMMIT DAY!

Summit time: 7 hrs,

Elevation change: +1300m

Estimated distance: 5km,

Final elevation: 5896m

Descent time: 5 hrs,

Elevation change: -2800m

estimated distance: 12km,

Final elevation: 3100m

"Dress warmly, because we start climbing around midnight, on the steepest and most demanding part of the mountain. The moon, if out, will provide enough light, and we will reach the crater rim by sunrise, after a 7 hour hike, to welcome a new dawn.Fromthecrater rim,rugged Mawenzi Peak is a thrilling sight, with the Kibo saddle still in darkness beneath you, and the crater’s ice-walls looming ahead. We now continue to Uhuru Peak(1-2hrs.) This is the highest point in Africa, and the world’s highest solitary peak (19,340 ft)."


At around 11.30pm, we gathered at the dining tent. Had some biscuits and hot drinks before we set off. I was nervous and worried about the altitude sickness and the freezing weather (-15 to -20 degrees celsius).

To prevent AMS, I took additional 250mg of Diamox before setting off (I am already taking the full dosage 500mg/day for the past few days).

I was so worried about the freezing weather that I wore 5 top layers (2 thermal wears, 1 pullover, 1 light down jacket, 1 fleece jacket) and packed an additional jacket in my bag, and 4 lower layers (2 thermal wear, 1 regular trekking pant & 1 fleece pant). I also wore my fleece balaclava, and a beanie. I wore 2 layers of socks (wool & polyester) and 2 layers of gloves.

It was quite a long hike (seems endless at some points). Many people were really struggling, and initially, I felt light-headed & short of breath, but I think the effects of Diamox kicked in and I felt better.  At the mid point, I felt alright and was quite confident I could reach the summit, but every movement is slow. Whenever I tried to move fast or take a big step uphill, I would be panting hard for air.

Finding a place to pee was a troublesome because a faulty zip & I was wearing 4 layers and 2 layer of gloves, and I do not know how do the gals cope with it. The water in the bottle was frozen on the top (fortunately, the guide told us to invert the water bottle). The snack bar was extremely hard. 

After 6hours, Dawn near the summit at around 6am+

Stella point (5756 m) - a hour away from the summit.

For the first time, there was frost on my eyebrows.

My porter was not with me - so no water, no sunglasses for the glaring sun & reflection.

Stella point

Dawn at the roof of Africa

Cold but happy. =)

Glacier in Equator

Perhaps, the only place on earth.

Glacier

Still trekking towards the Uruhu peak.

Amazingly beautiful.

This is Africa.

Ice

Yes. I have done it.

Uhuru Peak (5895m) - the highest point in Africa & highest free-standing mountain in the world.

Yes. Everyone has done it!

100% successful rate. =)

What a Wonderful world.

At the Summit.

Descending

Descending

How do we feel? 

This picture says it all.

On the last day, it was also the most important day for the guide and the porters, because it was tipping day. We had a few discussions on how to disburse the tips to the crew - give it to them individually (will ensure that all the crews receive their tips) or pass the whole lump sum to the lead guide for disbursement ( Guide would know how to reward the hardworking person). Each method has its pros and cons. 

 It was a sensitive issue. Initially, the guide was reluctant to provide the full name list, but we were quite persistent. In fact, we have no idea on the total number of crews until the last day (somehow the guides were reluctant to share the figures with us). One of the porters secretly wrote a letter to us requesting us to tip them individually as they were afraid that the guides won't share the tips with them, at the same time, we could not let the guides know that we received this letter (as the porters future employment would be at stake if the guides found out).

Personally, I hate hierarchical structure - it was suffocating. Obviously, the guides are the top dogs as they have more face-time with the tourists and speak good english, and most porters aspire to be a guide. I also hate politics - if there is fairness and standard protocol followed, there will be less politics and arguments. 

The Crew

(Taken by SM)

After disbursing the tips, we received feedback that the chefs were unhappy as they felt they were not tipped sufficiently. I guess they forgot that these are tips, but we decided to tip them more to make them happy (as it does not cost much on our side).

