October 5, 2019

Harry and team checked in one last time from the Farmhouse Lodge. Classic lodge/restaurant below Ngorongoro and an absolutely great spot to wrap up the trip.

IMG team enjoying a wonderful meal at the Farmhouse (Harry Hamlin)

They finished the safari portion of their trip exploring the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater. It’s just all pretty special. An easy day after lunch back to Kilimanjaro International Airport with a stop in Arusha for a bit of repacking and a bit of shopping prior to flights home.

Thanks and congratulations to all our climbers and let’s do this again in December when Phunuru Sherpa heads back with another IMG team at the holidays.

Phil Ershler

October 4, 2019

Another of the Big Five (Harry Hamlin)

The team spent a full day game viewing and moving through the Serengeti in our private safari vehicles. It went about as well as one could expect with many sightings, including 8 cheetah.  Ngorongoro Crater with a stop beforehand at Oldavai Gorge will keep the team busy today. Their last night together will be just below the Crater at a place called the Farmhouse.

Nice way to end a nice trip!

Phil Ershler

October 3, 2019

Harry sent us good news and a couple of great photos.  Day 1 of their safari is complete. Day 1 is always exciting, especially when totally relaxed after a great climb and you start seeing so many of the Big Five on even the first day!  The elephant photo he sent is a good example.  All’s good, everyone’s ‘jacked’ and looking forward to another day as they work their way through the Serengeti and onwards towards Ngorongoro.

And check out the ‘star’ photo from the climb which Harry was able to send.  Pretty cool.

All is about as good as possible in Tanzania!!

Phil Ershler

October 2, 2019

Great climb, great success, and now it’s time or a great safari. The Kili team is Serengeti bound and will likely have seen a good chunk of what the East African safari experience has to offer by the time their first day is over. How can they be in anything other than great spirits?  Travel Tip – don’t climb Kilimanjaro and not allow a couple of day for safari.  3 nights is about perfect!

Let’s see what Harry and team have to say about their first day of game viewing.

Phil Ershler

September 30, 2019

IMG senior guide Harry Hamlin called on the sat phone from Mweka Camp (about 11,000 feet) to report that the Kili team had finished their descent and were all doing well, and that they had a perfect day for their climb to the Roof of Africa!  They started climbing at midnight and hit Stella Point (the crater rim) just as the sun was coming up.   Then, they continued on around the rim of the crater to the tippy tippy top, at Uhuru Peak.  Their descent went smoothly back down to Barafu where they had a nice rest and got packed up before continuing on down to the thick air at Mweka.

Tomorrow they will finish their descent down through the forest to the Mweka Gate where they will pay off the porters and get picked up for the drive down to the hotel in Moshi for a late lunch, showers and some beers (maybe not in that order).  In the evening the team will have a well-earned celebration dinner with their Chagga guides, and then the next morning they will be off to Serengeti for the safari.

Well done team!

Eric Simonson