July 3, 2017
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- Chagga staff celebratory song at Mweka Gate (Dustin Balderach)
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- Descending into the clouds (Dustin Balderach)
Congrats to the Kilimanjaro Team on being 100% successful on reaching Uhuru, the highest point of Kilimanjaro. Also, congrats to IMG guide Craig John, for his 25th  Kili summit. That is quite a milestone! The Team had perfect weather and conditions for their climb up to the summit and then back down to Mweka Camp (~10,000 feet). Everyone did well—their training and hard work paid off as they stood on the Roof of Africa this morning!
They will sleep soundly tonight down in the (relatively) thick air of Mweka Camp. The trees and humidity of the forest are welcome after many days spent above tree line. There will be no difficulty falling asleep tonight for the Team. It’ll be a quick, 3-hour walk out to the Mweka Gate tomorrow morning where our shuttle bus will be waiting to take the Team down to our hotel. Lunch and then showers – or maybe the reverse – and then they will turn their attention to the next prize – the safari! Conversation during the celebratory dinner tonight will be equal parts talking about the extraordinary climb they just had and the anticipation of the upcoming safari. It’s all good over in Tanzania. Congrats again to the Team on a successful summit of Kilimanjaro and enjoy the safari! You’ve earned it!
Dustin Balderach