This is a somewhat different post from my usual informative itineraries and travel guides. It is a first-hand recollection of my experience trekking to the highest free-standing mountain in the world: Keep reading for my day-by-day account of the Kilimanjaro trek!
Last week, I reread my Everest Base Camp day-by-day account, just to prep for this post, and it was amazing re-living all the memories (even the traumatic ones!). My original intention was to write something similar. However, when I shared my Kilimanjaro journey on Instagram Stories, many people, including complete strangers, reached out to say how much they enjoyed the detail and the storytelling. This encouraged me to write a longer post about my Kilimanjaro story. Apologies in advance for the length and the rambling. I haven’t written a post like this before, and I wanted to try something different. Here goes…
Table of contents
Why Kilimanjaro?
My interest in climbing Mount Kilimanjaro began in 2019 (according to the date stamp on a shared Google Doc). A friend and I created the document and started researching the trek, but then life happened, followed by COVID. He got married, had a kid, and we both gave up on the idea. Until, I trekked to Everest Base Camp in November 2023. I was looking for my next big high-altitude adventure and felt it was time to revisit Kilimanjaro.
One of the women on the EBC trek had previously summited it and recommended Ian Taylor Trekking. She told me they were professional and kept a slow pace. Perfect, I thought. Slow is how I like to trek.
I reached out to Ian in February 2024, but I had to undergo major surgery soon after. He checked back with me in April, but I had still not fully recovered and couldn’t imagine tackling Kilimanjaro. Then, in September 2024, with a year to go before when I had ear marked the climb, I contacted Ian again and booked the trip in October. Kilimanjaro is almost 2,000 feet higher than EBC, and I was eager to take it on before too much time passed.
For the longest time, I was the only person who had signed up for my chosen date range (Ian’s website shows the available spots). I checked the site obsessively, almost weekly. A trek like this was not only a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; it was also a huge mental, physical, and emotional challenge, and having the right people to do it with was important.
In March and April of this year I went on a bit of a world tour to India, Sri Lanka, the Baltics, and Finland and almost forgot about Kilimanjaro. When I came back in May, I saw that one more person had signed up. I had almost mentally prepared and made peace with the idea of going alone, but now there was going to be another!
The Months Leading
When I returned from my travels, I had gained 11 pounds. In my defense, I hadn’t been to Sri Lanka in eight and a half years. In less-defensible news, I had also eaten at eight Michelin-recommended restaurants in the Baltics and Finland…ooops (#blogresearch?)
It was time to get to work! For the next 14 weeks, I focused not only on losing the weight but also on training hard for the trek. I trained six days a week come rain, hail, sunshine, or heatwave, putting in between 1.5 to 2.5 hours each day, even when I traveled out of state for work. My plan mixed cardio, endurance, strength training, and yoga. I never faltered and was proud of the discipline I had developed. I also added sauna sessions, since many studies show benefits for high-altitude climbing.
During this time, I kept checking if more people had signed up. By the end of June, with about two months to go, curiosity got the better of me, I felt like I HAD to know what gender the other person was. If the other trekker was female, I’d need to mentally prepare to share a tent with a stranger. If it was male, I hoped he wouldn’t be the kind of high-energy climber who wants to sprint up the mountain. I’d had enough of that in the past.
The update came: it was a male, but that was all I was told.
Traveling to Tanzania
Finally, the day arrived. I had packed the Sunday before and was facing the shame of two suitcases and a carry-on. Normally, I pride myself on packing light (and teasing my overpacking friends). But with 15 days in Tanzania and activities involving a safari, the beach, and Kilimanjaro with its five ecozones…I had no choice.
After work that Friday, I flew first to Paris and then to Kilimanjaro via Zanzibar. The flight from Paris to Tanzania was unexpectedly long, about the same length as my transatlantic leg. I wasn’t mentally prepared for it at all!
I landed at Kilimanjaro Airport around 11:30 p.m., then had to clear immigration and drive an hour to my hotel in Arusha, the Four Points. My driver, Edwin, was chatty, so I asked if the other trekker had arrived. He said yes, earlier that day, and told me his nationality. Still not much to go on…
I had booked a two-day safari. You might think that after that long journey, and with a huge trek ahead, I’d want to rest. But not me! That would not have been very par for the course on my part. Edwin said he’d pick me up at 8 a.m. I stayed up until 2:30 packing my safari bag and was awake again at 6:30. Not even 12 hours after checking into the hotel, I was checking out.
I left my big suitcases at the hotel and went on safari. It was truly wonderful! We visited Tarangire National Park on day 1 and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area on day 2. I saw so much wildlife, especially my favorites—murder kitties!! and recorded many “National Geographic submissions.” We stayed overnight at the Ngorongoro Farm House, a beautiful hotel I’d love to return to one day.
One drawback to a pre-trek safari: it’s hard to drink enough water with limited bathroom stops. At home I’d been drinking 3.8 liters (one gallon) a day to prepare, but on safari I had to cut back. I made up for it at night…which meant another broken night’s sleep. Great! Night 3 of no continuous sleep now.
Kilimanjaro Day by Day
Kilimanjaro Trek – Day 0
After a lovely picnic lunch at the Ngorongoro Crater, we made our way back to Arusha with less than 30 minutes to spare for the briefing. I quickly checked back into the same hotel and figured I’ll get a head start on charging some of my electronics for the trek. I soon realized that I may have dropped one of my power banks in the safari jeep so I went down to find it.
When I got back from the jeep, I saw the other trekker had arrived for the briefing. He was very tall. At barely five feet, most people are taller than me, but he stood out immediately. My first thought: This guy will take five steps and be at the summit in 2 minutes, while my corgi stumps scramble to keep up. Spoiler: thankfully, that didn’t happen!
We introduced ourselves. His name was Yves.
The briefing took place in the breezeway outside. We met the head guide and the local office lead, received key information, and were offered gear checks. Both Yves and I declined (a mistake I’ll soon come to regret!). I collected my rented duffel, sleeping bag, and mattress. I also warned everyone that I’d be taking lots of photos for the blog.
