The air feels extremely thin. Claire takes deep inhalations and blows out her lungs. “It is terribly cold”She says “I can’t feel anything except feel wretched about it.”
“I don’t think I can make it, Andy,”Claire sobs and collapses on top of a boulder. She chatters harder than canteen cutlery.
“No worry, you’ll make it,”He croons and wraps his arm around her shoulder to try to get her warm. “Not far now.”
Andy seems unaffected. He encourages Claire to climb the mountain, one step at time. Claire had been walking uphill from midnight. She reached the top but dawn hadn’t yet arrived. In the darkness, the snow sparkles an unsettling blue-white. My hands shake too hard to drink a cup of hot tea. Before it reaches my lips, the tea has been chucked over.
SNOWS of KILIMANJARO I am almost paralysed as I watch the sun slowly rise from the top of Africa’s tallest peak. The colourful displays are breathtaking. Next, I look around and see that the base camp is a distance away. Then it’s time to take some breaks before continuing my descent. After that, it’s just sliding over loose scree. It takes me less than 30 minutes to get to the base camp. The fire in the base camp is my last stop. “So was it worth it?”Andy asks Andy about his time as one of our party guide.
While it’s difficult to know, retrospect shows that yes. “It was worth it”. Adventurers, or people with a passion for adventure, view it as an important part of their lives. Ernest Hemingway, who wrote Kilimanjaro’s snows, left mystery and romance behind in his readers’ minds. For adventurous tourists, Kilimanjaro should be a top priority.
CLIMBING KILIMANJARO Kilimanjaro, which is a freestanding mountain rather than one within a range, is the highest point that can be climbed without any technical climbing ability. The glacial summit is free from the plains of Tanzania, and can be seen three degrees south of Equator.
It is only 15 miles between Kilimanjaro’s base and its summit in the Arctic. This distance makes it the fastest journey to reach the Arctic from the tropics. Walkers trek through the treacherous mud from dripping rain forests up to a realm full of primval heathers. They then cross a bouldered deserted area and arrive at the base camp, where wind blows ice and sun smothers your skin. Overnight, the final climb up to 19,000ft is completed from here.
Kilimanjaro is like Mount Everest. It’s now a constant two-way road. Out of all the many people climbing Kilimanjaro each year (excluding porters), only half make it to the top.
HIGH ALTITUDE SICKNESS Killimanjaro climbers have to be aware of. The climb to Kilimanjaro does not involve a struggle against the slopes. It is a fight against altitude sickness. It doesn’t matter if you fail to get it, it is a sign that you have good fitness. It is a pitiful thing to get it. One of my friends saw young, physically strong men fall to the ground while climbing down the mountainside.
The only thing that doctors will tell you is that there are no limitations to your ability to be cured. Headaches, nausea, disorientation, and breathlessness can all occur as soon as the climber reaches 8,000ft. It is important to climbers not to go too high or too fast, as your body will need time to adapt to less oxygen.
Mild symptoms above 10,000ft may be experienced by 75% of the population, however these symptoms will fade with consistent acclimatization.
The combination of low pressure and high altitude can cause capillary fluid leakage into the brain or lungs. The symptoms include a swollen throat, bloody mucus and a frothy stool.
Your altitude should increase by 1000ft per day after reaching 10,000ft. A rest day is scheduled for every 3,000ft. There are drugs that can be used to assist with breathing, but only descent will work.
The best thing about Kili is that you don’t need to be an expert mountaineer in order to climb it. It’s a joke among guides that it is sufficient training to play golf. But being fit and healthy is great.
ROUTES OF KILIMANJARO The mountain can be climbed in five different ways, with each route requiring different levels of skill. Marangu is the easiest route and has been called the “The Easy Way”. “Coca-Cola trail”Because of all the rubbish that is left behind, it has flush toilets as well as huts equipped with electricity.
The other routes are Shira (Mweka), Umbwe (Umbwe), and Machame. They require more stamina and special permits. You can trade for porterage and guides at Kili’s base, but you need to be careful as porters are often unreliable. People have reported being left without food or tents. The views from Umbwe, however, are spectacular.
Recommendations for clothing include anoraks that are water- and windproof. You can bring your tent.
The final answer is “No.” “was it worth it?”Yes, it was. The best part of my climb was the company of Andy and the conversation with the porters and guides.