Travel stories

We reached the roof of Africa

The trip went very smoothly, and we were outside the airport within 15 minutes. We had applied for our visas online, and they were approved after about four weeks. Upon arrival at the airport, we immediately withdrew Tanzanian shillings for a tip for the crew later. This also went smoothly. It was great to immediately see an Explore Tanzania sign, and the transfer was waiting for us.

Another day at the beautiful Rivertrees Country Inn; you immediately feel like you’re immersed in the stunning Tanzanian countryside. Various monkeys and beautiful birds. Beautiful hotel rooms in cottages, and a fantastic atmosphere. But enough luxury, now ready for 9 days of the Northern Circuit to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro. After meeting the guide and a final gear check, we’re picked up the next morning. A whole crew of 11 people accompanies us up the mountain to make this private climb a success. Everyone is enthusiastic and looking forward to it.

We load our gear onto the roof of the van and head towards the starting point. We even see giraffes in the distance! The Northern Circuit is exactly what we’d hoped for. A beautiful, peaceful route with plenty of acclimatization days to reach the summit. You walk through all the different natural landscapes and see Kilimanjaro getting closer and closer. After our first night at Big Tree Camp, we practically have all the campsites to ourselves. The hikes for the first six days are manageable (and no, we’re not super athletic), and we enjoy our free afternoons. Sitting on a folding chair in front of the tent with a hot chocolate and enjoying the view—a real vacation feeling!

The chef surprises us every day with delicious meals, and they taste so good! The guides are keeping a close eye on our health; we’re feeling great. We’re taking Diamox and have (almost) no side effects.
Then comes the exciting summit night! We decided to start a bit later to avoid the worst of the cold. A perfect idea, so we got up at 3:00 am and left at 4:00 am. This meant only two more hours of walking in the dark, after which we were slowly warmed by the sun. Around noon, we finally reached the summit, which wasn’t easy. Your perseverance, both physically and mentally, is truly tested, and I often wondered what I’d gotten myself into ;-)
But then you see the sign, and I thought, “Put it a bit further away…” Phew… but we made it! And we reached the very top ourselves. We’ve reached “The Roof of Africa.” I don’t know whether to laugh or cry, but the feeling is indescribable, and the view is breathtaking!

After the necessary photos and videos, it was time to descend, and boy, that was quite tough. Millennium Camp seemed like it would never come into view, but stopping wasn’t an option, so we kept going! Around 6:30 pm, we finally reached camp. We couldn’t feel our knees or toes anymore, but that didn’t matter, because we did it!
A quick bite to eat and then off to the tent for a good night’s sleep. And we did well. The next day we were already a bit stiff, but there was still a lot more to descend. It was the last day. Our knees were struggling, but the prospect of returning to Rivertrees kept us going. And then there’s the end of a fantastic adventure, a wonderful evening at Rivertrees with a glass of bubbly to celebrate the victory!

To the Explore Tanzania team, our entire crew, everyone, thank you so much for this unforgettable experience!

Hakuna Matata and Pole Pole!