Back in my room, I showered, ordered room service, and started the familiar dance of packing, weighing, removing items, and reweighing. Our duffels could weigh 15 kg. A generous allowance compared to EBC but somehow mine tipped the scale at 15.6! I had weighed all my stuff when I packed on Sunday but obviously couldn’t weigh the duffel, sleeping bag and air mattress which was now adding to the weight (even though I did keep somewhat of an allowance).
By then I’d repacked several times. I gave up and decided it was a problem for the morning. I hadn’t done good on water all day so I chugged some but of course that meant I didn’t sleep that great yet another night. If you are keeping track this is night 4 of not sleeping that great.
Kilimanjaro Trek – Day 1
- Starting point – Lemosho gate
- Starting elevation – 2100 meters/6900 feet
- Distance – 7KM/4.4 miles
- Ending point – Mkubwa camp
- Ending elevation – 2650 meters/8700 feet
I woke up even before my alarm! I was ready and checked out of the hotel after a quick breakfast. In addition to keeping our luggage, the hotel also kept our valuables in a secure locker. I gave them some cash, my GoPro, my DSLR with memory cards full of safari pictures and my Dyson Airstrait. They looked at me like I was a little crazy when I handed over the Dyson but IYKYK!
Armani, our head guide, met us at the reception along with our assistant guide Said. I told Armani about my additional 0.6 kgs and he didn’t even flinch. Phew! What a relief! I definitely felt bad because someone had to carry it up the mountain but there was food and toiletries that would get consumed and lessen the weight as we went along.
They carried our bags to the bus…yes, we had a whole bus! We took a quick team picture. The crew consisted of 15 people for just the 2 of us!! Not all 15 were there as we were going to pick a couple more on the way. But the rest of the crew were from Arusha and had all come to pick us up.
I slept SO deeply during the three-hour drive to the Lemosho Gate. We stopped once at a restroom and once to see giraffes near Mount Meru. Yves got out to take photos but I was too drowsy and could barely open my eyes! I knew we were approaching the gate when Armani got up and started giving us information about the first ecozone on Mount Kilimanjaro – cultivated land. I was still sleepy and kind of wished we had more time on the bus. Perhaps an hour more would have done the trick.
Once we got to the gate, we got off the bus and were escorted to the ranger station to sign in. It was actually happening! I was officially on the books! While the crew prepared and weighed everything, Yves and I chatted in a large open hut that served as a dining area.
There are about 7-8 different routes up the mountain each with varying success rates. We were taking the eight-day Lemosho route, the second-longest and one of the most successful routes. Average summit success on Kilimanjaro is just 65%, much lower than EBC. Ian Taylor recommends Lemosho for its slower acclimatization, and I agree! It’s definitely worth the investment of time.
Ashraf arrived with lunch: zucchini soup, a burger, a hard-boiled egg, a muffin, and a banana.
After lunch we got ready to start our trek. That’s when I realized that my trekking poles were missing a part each. You’re kidding me right? I was so upset but mostly annoyed! I have 3 sets of trekking poles at home and for some reason the bottom most part from both poles had detached and dropped somewhere (found them still in the box when I got home). In hindsight I should not have declined the gear check the day before! Yves said he was not sure about using his, but I was not going to take his.
I told Armani my dilemma and luckily he had 1 pole that he said he wasn’t using. He told me that he will ask the team in Arusha to get me a full pair when they do the re-supply run on day 5. Phew! crisis averted! I have patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) on my right knee from years of pounding the pavement in my 20’s and not having at least one pole for support could have been a very bad outcome for me.
Finally, we set off! We hiked for about 3 hours through a lush rainforest which is the second ecozone at Mount Kilimanjaro. The hike was relatively easy. There were some short and not so steep inclines, but the path was mostly flat.
We passed through fields of flowers and stopped to take pictures! Yves also liked to take pictures of flowers! Finally trekking with someone who likes to “stop and smell the roses” instead of run up the mountain at full speed. We also saw black and white colobus monkeys and heard deafening sounds of bees. The pace was very pole, pole or slowly slowly. Between stopping to take pictures of the flowers and wildlife and the slow pace, it was definitely a very enjoyable trek through the rainforest. Before I knew it, we heard the sound of our first camp! Another short but somewhat steep incline and we found ourselves at Mkubwa Camp.
Camp was rather crowded and pretty noisy. It also felt very densely populated perhaps because all the tents were set up and around all the trees in the rainforest. Armani asked us to pick a tent and said that would be our tent for the rest of the trek. He also showed us the toilet which he jokingly called the “internet cafe” and I think for a split second both Yves and I thought he was serious!!
After a quick tour of the camp, we got “water for washing”, which was a bowl of hot water. We were told we would have popcorn and tea in the mess tent at 4:30 pm. It was nice downtime to get to know each other. Incidentally we had both brought a pack of cards and Yves told me about a 2 person French game called crapette, but I wasn’t sure my brain was capable of learning something new. Armani soon joined us for dinner and it was a feast! pumpkin soup, potatoes, pasta, tilapia, avocado salad, and vegetables. To my delight, the food was worlds better than what I’d eaten on EBC. I couldn’t stop talking about the avocado salad for the rest of the trek, and the pumpkin soup’s spice was exactly what this South Asian needed.
After dinner, Armani checked our O2 saturation levels. This is a pretty standard practice for high altitude hikes. Mine was a glorious 99! Typical I thought! It always starts high and then goes down rapidly! I remembered it was in the 70’s during EBC (yikes!). Armani told us that they were also monitoring the way we breathed, kept our feet and generally moved on the trail. We got boiled hot water in our Nalgene bottles. During EBC, we used hot water filled Nalgene bottles as sleeping bag warmers and then used the water to brush our teeth in the morning. I was paranoid about getting ill so I always put a water purification tablet even if the water was boiled. Yves didn’t do this and was fine so it’s certainly not a must since the water is already boiled!
I barely slept that night. Firstly, I didn’t realize the sleeping mattress was inflatable *facepalm*! Then I didn’t zip up the sleeping bag correctly. I zipped it down the middle inside of on the side! Tell me you don’t camp without telling me you don’t camp!
