Kilimanjaro or bust - One Man's Journey

Follow the journey of Canadian Pierre Menard, conscious natural health buff, as he shares the diary entries from his fundraising trip to Mount Kilimanjaro. With alive and Genuine Health generously sponsoring his trip, Pierre climbed as part of a team to raise funds for much-needed wellness equipment in his community.

After almost 48 hours of flight delays and time zone changes (and an unplanned sleep in Ethiopia in a minus-3-star hotel), we finally landed at the Kilimanjaro airport and drove to Moshi.

Days 1 and 2: Moshi (2,773 ft / 845 m)

On our first day in Moshi, we checked into our hotel and started preparing for the great climb. Although the accommodations were clean, we were not too keen about the lizards in some of the bathrooms or the ants that invaded our space, looking for edibles. On the second day, we met with our professional guide for an orientation session and equipment check.

Day 3: Londorossi Park Gate (7,392 ft / 2,253 m) to Mti Mkubwa (9,163 ft / 2,792 m)

After a three-hour drive from Moshi, we checked in at the Londorossi Park Gate on the west side of Kilimanjaro. Then we drove to the trailhead at Lemosho Glades and started our trek through the rainforest. At this point we were dealing with a tropical temperature of about 104 F (40 C). In places the vegetation is completely untouched and grows right across the narrow trail. The flora and fauna are more plentiful here than on other more popular routes through the rainforest. After about four hours, we reached Mti Mkubwa (1.9 miles/3.2 km), where we camped the first night.

Day 4: Mti Mkubwa to Shira Camp (11,500 ft / 3,505 m); distance 1.9 miles (3.1 km )

After breakfast we started the climb across the remaining rainforest toward the giant moorland zone. After eating lunch in a beautiful valley just outside the Shira Crater, we crossed into the Shira Caldera, a high-altitude desert plateau that is rarely visited. Shira is the third of Kilimanjaro's volcanic cones and is filled with lava flow from Kibo Peak. The crater rim has been decimated by weather and volcanic action. Today was a six- to seven-hour trek with an altitude gain of 2,400 ft (732 m), and we got our first close views of Kibo-the dramatic summit of Kilimanjaro.

Day 5: Shira Camp to Moir Camp (13,652 ft / 4,161 m); distance 5.2 miles (8.4 km)

After breakfast we continued our trek east across the Shira Plateau past the Shira Cathedral (a big peak remaining from a volcano eruption) to Moir camp, about a six-hour hike. The views of the plateau are nothing less than spectacular. We came across the first of many giant senecios, some of Kilimanjaro's other-worldly plants that grow out of the volcanic soil to heights of 15 ft (4.5 m) or more. Moir camp, situated below a massive lava flow, resembles an amphitheatre.

Day 6: Moir Camp to Lava Tower (15,210 ft / 4,636 m)

Through this alpine moorland zone, only hardy plants exist, including lichens, grasses, and heather. Today's hike lasted roughly six to seven hours. After reaching the camp, we took a two-hour, non-technical scramble up to the top of the Lava Tower rock, just for the fun of it. The breathtaking view of Kibo Peak and the Shira Plateau made us feel as if we were trekking in paradise. The scramble also allowed us good acclimatization. (2.67 miles / 4.3 km)

Day 7: Lava Tower to Karanga Camp (13,229 ft / 4,032 m); distance 3.6 miles (5.80 km)

From Lava Tower, we trekked mostly downhill around Kibo's spectacular south-facing glaciers, with grandiose views of the towering peaks. After descending to 12,800 ft (3,901 m) through the heather and lobelias, we climbed the Baranco Wall, a massive 600-foot rock. Then we trekked down through the Karanga Valley to our next camp.

Day 8: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp (16,019 ft / 4,883 m); distance 1.86 miles (3 km)

Source: alive Web Exclusive, March 2007