Tagged With: mountains
Down Under
What does Mini Bear do when she unexpectedly spends a whole day at the airport? Why, make the final trailer for our Australia trip, of course!
Matema
Figuring I'd been in the dusty mountains long enough, I spent a Saturday morning riding three crowded buses and cramped dala dalas before walking for thirty long, hot, sandy minutes to reach a secluded guest house on Matema Beach. I stayed in a simple but comfortable bamboo banda. There was an outdoor shower which … Continue reading
Ngozi crater lake
I wanted to come to Mbeya because the area is known for its mountains and beaches, so I found a guide and arranged a hike up Ngozi Peak and check out its crater lake. Mbeya doesn’t get a ton of tourists so I had to take the only guide I could find: his name was … Continue reading
Mt. Kilimanjaro
For your viewing pleasure, a Kilimanjaro trailer!
Kilimanjaro, day 8
Start: Mweka Hut; 3,100 meters End: Gate; 1,700 meters Hiking time: 2:00 It was a short, downhill hike to reach the gate and we said our goodbyes to Kilimanjaro. We had seen an exuberant Italian family a couple of times over the past week. They were always in good spirits, even when our … Continue reading
Kilimanjaro, day 7
Start: Barafu Base Camp; 4,680 meters End: Mweka Hut; 3,100 meters Hiking time: 2:25 We got up from our post-summit naps to have lunch and then hit the trail once more. We had another fifteen hundred meters to descend before the day was done. It was a steady and steep downhill hike that took … Continue reading
Kilimanjaro summit!
Start: Barafu Base Camp; 4,620 meters Summit: Uhuru peak; 5,895 meters Ascent time: 6:20 Descent time: 2:00 At 11:30 pm, the four of us stumbled out of our tents, had a snack, and were on our way towards the highest point in Africa. The moon was out but it was still unbelievably dark and, … Continue reading
Kilimanjaro, day 6
Start: Karanga Valley; 3,930 meters End: Barafu Base Camp; 4,620 meters Hiking time: 2:50 I opened the tent flap this morning fully expecting to see frost covering the ground. Instead I found myself looking upon a silent sea of clouds with pink crests and blue shadows so impressive that I mumbled an instinctive, “Wow,” … Continue reading
Kilimanjaro, day 5
Start: Baronko; 4,000 meters End: Karanga Valley; 3,930 meters Hiking time: 3:50 Another cold morning, this time because Baronko Wall cast a huge shadow over our entire campsite. In fact, Baronko Wall was our first obstacle. For well over an hour, we made our way up the wall, using two hands to steady ourselves … Continue reading
Kilimanjaro, day 4
Start: Shira 2; 3,850 meters Midpoint: Lava Tower; 4,600 meters End: Baronko; 4,000 meters Hiking time Shira 2 to Lava Tower: 3:27 Hiking time Lava Tower to Baronko: 1:20 It’s getting much colder every morning! The good news is my sleeping bag is keeping me generally warm enough at night but that makes it … Continue reading