I may do all these adventurous hikes around the world, but I am a bit of a “princess” when it comes to sleeping and having a functional bathroom! I knew what I was getting into, but I figured I could sacrifice 7 nights not being in a warm bed for something like summiting Mount Kilimanjaro. But I think what caused me to really not sleep well was all the noises. Each time someone zipped up a tent, snored, talked loudly, walked next to my tent, I kept thinking they were inside my tent! I had a bit of an unsavory experience on the Inca Trail and not going to lie I was a little scared to fully fall asleep.
Kilimanjaro Trek – Day 2
- Starting point – Mkubwa camp
- Starting elevation – 2650 meters/8700 feet
- Distance – 10KM/6.2 miles
- Ending point – Shira I
- Ending elevation – 3610 meters/11850 feet
At 6 a.m., a knock at my tent: “Did you sleep well? Any headache or nausea?” The guides alternated each day, so Yves was woken at the same time. We washed at 6:30, packed our duffels, and brought them outside before breakfast at 7 (well….some of us did 😉)
I continued my Diamox routine, a small pill that helps prevent altitude sickness. AMS or Acute Mountain Sickness (altitude sickness) does not discriminate. You could be an elite athlete or a sherpa who has summited Everest 20 times and get altitude sickness on your 21st attempt. Symptoms range from nausea and headaches to insomnia and loss of appetite; left untreated, it can lead to pulmonary or cerebral edema. The best prevention: ascent slowly, drink water, and, if needed, descend. Diamox can cause tingling fingers or stomach upset, but I’d used it before with no issues.
Armani insisted we drink at least three liters of plain H2O daily, not counting soups or electrolytes. My plan: one liter in the morning, two on the trail, one with electrolytes at camp, and half a liter with a vitamin C tablet. It worked, though it meant learning the art of “going” outdoors. Anyone and everyone who knows me know I have a huge fear of public bathrooms so going in nature was like my personal Everest. I had literally never done this before until the previous day. Also, WHY do men have it SO easy??? It just wasn’t fair!!! Armani assured me that I am the queen (LOL) and that there were 16 of them to protect me and if needed the 3 of them would create a shield if I had to “go” in nature while on the trail. I still wasn’t relieved or convinced!
Breakfast was generous: porridge, pancakes, sausages, eggs, toast, and sweet potatoes. Although not a fan of porridge, I discovered when mixed with Nutella that it was surprisingly digestible! (what isn’t with Nutella?!)
After breakfast we were introduced to the team. They sang and danced for us. It was so wholesome. It’s truly wild to think how many people are needed to successfully get 2 people up a mountain. They all had a distinct role to play. I took down everyone’s names and here they are (besides Armani and Said).
- Ashraf (Ashi) – Server
- JJ – Dishwasher
- Iddy – Chef
- Ismail – Sous chef
- Jumma – “Internet cafe”
- Ezekiel – Tents
- Ali – Security
- Calvin, Shareef, Ibrahim, Rajabu, Julius and Dickson – Porters
I’d been asked on Instagram if it felt strange being the only woman. Honestly, it rarely crossed my mind. The team treated me with kindness and respect throughout.
Once team introductions were over, we set off for the day. Today was the longest day (barring summit day). We had about 10 km to cover. The first bit was relatively easy as we trekked through the rain forest. We once again passed lush vegetation and lots of flowers. The tall trees with hanging moss at our first break spot reminded me of the southern states back home. Then came a bit of a climb and it was here that Armani told us that we were about to enter the third ecozone, the moorlands.
We saw our first sign of Mount Meru in the background (a constantly from here on) and the first swirls of dust. I tried to be careful wearing my buff as much as I could. Being short, my nose was far too close to the ground, and I always ended up inhaling so much dust. On the EBC trail it was the 3 “shorties” that had the worst case of the “Khumbu cough” thanks to being so close to the dust.
The trail went up and down, some with some steep areas. There was a bit of traffic at the rocky and steep inclines. After about 3 hours, we were at our lunch stop. Not only had all of the crew raced ahead of us, but they had also set up the mess tent AND the “internet cafe” (which I was very grateful for!). Lunch was also almost ready. We first had a soup, toasties and this delicious fried appetizer and I thought that was lunch but we had pasta and chicken as a main. I was truly blown away by the food on this trek. Said joined us for lunch and continued to do so each day. Said was the definition of “hakuna matata”. Nothing phased him much. We often spoke about Tanzania and during lunch and I enjoyed getting to know more about this wonderful country from Said.
After lunch, we headed to what is called “the elephant’s backbone”, a steep and rocky incline that went on for quite a bit. Rocky terrain is not easy on short legs. I have to use my entire hip and femur to climb over big rocks, but I kept my head down and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. The pace was still “pole, pole” and we did get a decent number of breaks. Finally, the Shira Plateau opened ahead: Kilimanjaro, partly veiled in clouds, rising above us. It took us another 3 hours to get from the lunch spot to camp.
Once at camp, we had a wash and then headed to the mess tent for evening tea. I tried to drink another 1.5 liters of water during this time. 1 liter of electrolytes and 500 ml of water mixed with vitamin C. My goal was to cut off my water supply by the time we had dinner. Yves went out to see if we would find the mountain more visible but she was still covered with clouds. Around 6 p.m. Armani joined us for dinner, and we had another great meal consisting of soup, rice, potatoes, vegetables, beef and a salad. I seriously don’t even eat this good at home!
Afterward, we stepped outside to one of the most breathtaking night skies I’d seen since the Atacama and Sahara. Ask me how many times I said, “this is incredible”! Below is a phone picture but imagine how much better it would have been in person! Frost dusted the tents. Earlier that evening Ezekiel had inflated my mattress for me and I was grateful (I’m sure I would have been knocked out if I tried to do this).
Shira 1 was more open and spread out than the crowded rainforest camp. My tent was set up with just Yves’ nearby, which made the camp feel quieter. The night was cold outside, but I was never cold inside my sleeping bag. It was a -18-degree bag, and I always slept with a liner which is a game changer for sleeping in cold environments. I also wore merino wool thermal wear inside with a fleece hoodie and sweatpants. My thick merino socks kept my feet nice and warm. Lessons learned from earlier treks were paying off.
