Kilimanjaro adventure - The Shira 8 day route

I'll let a picture or two speak a hundred words

2 groups of 12 Trekkers assembled & set off from Arusha's Ilburu Lodge, a surprisingly luxury launch point in a sea of shanty type buildings. Convoying East in 8 landrovers for 3 hours along firstly national (a one lane highways), then tracks & finally logging tracks we arrived at the far Western gate of Kilimanjaro National park; The Shira gate.

At the gate we had our packs weighed in, as you aren't allowed to have a porter carry more than 15kgs kit (sounds very colonial doesn't it!). A bureaucratic form filling exercise was mandatory for everyone & the AK47 carrying guard shortened any piss taking of jobs-worth


We spent 6 days trekking to acclimatise to the altitude. At +10,000ft most of us felt either headaches, dizziness or suffered sleeping problems. The scenery changed daily as we climbed firstly tropical rain forest then grasslands, tundra & finally rock desert. By day the sun was scorchingly fierce & I had to cover my skin to stop UV burn. Night time saw the ground freeze & the temperature hit -15C with wind chill.

The final day's Trek..... sorry 24 hour marathon was ..... "emotional."

Without doubt the physically hardest thing I've attempted doing in many many years. We set off at 12am & slogged up hill for 7 hours, breaking momentarily for 5 minutes just to snack (it was too cold to break longer). The effort was rewarded by the dawn lighting up the curvature of the earth & a panoramic picture that photographs just can't pay justice to.


I'd love to say I enjoyed the final push but it was a really painful, draining achievement. I think in reflection, that as the pain subsides the images & memories of the stunning scene remain. It was an amazing experience.