February 16th, 2024–

The team at Lava Tower (Phunuru)

All’s well with the team at Barranco Camp.  Today marked a new high point for many of the members,  when they reached Lava Tower (15,088 ft), the lunch stop.  There they had a nice meal prepared by the cook team, before making the gradual descent into the Great Barranco, a wide canyon on the north side of Kilimanjaro.  Tonight, they are at 13,000 ft, a perfect acclimatization profile.  Climb high, sleep low!  After a comfortable night at the Barranco Camp, tomorrow the team will ascend the Barranco Wall and traverse the base of the rugged and spectacular south side of Kilimanjaro. It’s big!

On the trail to Lava Tower with Mt Meru in the background near Arusha (Phunuru)

Morning coffee at Barranco Camp with the Breach Wall behind (Phunuru)

February 15th, 2024–

The climbers and Chagga staff all together at Shira Camp (Phunuru)

The team emerged from the forest zone and climbed today up to the Shira Plateau, at over 12,000 feet.  This is a perfect elevation for acclimatization!

They are now in the middle of the “zone of weird plants” that live at high altitude on the Equator, only on Kilimanjaro and Mt Kenya.  These include the giant groundsel and giant heather.   Phunuru reports that everyone is doing great and that the weather remains good.

Tomorrow the team is on schedule to climb to over 14,500 feet, then drop back down to 13,000 at Barranco Camp.  So far so good!

Nice views during the hike up to Shira Camp (Phunuru)

Giant heather and groundsel plants on the way to Shira Camp (Ang Jangbu)

February 14th, 2024–

The team at Machame Camp (Phunuru)

Phunuru Sherpa reports that the team had a very nice day hiking up through the forest to the Machame Camp at about 9400 ft.  They started out with a one hour ride up the lower slopes of the mountain from Moshi to the Machame Gate (5400 ft) where they checked their permits with the National Park rangers, and then hit the trail accompanied by their Chagga guides and porters.  It took them about five and a half hours of steady hiking to reach the camp which is situated right at treeline, with peekaboo views of Kilimanjaro through the trees.  The weather was gorgeous and everyone did well.  Now they are ensconced at the Machame Camp for the night and will be heading to the Shira Plateau camp tomorrow.  So far so good!

Kilimanjaro climbers and guides at the Machame Gate ready to hike! (Phunuru)

February 13th, 2024–

IMG leader Phunuru Sherpa reports from Moshi, situated at the foot of Kilimanjaro at about 3000 feet.  The February Kili team have all arrived, are doing well, and are excited to get started.  Today the team did their gear checks, got the porter duffels packed and weighed, and had a nice walkabout exploring the town of Moshi.  Phunuru reports that the weather is very nice, sunny and warm during the daytime.  Tomorrow morning they will be driving up through the coffee, tea, and banana farms on the slopes of the mountain to the Machame Gate at about 6000 feet, where the ascent begins.  All’s well in Tanzania!

Lunch in Moshi (Phunuru)