Kilimanjaro Trek – Day 3
- Starting point – Shira I
- Starting elevation – 3610 meters/11850 feet
- Distance – 9KM/5.6 miles (plus acclimatization hike)
- Ending point – Shira II
- Ending elevation – 3850 meters/12600 feet
- Acclimatization hike – 4000 meters/13100 feet
It was bitterly cold that morning. The ground and tents were covered in frost. Getting out of the bag was one of the hardest parts of the trek. The second hardest: deflating the mattress. It took three tries of rolling, sitting, and walking on it before it compressed enough to fit back into my duffel. The darn thing just didn’t deflate on its own. By the end of this routine, my heart rate was up before I had even started walking. I also needed the “water for washing”; to wear my contacts and waited until there was natural light to change (umm…changing with your headlamp on inside the tent is not a good idea FYI!) This whole morning ritual made me late for breakfast daily…(like I said, some of us made it at 7..some of us didn’t!)
The Nutella had frozen overnight so I scraped off some shavings for my porridge. Breakfast was porridge, pancakes, eggs, sausages, fruit, and toast. I was hesitant about the fruit..cut fruit away from home always makes me nervous, but when Yves raised an eyebrow and wordlessly held the plate toward me, I didn’t dare refuse. The stern look was enough!
My index finger was too cold for the O2 saturation reading, so we had to try several times with different fingers. By the time we left camp, the sun was higher, the frost was melting, and I finally warmed up.
We had another 10km to cover today. The terrain was flat and the peak was clearly ahead of us. We had several breaks which was nice. Each time we had a break, I would ask “should I go?” out loud and Yves told me that if I had to ask, that meant I just needed to go..wise words of wisdom! I was getting used to this situation now (whether I liked it or not!). You may be wondering why I keep writing about this but if you know me you know that I was really really really pushing my comfort zone here!
We saw Dendrosenecio kilimanjari—giant groundsels that have lived on the mountain for thousands of years. The last stretch to camp was rocky, and although this was meant to be an “easier” day, I felt slightly off. The sun was intense, and a headache set in, but it lifted once I was inside my tent.
After lunch, we did a short acclimatization hike. The slope was gentle, and when we stopped I thought it was just a break. In fact, we had reached the goal. Clouds rolled in, casting a moody, tranquil atmosphere over the landscape. We rested there for about 20 minutes. I tried to teach Yves diaphragmatic breathing. He thought it was funny and just laughed at me the whole time! By now, we were bonding well. He had a calm and kind presence that made the challenges easier. In a group of just two trekkers, things could have been awkward if we hadn’t gotten along. Instead, I was grateful to share the journey with him.
After about 20 minutes, we headed down to camp and had quite a bit of time to kill. One interesting difference between EBC and Kilimanjaro was that our guides told us it was ok to nap and rest on Kili. At EBC, our guides didn’t let us lay down in the afternoon even for a second, so even on acclimatization days when we were done by 11 a.m., we would just walk around or play endless games until we went to bed.
Yves stopped coming for tea and popcorn. He brought a book and a journal, which was a smart idea. Without being able to be on my phone and with no company, I found myself getting lost in my own thoughts. They were not those of worry or anxiety, but I remember them being peaceful. I still crave that peace.
Dinner tonight was one that I would remember for quite some time. Chef Iddy made the most delicious chapati. Now I’m South Asian so I know my chapati well! So, trust me when I tell you that these were SO good! They were buttery, flaky and well-seasoned. Gluttony took over and I had more than I needed! My appetite was out of control in general! I was always hungry. Another stark comparison from EBC.
Kilimanjaro Trek – Day 4
- Starting point – Shira II
- Starting elevation – 3850 meters/12600 feet
- Distance – 10KM/6.2 miles
- Ending point – Baranco camp
- Ending elevation – 3900 meters/12800 feet
- Acclimatization hike – 4640 meters/15200 feet (Lava Tower)
Another freezing morning: frost on the ground, frost on the tents, even frost on the outside of my sleeping bag. As I brushed my teeth, the sun rose and Mount Meru seemed to float above the clouds. From the crew tent came music—“Beautiful Day” by Jermaine Edwards, Rushawn, and TRINIX.
Lord, I thank you for sunshine
Thank you for rain
Thank you for joy
Thank you for pain
It’s a beautiful day-ay-ay-ay-ay
It’s a beautiful day-ay
It felt like the perfect soundtrack to the moment. Gratitude washed over me: how many people ever get to do something like this?
Breakfast for me was sugar-laden: Nutella in porridge, Nutella on pancakes, peanut butter and jam on toast. I never eat like that at home, but on Kilimanjaro, calories burned faster than I could consume them.
Today was going to be a somewhat long day and the first time we would be at almost 4600 meters/15,200 feet. This was an altitude gain of 800 meters/2600 feet. We first passed through the short acclimatization hike we did yesterday and stopped just beyond for our first break. We saw our crew including chef Iddy hurry up the trail. They left after us and not only would they be at Lava Tower before us, they would also have set up the mess tent, “internet café” and prepared us a hot meal. They were truly incredible!
The moorlands were turning into the alpine desert (fourth ecozone) now. We gradually ascended and had a few steep descents as well. We were fully exposed to the sun yet again but the views, especially of mount Meru at the back were stunning. I felt the onset of the wheeze just before we hit Lava Tower, which was our lunch spot for the day. With all the dust, this was just an inevitable waiting to happen. I took the inhaler and proceeded on.
It was very windy at Lava Tower but we needed to spend a bit of time to acclimatize at 15,200 feet. We took a bunch of pictures and had lunch. After lunch we descended quite a bit to Baranco Camp, almost the elevation we had gained earlier in the morning. Mount Meru, our constant companion, was ahead of us now. The descent was steep with lots of rocks and loose gravel. Although the pace was honestly good, my right knee was in a bit of pain. Descending is always worse than ascending for me when it comes to knee pain.
We made it to Baranco Camp about 3 hours after leaving Lava Tower. We passed quite a bit of Dendrosenecio kilimanjari on the way down, especially closer to Baranco Camp. That evening, I scoped out the Baranco Wall, a 1000 feet/300-meter wall we had to scale first thing in the morning tomorrow. Many people fear the Baranco Wall at first, I mean…it does look mighty intimidating, but I had watched so many videos prior to coming to Kilimanjaro and everyone who said they were scared ended up loving it.
