Travel stories

“You are strong enough, this is your mind game.”

Tanzania, Arusha 30 -31 December 2024

Landing here is a kind of homecoming. It smells wonderfully of sweet fruit, African orange earth, mixed with wood fires … and the sultry evening air wraps itself wonderfully around me. The customs officer is always up for a nice chat. “Are you going on safari?” he asks. Uh “No, I’m going to try to climb Kilimanjaro.” His eyes 👀 almost roll out … and then he says with his beautiful smile and twinkle in his eyes. “You’re going to climb it to the top, you have to believe in it and the mountain will take you there …” “Okay boss” I say and we both have to laugh. Outside I find Babu with his orange Explore Tanzania sign. We chat nicely in the van and after 40 minutes of nighttime Africa we arrive at African View Lodge. Where I can stay in the cozy Tree House, safari tent in the tree.

I still have to repack my bag… because what do you put in your daypack (as little as possible but enough to keep yourself dry in a downpour in the jungle) and what does the porter hop up the mountain for you. In the morning you give him your stuff and then he leaves and in the evening at camp you don’t see your stuff again… In the afternoon Isaac comes to meet me and gives me letters for the hike… super sweet gentle man who has lost count of how many times he has conquered Kili. Together we check all the stuff in the temperature range +30C to -20C… from flashlight 🔦, toilet paper, poncho, sunglasses to gloves. Check, check, double check…

Tanzania, Kilimanjaro: Lemosho gate 2100m – Mkubwa forest camp 2650m, 01 January 2025

Today is the start of the climb. I am picked up by Isaac in a van. When we arrive at Lemosho gate, it is chaos with unloading the gear. Our dream team is already on its way to the first camp. It is bizarre how strong these guys are … hop 20 kg on your head and go. We walk through 60 shades of green on a well-maintained hiking trail. After 2 hours and 20 minutes we have climbed about 550 and covered 7 km and we have arrived at Mkubwa forest camp at 2650m. Mkubwa forest camp has a nice sheltered location between the trees. The porters have already set up the entire camp. My nice tent is ready with a mattress and a portable toilet.

Tanzania, Kilimanjaro: Mkubwa forest camp 2650m – Shira I camp 3610m, 02 January 2025

We start our walk still in the tropical rainforest, although the vegetation changes to large trees and low bushes. When we take a break after a good climb, our Dream Team catches up with us one by one … and after an hour we exchange the forest for moonland. Low vegetation that can take a beating. The weather is perfect and the view is also great. In the distance we can clearly see the smaller brother of Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru. We eventually arrive at elephant back, a beautiful mountain ridge and in the meantime the clouds are below us and we have views on two sides. One last climb and around the bend … there it is, Kili in the distance on the Shira plateau and Shira 1 camp. I have a slight headache, which fortunately goes away after 3 cups of tea and a nice carbohydrate-rich lunch. If you had no symptoms at all I would be worried says Iscaac because everyone suffers and needs to acclimatize.

Tanzania, Kilimanjaro: Shira I camp 3610m – Shira II camp 3850m , 03 January 2025

Today we have a 10 km walk over the Shira plateau ahead of us. With only a small climb of 250m to 3850m at Shira 2 camp. A good way to acclimatize quietly and a beautiful walk with Kilimanjaro as a backdrop on the left and Shira chatedral on the right. When we are busy with the last part, the clouds roll over the mountain ridge and in no time everything is shrouded in a kind of thick fog. The porters are of course already there and busy setting up the camp. Two large black and white ravens are sitting suspiciously close to Elbariki in the hope of picking up some of the lunch. After lunch everyone dives back into their tents for a nap and just as I lie down, it starts to rain … wonderful to fall asleep like that.

Around dinner time the weather clears up and the Uhuru peak … the highest point of the Kili is also clearly visible.

Tanzania, Kilimanjaro: Shira II camp 3850m – Lava Tower 4600m – Baranco camp 3900m , 04 January 2025

A tough day ahead, a total of 10 km to get used to a new altitude. The weather is clear in the morning and Kilimanjaro looks beautiful. We climb to 4600 the first 7 km and have lunch at the lava tower. From the beautiful moonland we now end up in the bare rocky alpine desert. It takes us 3 hours … the last 100m of climbing is a struggle … step by step and I feel some pressure on my head … Isaac is not impressed. “This is right, if you don’t feel it you are lying.” The boys have set up a mini lunch camp there. What a luxury … we have a mandatory hour lunch break to acclimatize. After lunch it is another two hours walk to the most beautiful campsite ever. Baranco Campsite. For dinner, pizza is baked by our cook. Really fantastic what that boy conjures up every time.

