Feb 23, 2024 – The Kili team wrapped up their safari today with a final spectacular day, starting with a morning game drive through the shortgrass plains west of Ngorongoro Crater.  This is the epicenter of the Great Migration, with vast number of animals, and predators.  After that, the team visited the famous Olduvai Gorge, scene of the Leakeys’ paleoanthropological discoveries.  Then, they hit the local Maasai village, to see how the native people live.  Finally, they drove down into the Ngorongoro Crater to see more animals up close in the wild including the rhinos, flamingos, and hippos.  They are wrapping it up tonight at a beautiful Ngorongoro lodge.  Tomorrow they head back to Arusha for some shopping and re-packing before departing to the airport for their flights home.  All’s well in Tanzania!

February 21st, 2024–

Phunuru reports the team had an early flight from Arusha to the Central Serengeti this morning, arriving in time for some first-class game viewing today.  This is an incredible ecosystem, with millions of animals and pristine conditions, all part of the Serengeti National Park .  The team did a morning game drive and also an evening one, seeing over 30 different animals, under the watchful eyes of our expert drivers and guides. They are overnighting at our super luxury tented camp, with top notch accommodations, surrounded by animals (they post a camp guard at night to shoo them away!).  Tomorrow the team will head towards the eastern short grass plains to see the Great Migration and the giant herds of wildebeest, zebras, and the predators that follow them.  All’s well in Tanzania!

February 20th, 2024–

Happy Kili climbers with their summit certificates back in Moshi (Phunuru)

Phunuru reports the team had a nice descent back to Moshi, arriving back to the hotel in time for lunch and a presentation of their summit certificates.  Then, they had a fun afternoon hanging out, getting packed up, and enjoying a few well-earned liquid refreshments.

Tonight they all got together with their Chagga staff and had a nice dinner at the Hotel, and some more celebrations.  Well done team!

Tomorrow they will leave early morning for Arusha, and their flight out to Central Serengeti.  Its safari time!

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)