The popcorn today was caramelized and turned into balls! Chef Iddy was getting creative with his food. For dinner we had mashed potatoes, beef sauce, pasta and vegetables. I’m not a huge red meat eater but the beef sauce was always a 10/10. We also had dessert today! Banana fritters! I was going to skip it when I had the idea of putting some….are you thinking what I’m thinking?….Nutella on it! It was SO good!
When we came out of our tents, the night sky had put on another fabulous show for us but I could tell it was going to be a cold night…and it was.
Kilimanjaro Trek – Day 5
- Starting point – Baranco camp
- Starting elevation – 3900 meters/12800 feet
- Distance – 6KM
- Ending point – Karanga camp
- Ending elevation – 3995 meters/13100 feet
- Highest elevation reached – 4200 meters/13800 feet (Baranco wall)
It was unbearably cold this morning. Neither Yves nor I could get our fingers warm enough for our O2 reading. We had woken up early this day. The plan was to get a head start on the Baranco Wall so that we don’t get caught to ‘mountain traffic’. But now this whole finger fiasco was putting us behind. We tried to get a reading for about 20 minutes. We dipped our fingers in hot water and held various metal vessels containing hot water but our fingers were refusing to cooperate. Finally after what seemed like forever, we were both able to get a reading.
It was still cold when we got out of the mess tent as the sun had to slowly make its way over the Baranco Wall to hit our camp. I was absolutely freezing. My teeth were chattering uncontrollably. I couldn’t even put my hydration pack in my bag or buckle it on myself. Armani and Said helped with my pack while Yves noticed how cold I was and stepped into help too.
We finally set off, about 30 minutes later than we had originally hoped to leave. I started warming up more as we started walking and was fully defrosted by the time we hit the wall. We went up the wall: scrambling, following Said’s steps, sometimes sitting and sliding down rocks, sometimes pulling ourselves up. One section required swinging across while holding on “like a monkey,” Said instructed. It was quite scary, and I recall saying “I can’t” but obviously I did because here I am…alive to tell the tale! Another famous feature was the “Kissing Rock”: a large protrusion you must hug to get around. Legend says you must kiss it for luck. Armani insisted. I couldn’t help think of what a massive Petrie dish this rock was but kissed it anyway. Yves, who was slightly behind, was blissfully spared this ritual.
We cleared the wall in just over an hour—fast by any measure. At the top, the summit glistened in the sunlight, but our path was far from straightforward. Both Yves and I heard Armani say that after the wall we would have a steep descent and then ascent into camp but I guess we both heard wrong because we had several ascents and descents before the final ones. I am very much a lay all of it on me kind of person, so this new reality was not something I was pleased with.
Then we saw the Karanga Camp but we didn’t see was how steep of an descent and ascent we had to get to camp. It really felt like it was never ending. The descent was all switchbacks, but it was steep, rocky and slippery. Right after it came an equally steep ascent. My legs were so tired by the time we got to camp and I was admittedly a little grumpy.
The signpost was a little further away and Armani suggested we take pictures after lunch or tomorrow morning. I think Yves could sense I wasn’t happy with this plan (I didn’t want to get my camp shoes and clothes dirty by walking around in them and who knew what tomorrow will be like…the sky at this time was crystal clear) and suggested we go now.
We had a chance to really rest today after lunch as we had nothing else to do. I was always a little too scared to nap because I thought this may cause me problems when I’m trying to sleep at night. The camp was also very noisy! Yves had brought earplugs (smart!), but I can’t wear them, so I didn’t even consider that as an option for me as I was packing (my ears are too small, and they don’t stay!)
For lunch today we had empanadas! (along with various other things) Are you kidding me? Empanadas are my absolute favorite food! I was truly impressed! Tea time was a bit different today. There were roasted peanuts and cream biscuits. Halfway during dinner, Ashi came over and told us that the sun was setting and it was beautiful outside. We went out and lo and behold, he was correct indeed! The lights were also glistening from Moshi town. We were completely above the clouds at Karanga Camp and it was quite magical during the day but especially at dusk.
Kilimanjaro Trek – Day 6
- Starting point – Karanga camp
- Starting elevation – 3995 meters/13100 feet
- Distance – 5KM/3 miles
- Ending point – Kosovo camp
- Ending elevation – 4900 meters/16100 feet
I was, predictably, five minutes late for breakfast again! It was always 7:05 a.m. on the dot. Today was a short but steep climb: nearly 1,000 meters (3,200 feet) of gain. We were now fully in the alpine desert, barren and rocky, the air thinner with every step.
I told Armani I was going to go slow on my early morning water intake but Armani renewed his promise to me to always find a rock or to provide a shield (thankfully there were always rocks!). He also told us that if we felt ill and needed to throw up that we should just do it and will feel better right after. Fortunately, neither of us got ill on the way up. But that was definitely a first sign of the intensity of what we were about to do.
Our path was steep from the get-go but it was quite steady. It wasn’t as cold this morning as it was yesterday although we were very much above the clouds at this point. We got our first break about 20 minutes in where we delayered and took some fun pictures. From there we continued gradually climbing up and had two more breaks before hitting a very steep uphill. It was a good 30-40 degrees but weirdly I didn’t feel it as much as yesterday, even though we were now at a higher elevation. It took us about 30 minutes to climb this section. We were at Barafu camp once we got over the incline. The first thing we were greeted by at Barafu was a big sign board outlining the risks of altitude. This was now the second sign of the dangers ahead.
Barafu camp is considered the base camp for Mount Kilimanjaro. Most people will attempt their summit push from Barafu. However, Ian Taylor has a permit to camp at Kosovo, about 300 meters above Barafu. The path from Barafu to Kosovo is extremely steep and rocky. Clearing this path during the day meant that we didn’t have to do it in the middle of the night. It also meant we could start a little later than had we camped at Barafu. I was grateful for this. This is one of the best advantages of trekking with Ian Taylor.
