August 11, 2016

Ready for the flights home (Phunuru Sherpa)

The Kilimanjaro and safari team are all at the airport now getting ready to board their flights home. They made the drive from the Farm House lodge this morning and picked up some souvenirs along the way. What a trip this one has been! They’ve been to the Roof of Africa and seen endless wildlife on the Serengeti! All of our summer Kili trips and safaris have been huge successes. We’d like to once again congratulate everyone on an amazing climb and safari. And huge thanks to IMG guide, Phunuru Sherpa, and all our partners in Africa. This trip is truly a once in a lifetime type of trip and I’m sure the climbers will enjoy sharing stories and pictures of their adventure once they are home. Next month, you can follow our September Kili climb and safari right here!

Dustin Balderach

August 10, 2016

We heard from IMG Senior Guide, Phunuru Sherpa, that the team is all back at the Farm House Lodge for the night. They had another incredible day of game viewing; and a long one at that. The team woke up at the Wilderness Camp in the Serengeti, drove out of the national park (spotting lazy lions in route), through Maasai countryside, and then up and into Ngorongoro Crater. Then, the afternoon was spent driving around the Crater which is packed full of wildlife, lunch by the hippo pool, and then up and out of the Crater to the lodge. What a day this one is! You see so much – animals, people, culture and landscapes – its hard to comprehend everything you are seeing. It’s a day I’m sure the team won’t soon forget. Right now, they are relaxing at the extremely comfortable Ngorongoro Farm House – one of the nicest places I’ve ever spent a night anywhere. Tomorrow, they will continue to relax at the Farm House for the morning. Then, after lunch, they will make their way back to Arusha to grab the rest of their luggage. Along they way they’ll have the opportunity to do some shopping and pick up some souvenirs and gifts. Then, its on to the airport for evening flights home. What a trip this has been! Congrats to the team on another amazing African adventure!

Dustin Balderach

8/8/2016

Lion on the Serengeti

“Another great day in Africa” was the report from Phunuru this morning.  The team flew today to the Serengeti and, as Phunuru said, have already seen most of the animals!  They have two nights at the same camp to explore and enjoy the Serengeti.  Another game drive tomorrow after breakfast and then return to camp for lunch and a nap.  Back at it again in the afternoon before enjoying another evening by the fire in the middle of the Serengeti.
Things couldn’t be a lot better.

Phil Ershler

The hard work is over and now its time for the reward! IMG Senior Guide, Phunuru Sherpa, and the Kili team are all back in Moshi enjoying a celebratory dinner (pizza). Now, all thoughts turn to the safari ahead. This is really the way to go. Climb first and safari second. The reward of a hard week’s effort is huge — a Serengeti Safari! Doesn’t get any better than spotting wildlife from a pop-top Land Cruiser all day and then sitting around a campfire at a plush Wilderness Camp at night. Its a huge understatement to say the Serengeti is amazing. After good night’s sleep tonight, tomorrow morning the team will get picked up and and taken to Arusha where they will fly out to the Serengeti early tomorrow afternoon. Once they hit the runway — and often before — the animal spotting will begin. We wish the team excellent game viewing on the Serengeti!

Dustin Balderach

IMG Senior Guide, Phunuru Sherpa, just called in from Barafu High Camp (~15,200 ft) on Kili with more good news. All is well with the team and they will leave Barafu at midnight for the summit. That will be around 2pm for us here on the west coast of the US. The report from Phunuru is that the weather continues to be great and there are a lot of other teams at Barafu who will also be climbing tonight. Barafu is a very interesting camp strung out along a rocky ridge with amazing views all around. The team will likely be too excited to get much sleep tonight, but thats just fine. Eating, drinking and resting is all that the team needs to be well prepared for the big day. And it will be a big day! About 4,000 feet of elevation gain to the top before descending all that and more down to the thick air of their last camp at around 10,000 ft. Probably a 16+ hour day but, wow, it is amazing! And so worth the effort! We look forward to hearing from Phunuru from the summit sometime this evening. Good luck team!

Dustin Balderach