Day 3: Climb to Machame Camp

MOUNTAIN ROUTE OVERVIEW

Our group will start climbing after registering in the National Park’s Climber Log and eating lunch. They’ll start hiking on a forest road through the rain forest – which is why it’s wet and humid climate where they start climbing. To the right and left of the road are Mount Kilimanjaro’s giant red germs and impatiens. The path will get narrower and steeper as it winds through the rainforest. After another hour of hiking, the landscape will start changing as they enter the moorland zone and approach their first camp. Upon arriving at camp, porters will welcome them with a tent that’s already pitched and hot tea with biscuits. After resting, they’ll debrief about the following day’s climb and eat dinner. If the weather is good, they’ll see a beautiful sunset and catch a glimpse of the first snow-capped peak of Kibo!!

MOUNTAIN ROUTE STATS

Starting elevation 6,000 feet

Ending elevation 9,900 feet

Elevation gain 3,900 feet

Distance hiked 6 miles

Average hiking time 6 to 7 hours

The day started with a 2-3 hour drive to the Machame Gate. From there we had lunch before starting our ascend. Talk of nerves and excitement of beginning our trek were going around all day. What a wonderful group we have. One of our amazing guides, John, sets the pace.

Pole. Pole. (Slowly, slowly). As we start our ascent up the mountain. One foot in front of the other. We give out a friendly “Jambo” to the occasional porters passing us on the trail. And oh how they pass us! Carrying 10x what we are. It does not go unnoticed, we are all simply in awe and grateful for each and every one of them.

Every once and a while it hits me. “Oh wow, I’m in Africa. Oh wow, I’m climbing this mountain!” I can’t think about the top yet, I just have to concentrate on one foot in front of the other. Our climb is all forest today with beautiful tree cover. John tells us about the local vegetation. All of a sudden the trees start to thin out and we come off the path to a patch of tall grass within the clouds. We made it to our camp! The porters have everything set up, and it is a beautiful site.

Oh… and Matt did great!!

⁃ Emily Scott