Give it a Go! Mountain Trekking The Barranco Breakfast Wall
line of zombies trudging along side by side, feeling every step as the altitude continues to drain oxygen out of the air. But the porters are obviously more acclimatised as we arrive to a cooked lunch at a fully set up mess tent. In the afternoon we continue on to the Barranco Camp. We are now in Alpine Desert as we trek along barren, rocky valleys with strange Giant groundsel trees erupting from the ground all around. Going is slower now and over the next couple of days we reach the spectacular Karanga Camp and then the Barafu Camp where we prepare for summit night. We are well on our way to the roof of Africa. We get a long rest after the morning’s trekking and after a good dinner we pack our rucksacks and start our summit climb at 10.30pm. It’s very steep and rocky and I’m really feeling the effects of extreme altitude. After feeling really strong so far on the trek, I now feel as though all of the energy has drained out of me. There’s no air making its way to fire up my legs and I’ve brought the wrong snacks – all energy bars and chocolate, which now make me feel ill. It’s pitch black and all I can see are long, single file lines of head torches stretching high, high above me. They are moving slowly like illuminated ants up, up into the heavens. Every time I get to the top of an outcrop, there are the head torches again, moving painstakingly but relentlessly high above me. The going is terribly difficult and I keep stopping. There are lots of other trekkers on the route and it seems englishrivieramagazine.co.uk
to take several lifetimes to get there. They tell me it’s minus 10 degrees but I am totally unaware of the cold. By the end of the night I am weaving on my feet - but finally the sun rises and the end is in sight. I am on the Roof of Africa and it feels amazing. I try to drink some water but it’s full of frozen bits like a slushy drink. My guide has another go at getting me to eat chocolate but I can’t manage it. It’s rocky and stony here on the summit and there are majestic ice cliffs in view. Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain on the African continent and the highest free standing mountain in the world. It feels rather surreal just being here. However, it’s now time to go - you don’t hang around at this height. We are going down a different route – a steep and very long scree field. My guide takes hold of my hand and says, “Can you run?” I think he is joking at first but we find ourselves jogging down the scree faster and faster as the oxygen levels seem to improve and gravity takes charge. Down and down we go till eventually we arrive at our next camp to start the long trek off the mountain. Some people are feeling very unwell and have to lie down for a few hours – and two of our party didn’t make it at all. Summit night has been very different from every other day of this trip – much harder. It is definitely the hardest thing I have ever done but Kilimanjaro is a stunningly beautiful place and the local Tanzanian people are wonderful. If you are fit enough or able to train, why not give it a go? ¢ globaladventurechallenges.com
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