There was no sign post at Kosovo so we took pictures at the one at Barafu to mark our successful completion of day 6 (although we were not done yet). There is also no ranger station at Kosovo so Armani signed us in at Barafu. After a short rest, we set off for Kosovo. If the path looked steep from below, it definitely was steeper in actuality. Along the way we saw trekkers being carried down, exhausted or ill. It was sobering. One of the biggest differences between Kilimanjaro and Everest Base Camp is how suddenly the altitude jumps: we had slept around 12,000–13,000 feet for days, then leapt to 16,000 and would attempt over 19,000 in the same 24 hours.
Once we got to Kosovo Ali was waiting for us with the duster. It was a beautiful day and the path ahead of us was now visible. Both the way up and down looked very steep but I didn’t want to think about it just yet. One thing I learned on the mountain and was proud about was focusing on the most immediate task at hand without thinking too much about what’s to come.
We had about 2 hours to kill prior to lunch. We were getting “linner” today instead of lunch and dinner. Food doesn’t digest well at high altitude, and the thought was to get us to eat early so that we had enough time for the food to process before we started our summit bid. Unfortunately, I started feeling a bit wheezy. I took the inhaler and hoped it would just go away. In the meantime, I recorded a couple of vlogs capturing what we had done so far and capturing how I was feeling. I heard a couple of rescue chopper taking off from Barafu while doing this. More ominous signs!
After lunch Armani briefed us about our next task at hand – our summit assault. He told us the game plan, what to wear and what to take with us. We were to take a liter of water with us in our nalgenes and were to store it upside down in our bags. Our bags were to be left unbuckled so that they could reach out and give us water without us having to do it. Same went for snacks. We were asked to break them into smaller bits.
After our briefing, Yves and I exchanged some words of encouragement and retrieved into our tents. Perhaps he could sense I was a bit worried about my wheezing situation? Armani really encouraged us to go to sleep or to at least rest if it was difficult to sleep. It was a little noisy at camp so I couldn’t fall asleep immediately. The team who had set up right behind our tents were especially loud. I woke up around 4:30 pm and finished up my water intake for the day. That’s 3 liters plus a liter of electrolytes. Of course that meant I had to wake up one more time to and I did so around 6:30 pm. At this point, I wore most of the clothes I was going to go up in and went back to sleep.
10 pm….I woke up to a loud throbbing in my temples. My heart was beating so fast that I could feel it even on my temples. I kept two fingers on my neck and timed my heart rate. 130 bpm. Not a great sign! My heart rate was consistently elevated from day 1, so it was not entirely surprising (this was also consistent with my EBC numbers) but 130 was a bit too much.
Then around 10:15 pm the wind started howling. I was legitimately scared. I could hear it growling and groaning down the mountain before it hit our tents. Even the material on the floor of my tent was rattling. This continued for about an hour. The howling gusts reminded me of Patagonia, where storms had once shattered my rental car’s glass and knocked me off my feet. I was scared—not only that we might not summit, but of the wind itself. I wanted to call out to Yves, but didn’t because I didn’t want to wake him up. Later, I learned he hadn’t slept at all.
11:30 pm…..”knock, knock”..it was Ashi! I asked him if we were still going up because of the wind and he looked at me like I was crazy! The wind had subdued by now anyways, but I was still worried we wouldn’t be able to summit. My wheeze was gone now. phew!
Kilimanjaro Trek – Summit
By midnight we were in the mess tent for a bowl of porridge. I discovered I’d been taking half-doses of Diamox all week by mistakenly splitting the already-low-dose pills. Yves told me he was wondering why I was struggling to break the pill into two because his had a demarcation line for breakage. Oh well! I hadn’t got a single symptom of altitude sickness until then so I guess it was ok.
Layered like a teletubby—two merino tops, a quarter zip, a fleece, a down jacket, merino and fleece-lined pants, balaclava, beanie, multiple gloves, hand warmers, foot warmers, I stepped outside. The crew cheered us on. At 12:40 a.m., we set off: me, Yves, and four crew members—Armani, Said, Ashi, and Calvin.
The plan: gain 200 meters of elevation per hour, break for five minutes each time. Armani warned us that things will be very hard from 5200 to about 5700 meters. Honestly, I didn’t even know what that even meant at that time. Kosovo sits at around 4900 meters or 16000 feet. The first hour passed and we got our first break. It was relatively not difficult? I even recorded a vlog. My plan was to do one at every break…little did I know!!
Just after our first break we passed a big group who were going slow. Armani doubled our pace and that made me so out of breath. But the worst was yet to come. Somewhere between that first and second break, I started wheezing again. Darn it! It was back and with a vengeance this time. The wheeze makes your airways narrow now couple that with the lack of oxygen! It was absolute misery.
I remember getting to the 2nd break. I do remember Yves calling out that he could see Orion in the sky night…which was beautiful once again, but my mind was elsewhere. It was kind of on survival mode! I HAD to finish what I started. Armani told me it was the point of no return beyond this and asked if I wanted to continue. Failure was not an option…it never has been…it never will be. I told myself I would be at the summit even if I had to crawl on my belly like a reptile.
By the second break, I was definitely on survival mode. My back was on fire, my calves screamed, cheeks and my lips were numb, my speech slurred. I begged for extra pauses. Sometimes I swayed and had to steady myself. Armani told me to give him my bag, but I didn’t want to. Somewhere ahead, I was bent in two gasping for air when Yves suggested I give my backpack to Armani, before I could protest much, Armani was already taking it off me.
The lack of a backpack on my back strangely made me even colder. I asked Yves to go ahead so I wouldn’t feel guilty for slowing him. The guides urged me to keep moving. I didn’t ask for long breaks, just 30 seconds or so, so that I could double down and fill my lungs with air. Every time I had even a 5 step gap between Yves and myself, I was asked to “don’t keep a gap” and move it. I get why long breaks are not ideal, especially in those temperatures but it was agony!
I finally understood what Armani said about 5200-5700 being hard. That incline was truly insane, especially with 50% less oxygen in the atmosphere. Every part of my body was either on fire or either frozen and numb. I was using my trekking poles which exposed my hands to the bitter cold (even though I was wearing glove liners, hand warmers and ski gloves) and they were on absolute fire (or maybe it was ice). Now my hands do get cold easily, which is why I wore ski gloves (should have brought mittens like Yves did instead), but I’ve never experienced pain in my hands like that before. Armani was so kind and gave me his mittens and tried everything to get them to feel warm again. But the only thing I felt were a thousand pins and needles pricking my hands.
