Kilimanjaro: Day 5 - Rongai Route (Thu 21 Feb 2013)

Walk Information

Walk route: Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4310m) - Kibo Hut (4700m)

Ascent: 1,650ft

Click here for a map of the route

Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

With: KE Adventure / Tanzania Rift Valley Tours

Comment:

Today we crossed the Saddle, heading for Kibo Hut (4.700m), called base camp by the guides. Tomorrow is summit day? At 4,700m the air is thin and uphill walking is hard work because the lack of oxygen makes you short of breath. An early night tonight (in bed just after 6pm) as we are getting up at 11.30pm to start our ascent at midnight.

A thunderstorm starts at about 9pm and then the snow starts falling?

I did not get much sleep!

Photos

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SunriseA dusting of snow overnightGroup photoWe head downwards before upwardsKiboLooking across Kibo SaddleApproaching the airplane wreckageThe remains of the cockpit of the Cessna 206 that crashed in November 2008...and the wingsLooking back to Mawenzi, the rocks in the foreground are lava bombsAnother view back to Mawenzi from the SaddleThe path to Kibo HutTomorrow's ascent route, the 3,000ft plus scree slope to the rim can be seen right of centreApproaching Kibo HutWe reach Kibo HutKibo HutNot mens and womens but tourists left and porters rightKibo HutMawenzi from Kibo HutThe cloud rolls in985m to the rim, that's 3,231ft of scree to climb in the early hours of tomorrowClouds

previous walk - Wed 20 Feb 2013 - Kilimanjaro: Day 4 - Rongai Route (Acclimatisation Day)

next walk - Fri 22 Feb 2013 - Kilimanjaro: Day 6 - Summit

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