So far, my "working" experience with Tanzanians has not been positive. 

I also decided that I don't need to keep touch with any guides or porters.

(It was a stark contrast with my nepal experience, where the guides and porters are genuine. We felt sad and a sense of loss when we bid farewell. In fact, I am still in touch with my wonderful Nepali guide.)

***

During lunch time, there was a lot of commotion going on. Apparently, a young porter lost his poles (which costed over US$3000) to someone who offered to help him to carry. In the end, the chief guide managed to retrieve the poles somewhere in Moshi town. It kind of wasted our time waiting and waiting. 

Well, I guess this is quite common in Tanzania.

Street-flighters' Hadoukens

(Taken by Chandy)

Group photos with our guides.

=)

(Taken by Chandy)

On that evening, we arrived back at the lodge around 6pm and there were some logistical things to be settled like counting & returning the rented gears, collecting the money for safari, clarifying the accounts with the tour operator (they showed me the old invoice), discussing about the transport arrangement etc...

After 8 days of trekking, I finally took my first and second hot showers. Yes, I was so dirty that I decided to shower twice. 

Day 11-12: Serengeti Safari

Celebrating Ivan's Birthday in the morning - a day late.

(He was too sick the previous day to enjoy the cake).

Elephants spotted outside the lodge.

We were very excited, and I felt like a child. My first time seeing a wild elephant in its natural habitat. Prior to this encounter, the lodge manager (a German dude) told us that the water supply in the lodge was disrupted by the elephants looking for water sources and damaged the water pipes. Obviously, we did not believe him, but I guess he was being truthful.

Maasai Tribe herding.

Maasai People

"The Maasai (sometimes spelled "Masai" or "Masaai") are a Nilotic ethnic group of semi-nomadic people located in Kenya and northern Tanzania. The Maasai are among the best known of African ethnic groups, due to their residence near the many game parks of East Africa, and their distinctive customs and dress.^[2] They speak Maa (ɔl Maa),^[2] a member of the Nilo-Saharanlanguage family that is related to Dinka and Nuer, and are also educated in the official languages of Kenya and Tanzania: Swahiliand English. The Maasai population has been reported as numbering 841,622 in Kenya in the 2009 census,^[3] compared to 377,089 in the 1989 census"

Maasai People

(On the way from Arusha to Serengeti National Park)

Baboon

Wild Ostrich =)

It is a great experience seeing the animals roaming freely in their natural habitat. The last time I saw an ostrich was in a farm in Malaysia, where the ostriches looked really sad in the enclosure and furthers were dropping.

Ostriches roaming in the plain.

Beautiful!

Serengeti Plain

Sunset

CY is happy.

After 8 days of trekking, we were all really happy to chill - sitting comfortably in the jeep, enjoying the scenery, snacking junk food, listening to music...

SM is happy too!!

Sunset

Beautiful sunset in the Africa Plain.

Love it the sunset.

Giraffe crossing the road

Hyena is normally more active in the evening.

More Giraffe 

*Prior to the trip, SM was saying that she looked forward to see the silhouette of a giraffe during the sunset. I guess this was the closest we could get. 

 Sunset in the Serengeti Plain

"The Serengeti (/ˌsɛrənˈɡɛti/) ecosystem is a geographical region in Africa. It is located in north Tanzania and extends to south-westernKenya between latitudes 1 and 3 degrees south latitude and 34 and 36 degrees east longitude. It spans some 30,000 km²(12,000 sq mi). The Kenyan part of the Serengeti is known as Maasai (Masai) Mara.

The Serengeti hosts the largest terrestrial mammal migration in the world, which helps secure it as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa,^[1] and one of the ten natural travel wonders of the world.^[2] The Serengeti is also renowned for its large lion population and is one of the best places to observe prides in their natural environment.^[3] The region contains the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and severalgame reserves.

