Mount Kilimanjaro climb: day 1

Monday, March 24 - Marangu gate to Mandara Hut

It was definitely rainy season. It had rained all night before we left, and we all nervously looked at the gray sky. The staff at Marangu hotel all seemed reassuring, but it did not comfort us.

In the morning, our team of porters and guides was introduced to us by the Marangu Hotel. The weight limit is emphasized at 15 kg per porter and the bags are placed in waterproof bags that they carry. All kitchen utensils and food were supplied. Our chief guide was called Tafaeli, he was very experienced, a tall proud Tanzanian aged at least 60. His son was also one of the guides. Here is a line-up of the porters and all the stuff they carry:



Desmond’s sister fitted us with walking sticks and we jumped into our vehicle taking us to the Marangu gates.


Georgie and Mick in front of the panel indicating the five vegetation zones to expect on the climb – it’s like going from the Equator to the North Pole (or home this winter :) )(thanks Georgie for the pic)


Off we went through the gates of the park: (thanks Georgie for the pic)


The hike to Mandara Hut was nice and gentle – a mere three hours, to acclimatize. It is done through equatorial rainforest. It rained, but the canopy protected us for the time being. (thanks Kendra for the pic)


We made it to Mandara Hut happy and sound. (Thanks Georgie for the pic)


Fluffy, woolly monkeys found at Mandara Hut – we called them Skunky Monkeys. (They are in fact Eastern Black & White Colobus monkeys according to the Lonely Planet) We were too busy taking pictures of them right over us, in the trees, to realize that they were also peeing and pooping from the tree above – onto us! (thanks Jenni for the pic)


We spent the night at Mandara Hut after a nice three-course dinner prepared by our crew. Each dinner had nice, warm, tasty soup that we all devoured, and then good stuff like pasta and meat to sustain us. The food was great. Except for Melissa who was carrying some stomach flu from before, nobody really showed much signs of altitude sickness. We religiously took our Diamox.