Kilimanjaro 2005
History:
On the flight back from Zanzibar in 2002 we flew past the Kilimanjaro. That was when Rainer and I started to think about climbing this mountain. I had seen many TV shows about Africa’s highest mountain. We decided to climb the Kilimanjaro in 2005 when Rainer would be celebrating his 50th birthday, so we began planning in autumn 2004. Initially there were three of us. Our wives didn’t want to come.
We planned our trip with the help of the Safari travel agency (http://www.safari-berlin.com/). Mr. Oelschlägel, the head of the agency is knowledgeable about Africa after having visited the continent several times.
We decided to climb the mountain from October 22nd to 30th and would take the Marangu Trail, also known as the Coca Cola route. Then we would spend the next 18 days in Zanzibar where our wives would meet us. All of us would then go on a Safari tour across the Ngorongoro
Crater.
Preparation:
During the preparation one of us dropped out be because of a herniated disc. Starting in January 2005 I began working out on a stationery bike for half an hour every day. Once a week I played badminton and football. From April on I started working out at HIMAXX (http://www.himaxx.net/) – a place that replicated the conditions of mountain climbing up to 4000 metres above sea level. As the weather got warmer I biked to work. I had never been as fit as I was then.
22nd October
We took off for Amsterdam at 7 in the morning after having payed 95 Euro each for Access weight charge. At 10 the next plane took us to Tanzania. At 7.35 we landed at the Kilimanjaro International Airport. Shah Tours (http://www.kilimanjaro-shah.com/) was there to pick us up. At 9 we arrived at our hotel, the Mountain Inn Moshi.
23rd October - Moshi and Mountain Inn
24th October - Up to Mandara Huts (2720 m)
25th October - Up to Horombo Huts (3270 m)
26th October - acclimatization day and Zebra Rocks
27th October - Up to Kibo Huts (4700 m)
28th October - Up to Gilman's Point (5685 m) and back to Horombo Huts
29th/30th October - Back to Marangu Gate and Moshi and further to Zanzibar