Approximately 70 larger mammal and some 500 avifauna species are found there. This high diversity in terms of species is a function of diverse habitats ranging from riverine forests, swamps, kopjes, grasslands and woodlands.^[4] Blue wildebeests, gazelles, zebras andbuffalos are some of the commonly found large mammals in the region.

Currently there is controversy surrounding a proposed road that is to be built through the Serengeti.

Serengeti is derived from the Maasai language, Maa; specifically, "Serengit" meaning "Endless Plains""

SM enjoying the moment.

Feeling the Cold makes us ALIVE

Feeling the Breeze makes us FREE.

Love it!!

Life is about collecting memorable moments.

I would remember the vastness of the African Plain, the cool breeze across my face, the beautiful sunset, and this moment when I felt free and peaceful. =)

Sunset in the horizon.

(something I don't see in the city)

Water point

Controlled forest fire.

Controlled Burn

"Controlled or prescribed burning, also known as hazard reduction burning or swailing, is a technique sometimes used in forest management, farming, prairie restoration or greenhouse gasabatement. Fire is a natural part of both forest and grassland ecology and controlled fire can be a tool for foresters. Hazard reduction or controlled burning is conducted during the cooler months to reduce fuel buildup and decrease the likelihood of serious hotter fires"

Luxury Lodge with open-air showering facilities.

Mapito Tented Camp

Since there was no fencing in this lodge, the security guards would accompany the guest from the tent to the restaurant & vice-versa. I woke up at 5am to wake up my friend in the next tent, and to my surprise, the security guard escorted me to and fro. It is such a boring job to keep awake throughout the night to accompany the guests.

Sunrise in Serengeti Plain

Taking photo

Good morning!

Open-top Jeep

Zebra-Crossing.

=)

Breakfast in the Lodge.

After the breakfast, we took a last group photo and bid farewell to our friends from US.

It has been a great!! =)

(Taken by Chandy)

As usual, I felt a bit emotional bidding farewell to friends. It is a reminder of the Impermanence of Life - eventually, we need to say bye to everything. 

Life is never about things, it is about experiences and relationships.

Wilde-beast

The elusive Cheetah

Everybody is keen to catch a glimpse of the cheetah

Crocodile

First sighting of the Lion

Hippos.... lotsa of them.

Chilling in the river on a hot day.

Gazelle

"A gazelle is any of many antelope species in the genus Gazella, or formerly considered to belong to it. Six species are included in two genera, Eudorcas and Nanger, which were formerly considered subgenera. The genus Procapra has also been considered a subgenus ofGazella, and its members are also referred to as gazelles, though they are not dealt with in this article.

Gazelles are known as swift animals – some are able to run at bursts as high as 60 mph (97 km/h), or run at a sustained speed of 30 mph (48 km/h).^[1] Gazelles are mostly found in the deserts, grasslands, and savannas of Africa, but they are also found in southwestand central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. They tend to live in herds and will eat less coarse, easily digestible plants and leaves.

Gazelles are rather small antelopes, most standing 2–3.5 ft (61–110 cm) high at the shoulder, and are generally fawn-colored."

Water point

Herd of Elephants

The African Elephants (the biggest land mammal) that I saw in Serengeti was smaller than I thought. I sat on Asian Elephant in the jungle of Northern Thailand, and those elephants are much bigger than its counterparts in Africa.

Juvenile elephant

Giraffe

It was also shorter than the ones I saw in zoo, nevertheless, I still prefer to see wild giraffe anytime.

Companionship

More Giraffe

Hyena

Elephants 

"Sausage" Tree

"Kigelia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae. The genus comprises only one species, Kigelia africana, which occurs throughout tropical Africa from Eritrea and Chad south to northern South Africa, and west to Senegal and Namibia."

Herd of Gazelles 

Maasai Tribe

Maasai Cultural Performance

Jumping dudes

Hut 

Children

Well, I don't like the idea of making their kids looking dirty and miserable, and asking for donation. 

Dinner place in Rhino Lodge