First tour over and I thought I would write about what I've done so far...
The tour started in Arusha which is in the NE of Tanzania and in 4x4s we head west into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area which is over 6000 km2, originally part of the Serengeti National Park but was sectioned off in 1959 to provide an area for the protection of wild animals while allowing habitation of the indigenous Maasai - making it unique in Tanzania. The area has a number of volcanoes and craters due to its proximity with the Great Rift Valley, one volcano still active (Ol Doniyo Lengai) which last erupted in September 2007. The most famous feature is the Ngorongoro Crater, which is the world's largest unbroken, unflooded caldera. This caldera was formed when the volcano collapsed on itself 2.5 million years ago and now is full of wild animals - including the 'big 5' and the highest density of mammalian predators in Africa. We drove into the caldera for a game drive and saw a huge number of animals including the incredibly rare Black Rhinos, hippos, lions, zebra, African buffalo, elephants, wildebeest, Thomson's Gazelle, flamingos, vultures, eagles, crowned cranes, superb starlings, ostrich...
On to our camp which was just outside a Maasai village and the following day we hiked across the Embulbul Depression with a Maasai guide and armed ranger, following the herds of cattle and goats being sent across the plains for a days grazing. Onto Bulati where we visited the local primary school where the children walk for many kilometres to get there and with 600 kids and 9 teachers it was a busy place! Next we head over to the Empaakai Crater and hiked down through the rainforest into the crater to see the pink hues of the flamingos.
Back across the Ngorongoro crater for another game drive and on towards Arusha National Park which is the second smallest NP in Tanzania where instantly we saw a herd of Maasai Giraffe really close to the path which was amazing as they have to be my favourite animal. We spent a few days in this NP climbing approximately 1000m per day through forest filled with Black and White Colobus Monkeys until reaching our last hut at 3500m for our summit attempt of Mount Meru at 4566m high. Starting out at 2am we head off with our head torches climbing steeply up and across boulders, ash and scree to reach the summit at 8am. This was a tough climb as there were a number of false summits and with the altitude kicking in, your body feels so drained its difficult to take each step. We all made it which was fabulous with incredible sunrise views of Kilimanjaro and the ash cone in the crater of Meru. This was perfect acclimatising practise for Kili next week...
Back down to 800m for a well earned night in Moshi Hotel and a shower! Next day on to Kilimanjaro National Park. Our trek took us 6 days along the Machame route from the West which is the most beautiful route but also the most difficult! Due to Kili's equatorial location as well as its altitude, we head up through different climate zones: first through montane forest filled with huge ferns and Impatiens Kilimanjari - small red flowers found nowhere else on earth, then through scrubland and moorland with giant heathers, giant Sinesia and giant lobelias and into the alpine zone - a lunar-type landscape. All the time camping along the route in very basic sites usually filled with rocks - thank heavens for a Thermarest!! The food was amazing considering the conditions in which they had to produce food. The climb to this point was not overly difficult due to the slow pace which you have to go to allow your body to acclimatise as well as not exhausting yourself out before you attempt the summit. 'Pole Pole' as they say - 'slowly slowly' in Swahili! We had 2 days of snow which made it incredibly beautiful up there but also meant people were a little wet around the edges before really reaching the hardest part. An early night to try and get some rest before the summit attempt and we head off at 11:30pm in snow. The climb was long and steep along rock and scree and the head torches on the rocks above only showed you how much more there was to climb. It was totally exhausting, every step hurt and ached, the oxygen couldn't get into your lungs quick enough and nausea and headaches were kicking in. We reached Stella Point and had a much earned cup of tea! Then on to the highest point - 'Uhuru' at 5895m getting there at 8.40am, ranked 4th highest in the world and surrounded by ice caps and glaciers. An amazing experience but we were all keen to descend to shake off the altitude sickness and get some rest!! I was so pleased that my whole group of 14 made it to the top, ages from me at 26 to the oldest at 68. Even though 14,000 people attempt the mountain each year, only 40% make it. I was also glad that I managed to do it without using Diamox (a drug which hides altitude effects) as in my opinion thats cheating - like a runner winning a race on steroids!!
Back down to Moshi for the first shower in a week and presentation of certificates!!
