September 18, 2024
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- Getting ready to hike at Machame Gate (Max Bond)
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- Heading up into the forest from Machame Gate (Eric Simonson)
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- Blue Monkey in a tree (Max Bond)
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- The team at Machame Camp (Max Bond)
Max Bond checked in from Machame Camp to report that the team had a good first day on the trail. They departed the Hotel at 8am and drove up through the coffee, tea, and banana farms on the slopes of Kilimanjaro to the Machame village and Park entrance. While the team was checking in with the rangers and showing their permits, their Chagga guides Clemence and Mosses organized the porters with the loads which are checked by the rangers to ensure they are not too heavy. Then, it was a nice hike up through the forests of the lower slope of the mountain with good weather and some monkees along the way. The Machame Camp at about 9500ft is near to timberline, with a peekaboo view of the mountain through the trees. Everything is off to a good start and the team are doing well.