We climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2010
Meet the Climbers
Jeremy is an avid backpacker, climber and mountaineer based in San Jose, CA. Kilimanjaro is his second trip to Africa, but the first time on a peak above 14,500ft.
Greg hails from Sunnyvale, CA where he backpacks, rock climbs, and cycles. Greg doesn’t get frostbite, Greg bites frost.
Matt is a native Kentuckian, so he’s used to “mountains” around 1,200 feet high. Wish him luck to go much higher!
Brian, the crew’s lead drummer, is the only native Californian in our crew. Brian can also start a campfire with a magnifying glass. At night.
Itinerary
Tuesday the 3rd 13ft / 4m
Depart California
Depart SFO at 6:10am PST, land in Minneapolis (MSP) at 11:53am CDT, depart MSP at 3:25pm CDT for Amsterdam(AMS)
Wednesday the 4th 4,500ft / 1,372m
Arrive in Tanzania
Land in AMS at 6:35am CEST, depart AMS at 11:00am CEST, arrive in Kilimanjaro (JRO) at 8:25pm EAT. Check into DikDik Lodge
Thursday the 5th 4,500ft / 1,372m
Rest Day
Relax at the lodge, day hike, catch up on sleep, gear check
Friday the 6th 9,750ft / 2,972m
Machame Gate to Machame Camp
Hike through tropical forest from the lesser used Machame Gate. Lunch on the trail. Columbus monkeys to keep us company.
Saturday the 7th 12,480ft / 3,804m
Machame Campe to Shira Plateau
Trek through Kilimanjaro’s “Cloud Forest” amoungst giant lobelia and senecia. Camp above the clouds.
Sunday the 8th 12,850ft / 3,917m
Shira Plateau to Braranco Camp
Acclimitization day. Ascend the Lava Tower up at 14,000ft and then drop down to Baranco Camp to take in killer views.
Monday the 9th 14,950ft / 4,557m
Barranco Campe to Barafu Camp
Skirt the base of Kibo Peak, down into Karanga Valley, and back up the side to Brafu Hut.
Tuesday the 10th 18,500ft / 5,639m
Barafu Camp to High Crater Camp
Early morning start before sunrise to the edge of the crater floor where the snow awaits us. Take in the stars on a moonless night from 18,500ft.
Wednesday the 11th 19,340ft / 5,895m
Summit Day!
Leave camp under moonlight to the top of the crater rim and then to Uhuru Summit, the highest point in Africa, to watch the sunrise over Africa and see the morning clouds roll in. Descend down to Mweke Camp.
Thursday the 12th 10,500ft / 3,200m
Mweke Camp to Lodge
Short or long hike, depending on how much rain there is, off the mountain and back to the lodge to rest up and prepare for the safari.
Friday the 13th 3,500ft / 1,067m
Tarangire National Park
Begin the long drive to Tarangire and see wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, buffalo, eland, elephant, oryx and hartebeest at the only river for thousands of miles.
Saturday the 14th 3,400ft / 1,036m
Lake Eyasi
Visit with the Hadzabe tribe, last of the hunter/gatherer bushmen in Tanzania, and walk, hunt and gather before spending the night at their camp.
Sunday the 15th 5,500ft / 1,676m
Ngorongoro Crater
Spot lion, cheetah, black rhino and hippo, thousand-strong herds of wildebeest, zebra and buffalo and explore the 600m deep crater and camp with elephants
Monday the 16th 4,400ft / 1,341m
Olduvai Gorge and then home
Stop in at the Craddle of Humanity to learn about Dr. Leakey’s research into human history and then leave JRO at at 9:30pm EAT
Tuesday the 17th 13ft / 4m
Arrive Home!
Arrive in at AMS for 7:40am CEST. Depart AMS at 2:40pm CEST, arrive in MSP at 4:35pm CDT. Depart MSP at 6:55pm CDT, arrive into SFO for 8:59pm PST. Home!