Mt. Kilimanjaro 2010

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!