I do vividly recall Armani turning around and saying “those lights you see are people coming to Stella Point from the Marangu route”. Finally, we were at 18,500 feet and got our 4th break. Lots of people say Stella Point is the biggest hurdle to pass on summit night. Some even turn around at Stella Point. Stella Point is the rim of the crater. After Stella Point the trail becomes “relatively less steep”. The team was now singing to keep us motivated.
My main goal was to keep moving, even if it meant I had to crawl until we got to the summit. Dawn was breaking now and the first rays of the sun were lighting up the horizon. With about 25 minutes or so to go to the summit, we got our 5th and final break. My hands were still somewhere between holding bubbling lava and being stuck on a glacier in Siberia. Honestly couldn’t tell you which one it was.
5:45 a.m..we continued our journey towards the summit. I was feeling a little better now. Still wheezing but the fact that there were no crazy inclines meant I could at least manage my breathing a bit better. We walked first passing the crater and then glaciers and finally ice fields on to the summit.
6:10 a.m…we stood at 5895 meters/19341 feet! Uhuru peak, the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. It took us exactly 5.5 hours to get there. We all hugged each other and went straight to take some pictures. I looked like a crazy person in my individual shot so I had to take it again..listen, there is always room for vanity, even at 19,000+ feet and 51% less oxygen than sea level. I had earned that picture and it was going to look even half decent lol Yves of course looked like the champ that he was on the first take!
6:22 a.m…sunrise! It was surreal to be at the tallest free-standing mountain in the world for sunrise. My fingers at this point were just frozen. I couldn’t bend them or move them. Thank goodness for the swiping function to access the camera because I definitely couldn’t press anything. The tips of my fingers and all of my nails were also purple. I was semi-concerned I had got frost bite but I had to keep taking pictures! (#priorities)
We took lots more pictures of the sunrise and the glaciers around us and then it was time to head back. The summit only has 49% oxygen compared to sea level and Armani wanted to ensure we descended soon. We stopped at Stella Point for a brief moment to delayer and tie our shoes tighter.
I honestly don’t know what was more insane, the steep ascent, or the steep descent? The descent takes a parallel path to the way up but it’s full of scree which is like volcanic sand and small rocks. Ashi ran down the mount and Yves followed. They were both tall and I knew there was no way that I would be able to catch up with them. I was happily going down the mountain when Calvin came from out of nowhere and asked if I wanted to go down together. So we linked elbows and he took one of my trekking poles and I took the other and we went down virtually slipping and skiing down the mountain. It was actually a lot of fun!
I got back to camp at 8:10 a.m. Yves was already there. He and Ashi had made it down about 10 minutes prior. The entire crew was also there to greet us. They sang a couple of songs. Yves had got his own personal greeting with song when he had arrived.
It took us around 7.5 hours to summit and get back but the day was not over yet!
Kilimanjaro Trek – Day 7
- Starting point – Kosovo camp
- Starting elevation – 4900 meters/16100 feet
- Distance – 11KM/6.8 miles
- Ending point – Mweka camp
- Ending elevation – 3100 meters/10170 feet
It took us about 1.5 hours to change, pack up our tent and have brunch. Armani had told us that one of the crew could bundle up our sleeping bag and mattress and put it in the bag. I felt bad taking him up on that offer all this time but not today. I knew I had to save up my remining (albeit failing) strength for the rest of the descent and that whole air mattress process would have wiped me out. We left Kosovo sharp at 10 a.m. By this time other teams summiting that night were already setting up camp at Kosovo.
When we were ascending up to Kosovo through the steep, rocky terrain the day before, I wondered how I would ever come down that steep of an incline without rolling down the mountain. Strangely, it was actually not bad or maybe nothing was bad now after the madness that was the ascent and descent to and from the summit. It was about 10:45 when we reached the very bottom of the Barafu camp near the helipad. Yves and I both expressed gratitude that we didn’t have to do that ascent in the cold, dark night. Said informed us it takes people about 1.5 hours to just go from Barafu to Kosovo at night.
The path was very flat from here on but we were fully exposed to the elements. We got our first break after about an hour of trekking. After this we continued on through the alpine desert where we saw vegetation slowly making its way back into our line of sight. Everlasting flowers were once again plentiful. We kept walking but the decline was barely visible. The math was mathing in my head. If we had to descent 10k+ feet from Kosovo and we are mostly walking on flat ground, that meant we had a steep descent ahead of us somewhere.
We took our second break at Millennium camp around the 2-hour mark. Yves and I went and sat under the shade of the ranger station while Armani and Said sat under a tree. They were not even asking us if we wanted to proceed now. We were making great time and I think they wanted us to have our breaks. What a contrast to that morning! Finally Yves asked if we should get going? Fine! if we must!
The path from Millennium camp onwards was SO dusty. It was like someone took bags of powdered (icing) sugar and threw it all over. It was that fine! Soon we came to uneven, rocky and step like terrain. We started chatting about travel. Where we have been on each continent, PTO etc. It felt like the first time we could chat on the trail without being out of breath. Said kept moving us forward. The path now reminded me a lot of the hiking trails of Torres del Paine in Chilean Patagonia and Los Glaciares in Argentinian Patagonia. We got one more break somewhere down that path. After a while it was my turn to ask if we could get going. I looked over and saw a steep, rocky, uneven descent. UGH! Does this day ever end?
My knees were now in so much pain. The left was compensating for the right and was equally hurting. I asked Armani how much longer and he said 3 minutes. About 10 minutes from then I asked him why we were not there yet and he laughed and said oh I meant 30 and not 3. A CRUEL joke!!! Finally, after what seemed like forever (it was 4 hours), we made it to Mweka Camp, 14 hours after officially waking up for the summit! Ali was ready for us but this time he offered to wash our shoes! It was the kindest gesture.
When we were going down, Armani asked us if we would still come for dinner. Yves and I both said of course! I was hungry already! He said that some people just skip dinner after the long day. We made plans to be there for popcorn and then dinner. I kept my alarm for 4:30 p.m. and didn’t even hear it go off. I don’t think I have ever missed an alarm in my life before! It did wake poor Yves up and I felt so bad but, in my defense, I don’t know why our tents were so close together and tied up in a relatively large campground. I turned off the alarm and tried to move but I just couldn’t. I tried several times actually, but my body just said NO! So, I stared at the roof of the tent for the next 45ish minutes.