Tanzania, Kilimanjaro: Baranco camp 3900m – Karanga camp 3995m , 05 January 2025

After breakfast it is time to climb the Great Baranco wall. The walking sticks tied to the bag because it will be 300 meters of climbing and scrambling on hands and feet. Isaac carefully searches for the ideal route and I clamber after him. The reward, an amazing view at 4200 m is more than worth this mountain goat stage. Then we descend through the valley, walk over the next mountain ridge, then steeply down again and as a dessert steeply up to Karanga camp at 3995.

Tanzania, Kilimanjaro: Karanga camp 3995m – Barafu camp 4673m , 06 January 2025

The penultimate stage of 4 km goes to Barafu camp ⛺️ at 4673 m. It is another beautiful day. In the meantime we have renamed ourselves to the slow snails 🐌. Real “pole pole” is your best friend … it can’t go slow enough. The top of Kili is clear and is getting closer and bigger. We walk through the dusty Alpine Desert and after almost 3 hours step by step we arrive.

Lunch and then relax and try to sleep … because at 23:00 we will get ready to reach the summit at 00:00 warmly dressed and with headlamps.

Tanzania, Kilimanjaro: Barafu camp 4673m – Stella point 5756m – Uhuru Peak 5895m, 07 January 2025

Isaac’s rules:
“Never try to watch where you still have to go.”
“Never ask how long does it still take.”
“You are strong enough, healthy and not to worry about altitude sickness, this is your mind game.”
“Only watch my steps”
If you do so – it will break you, because the top is not getting closer to you, you only going further away from the top.”

There we go step by step … from 4673m to 5895m (it says 7 hours for 4km) … you can really only see where your light is shining, because it is pitch black. That is how I go from matra, to singing to mindfucks. The last 100 meters to Stella point have a gradient of between 40-60% and you have already been there for 6 hours …. that is another hour to Stella point or I can drop now and just roll back to camp. We go from foot by foot … to toe by toe …. And 2 steps up is also one back in the grit …

Well, then I had had enough … the reason I reached the top is Isaac … with his pep talk, hugs, strictness (you did not do 6 hours to here and then quit) but especially his love. We plough through the snow the last 200 meters. Step by step we get closer … and then after 8:21 minutes we stand at the highest point: Uhuru peak 5895 where I will ever stand with my feet on the ground in this life, above the clouds. In the meantime Isaac has told his secret … this was the 502 time that he reached the top and he has the record … Because if you don’t know, you can’t get over it … is his motto …

Tanzania, Kilimanjaro: Uhuru Peak 5895m – Stella point 5756m – Barafu camp 4673m -, 07 January 2025

And then another 3 hours down … with wobbly legs and trembling knees from fatigue … Not amused at all … euphoria was gone for a while … We are back at camp around 12:00 and I can’t say anything anymore. The crew is very happy for me that I made it to the top and are cheering when I shuffle into camp.

We break camp because we are sleeping at Millennium camp tonight … or still 2 hours to go. The boys catch up with us, hopping with the 20 kg bags on their heads. And rush down. When we arrive, the entire camp is already ready …. Elbariki makes a nice vegetable curry from the leftovers and at 19:00 we dive into bed exhausted … to wake up at 5:00 in the same position.

Tanzania, Kilimanjaro: Millenium camp 3950m – Mweka gate 1640m, 08 January 2025

The last day … up early … for another 15 km to Mweka gate … my legs are working again … After 75 km in the legs we reach the end point of our crazy adventure … Mweka gate. There we have to report to the rangers and you get your certificate. All the stuff is loaded … I hug all the boys together … what a sweet nice gang of crooks to have with you on the mountain. Some take the bus and Julius, Elbariki and Isaac go with us to Moshi. Hello dear Isaac … besides being a guide it was great to have you as a mental coach and to give me an insight into how you can love your mountain.