Fabulous 2 weeks, never worked so hard in my life - having to do all the hiking and climbing as well as organising everything along the way. A few days off now before climbing Kili again on Friday - although the easiest route this time so it'll be good to see the mountain from the East!!
Well my second trip is over with and now I have a week to recover and relax on the beautiful island of Zanzibar. Here's how the last 3 weeks have gone....
The group arrived and I was pleased with how chatty they were and how well they were getting along and then I realise that 10 of the 16 are friends from home and out to celebrate a 50th birthday! So instantly the group got along and were lively which always helps matters.
Our first adventure was to climb Kilimanjaro. This time we approached form the Kenyan side to the NE along the Rongai route which is considered the easiest camping route. It was very different to the other side of the mountain - flatter and more gradual climate zones but a very attractive route nonetheless. Accompanying us we had 34 porters lugging our bags and equipment, 1 cook, 4 assistant guides and 1 head guide. Amazing to see these porters run past you carrying at least 15kgs on their head or neck! I was slightly concerned about a guy in our group who was heavily overweight, although he was strong and a good walker; he was slow and over 20 stone! The camp sites are all quite similar, bare soil and rocks with a shed used as a toilet with a hole in the floor for a 'long drop' loo, although some were more like 'short drops'! Our cook and team would always run ahead and have our tents and mess tent up and ready with hot drinks and popcorn ready for our arrival. Summit night was tough, although having climbed it already I noticed an improvement in altitude symptoms but it’s still such a tough climb. The large man and his lady stayed at the last camp site so 14 attempted the climb. 4 people got ill on the way up, around 5000m, with vomiting, dizziness or exhaustion and I sent each person down with an assistant guide. Our water supplies froze despite necessary precautions, it was so cold! Finally, 10 of my group made it to the crater rim and 7 went on to the peak. Exhausting journey, but worth it for the views.
Back to Moshi for a well earned shower and off for safari!
Our safari started in the Serengeti - the name is derived from the Maasai word 'Serengit' which means 'endless plains'. The Serengeti has a huge variety of habitats which is why it can support such a diversity of animals and birds – hosting the world’s largest and longest overland migration. The first Britain came here in 1913 and shot 50 lions in 3 months so the British set up a game reserve which was the basis of the formation of the Serengeti National Park which became fully established in 1951. Totally incredible place. Lots of Masai giraffes - we saw a group of 11 at one point - beautiful animals. We also saw lions, a rare glimpse as a Leopard walked past our vehicle and saw a couple more in the trees, and a herd of Elephants next to our landrover. Also a hippo pool with about 100 enormous hippos grunting and cooling off! We saw 2 Cheetahs which is amazing in itself and they posed on top of a mound for us to photo. We followed them as they wandered along the plains. Then we noticed that the Cheetahs were walking low and one split from the other to proceed forward towards a group of reedbuck - they were hunting! The hunter lay low behind a mound and then struck!! Over in 13 seconds and the Cheetahs had caught an antelope! The hunter clung to its neck to suffocate the animal and they took turns to feed while the other one kept watch - they cannot defend their kill from other animals so have to eat fast before word gets round. What an incredible experience. Our drivers said it’s so rare to see a kill - there are 600 Cheetahs in the Serengeti and only 1 in 10 attacks are successful!!!!
On the way to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area we could see thousands of gazelles and wildebeest starting to migrate towards the Serengeti in pursuit of the rains. The Ngorongoro was incredible and we saw 13 lions move around with their cubs. Zebra and buffalo grazed around our camp on the rim :-)
Next we flew to Zanzibar, home of the slave trade but now a Muslim island and major exporter of spices. Up to the north coast to a small village called Nungwi to enjoy the beach life and see the traditional building of the Dhow ships. We went on a sunset cruise in a dhow and snorkelled which was amazing. Lots of beer. Slightly strange mix of tourism and the incredibly poor village. The average age of people who live in the village is only 20 years due to large numbers of children dying with malaria. Back to Stonetown for a town and spice tour and our final group meal before the group left. I was actually quite sad to see this group go as they have been so much fun and the first group that I would like to see again!!
Brilliant and now enjoying my week off - back up to the north coast for some scuba me thinks!!
