July 19, 2023
Machame Camp (Phunuru Sherpa)
In the forest on Day 1 (Phunuru Sherpa)
Kassim Juma and Ang Jangbu with the team ready to depart! (Ang Jangbu)
Ang Jangbu reports that that the team departed Moshi on schedule this morning, for the drive up through the tea, banana, and coffee farms on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. At the Machame Gate they got checked in with the National Park and received their climbing permits. They had a bit of light drizzle in the morning as they ascended up through the rain forest, but the clouds cleared as the day progressed. After about five hours of hiking they reached the Machame Camp, near the treeline at about 9500 feet, and during the evening they had some peek-a-boo views of Kilimanjaro as the clouds cleared. Everyone is doing well and they had a nice first day on the trail. Tomorrow they will be heading up to the Shira Plateau. All’s well on Kilimanjaro!
Eric Simonson