September 23, 2025

The team at the Mweka Gate (Max Bond)

After a good night sleep in the thick air of Mweka Camp, Max Bond reports that our stalwart team got an early start for the hike down through the forest to the Mweka Gate.  At the Gate, they had a final get together with their Chagga team, with a well-deserved distribution of tips.  Then, it was time to load up the minibus for the ride down the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro, back to the hotel in Moshi.  After showers, some beers, and repacking, they’ll have a celebration dinner tonight.

Its Kilimanjaro time (Max Bond)

Tomorrow morning the team will split up, with some heading home while others will be departing for the Serengeti and three days of safari.  Either way, there will be lots of good memories from their trip to Kilimanjaro.  Well done, team!

September 22, 2025

Happy climbers on Uhuru Peak (Max Bond)

IMG lead guide Max Bond reports that the team tagged the summit of Africa and have now safely descended to the Mweka Camp.  They departed Barafu Camp at midnight and hit Stella Point on the Crater rim at dawn.

From there it was another half an hour of hiking around the crater to the tippy top, Uhuru Peak.  Max reports that it was cold and clear, and they were glad to have their warm parkas.

The trail on the crater rim linking Stella Point and Uhuru Peak (Max Bond)

The descent to Mweka Camp took the rest of the day as the team made their way down 9000 feet of scree, rocks, and rugged trail to the treeline at about 10000 ft..  Tomorrow the plan is to get an early start and finish off the last few hours of hiking down to the Mweka Gate for celebrations and tipping out their Chagga Staff.  Then, they will descend in the minibus back to the hotel in Moshi for showers, beers, and a BBQ dinner.  Well done, team!

September 21, 2025

Team at the top of the Barranco Wall (Max Bond)

The last two days have provided our Kili team the chance to accomplish more great hiking and more valuable acclimatization.  IMG guide Max Bond and Chagga guide Kassim and his crew have been doing a great job getting everyone in position at the high camp.  Yesterday the team departed the Barranco Camp (13000 ft) and ascended the famous Barranco Wall, a very steep trail requiring “using your hands” in a couple places.  The top of the wall is an amazing viewpoint, tucked right underneath the Southern Glaciers (or what’s left of them, as they are melting fast).

From there the team continued their up and down traverse to the east, to the Karanga Camp (also about 13000 ft.).

Team shot at Karanga Camp (Max Bond)

This morning the team departed Karanga Camp (the last water source) and with their porters and guides, ascended to the Barafu Camp, arriving in time for lunch.  Then, the team had all afternoon to rest, hydrate, and get packed, before an early dinner and early bedtime.

They are planning a 11pm wake up and a midnight departure, with the goal to reach the summit shortly after dawn.  The weather looks good, so its all about legs, lungs, and keeping a nice steady pace for the summit day.  After reaching to top, the team will descend down to the thick air at the Mweka Camp, near tree line.  All is well on Kilimanjaro!

September 19, 2025

The guides and climbers at Lava Tower (Max Bond)

Max Bond reports that the team are now ensconced at the Barranco Camp after two days of great hiking and acclimatization since they departed the 9500 ft Machame Camp.  Yesterday they ascended to the 12,500 ft Shira Camp for the night, with all the strange heather, lobelia and groundsel plants along the way that only grow at high altitude on the Equator.

Shira Camp (Ang Jangbu)

Then, today they traversed around the south side of the mountain to the Barranco Camp. Along the way they had their lunch break at Lava Tower at 15,000 ft, before dropping down into the Barranco Camp at 13,000 ft.

Tomorrow, they tackle the steep trail up the Barranco Wall, and continue traversing, ascending and descending along the way, to the Karanga Camp which is also about 13000 ft.

Barranco Camp with the Breach Wall and Icicle above (Eric Simonson)

This is a perfect acclimatization profile, following the old adage of “climb high, sleep low”.  All’s well on Kilimanjaro!