Armani was already there when I went into the mess tent. We did tell him we should show up at 4:30 and we both didn’t! I did feel bad, but I think he was used to it? Dinner was excellent as always and I enjoyed what was officially our ‘last supper’ on the mountain.
Kilimanjaro Trek – Day 8
- Starting point – Mweka camp
- Starting elevation – 3100 meters/10170 feet
- Distance – 11KM/6.8 miles
- Ending point – Mweka gate
- Ending elevation – 1640 meters/5380 feet
When the “knock, knock” came today, I woke up feeling quite good. It was the first time that I had slept like a rock throughout the entire night. It was also so much warmer this morning than all the previous ones. I didn’t find myself hiding under my sleeping bag for a few more minutes. Not only was I was up with gusto, I even recorded a quick vlog to show what camp looked like. I took a picture holding up my hiking boots and told myself I was officially hanging up my hiking boots on extreme altitude hikes (nothing above 16k).
Of course I was late once again for breakfast. Ashi came to my tent with his usual “breakfast is ready” to which I always replied with “almost done”. He helped me get my backpack out of the tent and told me to leave the duffel inside that he would get it. I didn’t pay attention to him pouring the porridge today because I got more than 2 ladles but I topped it up with quite a bit of Nutella. The Nutella wasn’t frozen this morning! I had single handedly finished about 1/3rd of the bottle but I was glad to see Yves also eating some today.
After breakfast, the team gave us an official goodbye. They sang and danced for us. Armani gave us a speech and Yves and I reciprocated. The team was truly the best and this made such a big difference. I knew I would miss them (still do).
After this we set off. We had about 10 km to cover today with official guidance saying it would take us anywhere from 3-4 hours to cover it. It was all downhill from the get go. We left the moorland zone and within a minute or two were back in the rainforest zone.
Within minutes we re-entered the rainforest zone, where roots, mud, and slippery ground replaced rocks and scree. For once, being short had an advantage: I could use my trekking poles to anchor myself before stepping down steep or muddy patches.
We passed porters sprinting down the mountain with supplies and others heading up for resupply. Black-and-white colobus monkeys swung overhead, seemingly unaware of us. The humidity was heavy now, and layers came off quickly.
Said was leading today and I asked him if we could double the speed on the flat bits. I was quite done and couldn’t stop thinking of that warm shower. We also overtook several groups on the way down. Said and Armani told us that we were almost done but after being tricked yesterday, I wasn’t all that sure anymore.
We came to the end of the descent and had a flat path ahead of us now. It was wide enough for all of us to walk together. The path was lined with beautiful wild flowers and trees and Yves and I stopped to take pictures. Finally, 2 hours and 45 minutes after leaving camp, we got to the Mweka Gate.
We took pictures with the signpost and Armani escorted us to the ranger station where we officially signed off the mountain! Yves and I then sat outside for a bit until Armani got our certificates ready.
There was Wi-Fi at the gate. For the first time in eight days, I reconnected with the outside world. Messages from friends poured in, worried because I hadn’t shared daily updates as I had during EBC. I had told only my mother and my boss (because she explicitly asked me) to follow Ian Taylor’s Instagram for live updates. Perhaps my silence was also a shield against the fear of failure.
Once Armani collected our certificates, we got back on the bus with our crew and left the gate. I looked out the window as soon as we left the gate and I saw a busy market just outside. It hit me for the first time that we were back in civilization. It felt weird, chaotic and jarring. I immediately wanted to run back up the mountain. We drove for about 3 minutes and then stopped at the place where we were going to have lunch. Our final lunch consisted of chicken, potatoes (Yves’ favorite) and avocado salad!! They remembered!! (ok, I spoke about it everyday! but still!).
Once we were done with lunch we got back on the bus and had a 3 hour drive back to Arusha. Mount Meru was still in our line of sight. Yves and I made plans to get dinner and drinks later that evening back in the hotel.
Once at the hotel, we got our certificates and said our last goodbyes to the team. If you are keeping count this is now the 3rd time that I was checking in to the same hotel!! I collected my valuables including my precious Dyson and headed to the room. I opened the room door as my bags were brought up by the hotel staff and who opens the door on the opposite side of the corridor at the same time? Yves!! It was really funny! At least we wouldn’t hear zip, zip, zip tonight!
I showered and shampooed my hair 3 times! It was truly disgusting but not at all surprising given how much dust there was on the trail! After being around 16 dudes with no showers and in the harshest conditions, I just wanted to feel feminine again, so I put on a dress, make up and slapped on a pair of high heels even though it hurt to walk in them!
Kilimanjaro Trek – Post
The next morning I flew to Zanzibar. Sitting at the gate, I scrolled through my photos, favoriting the ones I’d upload later. Two Australian women chatted nearby, and it felt strange to be leaving Arusha—as though part of me was still on the mountain. Up until then though I hadn’t processed any of the emotions I was feeling. I was consciously pushing it away.
Then Yves sent me a message: our last photo together. Seeing it reminded me that the trek was truly over. I looked up, and just then the plane on the runway shifted, revealing Mount Meru in all its glory. That was the moment it hit me.. The whole experience, the months of training, what I put my body through, the pain in my knees, the traumatic summit night but most importantly the mountain itself. With the omnipresent Mount Meru in the foreground, I finally let the emotions catch up to me.
Now, almost a month later, something still feels missing. You see, I am an islander, born and raised surrounded by the Indian Ocean. The sea calms my soul. But the mountains? The mountains always beckon, drawing me back each time.
Will I keep the promise I made to my body—that I’d never climb above 16,000 feet again? I don’t know yet. Time will tell.
For now though, I will live with the memories of an epic trek up to the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. And when things get tough in life, I hope I’ll always remember how I conquered this mountain; Head down..one foot in front of the other.
Want to read more about my review of Ian Taylor Trekking? Check out this post HERE
I have posts about other hikes from all over the world! Check them out HERE!
Photo credits – Some pictures were taken by Armani and Yves.
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