Kilimanjaro with Bad Weather and Altitude Sickness Advice for Women

Pack for a Purpose - Stella Maris Primary School, Tanzania

9. Kilimanjaro Challenge: Lemosho Route - The Descent, Sunburn and Asante Sana Kilimanjaro!

8. Kilimanjaro Challenge: Lemosho Route - Day Seven - Summit Night....My Story

7. Kilimanjaro Challenge : Lemosho Route - Day Six - Karanga Camp to Barafu Base Camp 4,673m

6. Kilimanjaro Challenge: Lemosho Route - Day Five - The Great Barranco Wall to Karanga Camp 3995m

5. Kilimanjaro Challenge: Lemosho Route - Day Four - Moir Hut to Lava Tower and down to Barranco Camp 4,600m

Jambo Jambo!

Thanks for sticking with me up to Day Four of my Kilimanjaro Challenge along the Lemosho Route. We had now from the start travelled 28km up 1,950 metres and made it to Moir Hut at 4,200 metres amsl and aside from the dose of nausea and the occasional pang of a light headache I made a habit of sniffing peppermint oil and was okay to press on. 

But Day Four was going to be our toughest day so far physically and mentally, as we would be following the golden rule of 'walk high, sleep low' passing up to 4,600 metres at the Lava Tower and then dropping down to Barranco camp at 3,950 metres to sleep, where the real signs of any altitude would come into affect - it is 'part of the game' our guides would tell us. A tough game to play in the undulating highs and lows of the Kilimanjaro experience.  

4. Kilimanjaro Challenge : Lemosho Route - Day Three - Shira 1 Camp to Moir Hut 4,200m

3. Kilimanjaro Challenge : Lemosho Route - Day Two - Mti Mkubwa - Shira Camp 1 3,610m

Jambo Jambo!

Thanks for joining me on my next blog documenting Day Two of my Kilimanjaro Challenge as I attempt to hike 6 days along the Lemosho Route heading out from Mti Mkubwa Camp and ascending 960 metres to Shira 1 Camp.

'Howwwlllllllll!!!!' a deep scream reverberates outside my tent. I snap my eyes open and listen hazily in the darkness, the African rain drops still softly pattering on my roof. The guttural yowls of a troop of monkeys punctuated the air of the forest outside again, causing me to groan and roll over in my sleeping bag. I wrestle around a few times and manage to squint my eyes at the light of my watch as I push it.

2am. Damn Colobus Monkeys.

2. Kilimanjaro Challenge: Lemosho Route - Day One - Londorosi Gate to Mti Mkubwa Camp 2,650m

1. Kilimanjaro Challenge - Lemosho Route: Jambo Tanzania and Meeting Kilimanjaro...

Jambo Jambo!

That's hello in Swahili! Welcome to the first blog documenting my attempt to climb the highest free standing mountain in the world and also the highest dormant volcano in Africa. Now as you know if you'd be following my training over the last 6 months for this challenge, you know I have trained to be as ready as I'll ever be and fully aware that this was going to be the most relentless, gruelling physical and mental challenge of my life. So lets start right from the beginning, returning to Africa after 12 years to experience the mighty Mt. Kilimanjaro.....and what challenges would lay ahead on our journey to reach to the top of the Roof of Africa.

4. My Kilimanjaro Training : 3 Months In - Guildfords Alice in Wonderland, St Martha's Hill and I'm Peter Finch....

Hi!

Thank for checking in on my latest training for my challenge of climbing to the summit of Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa this October. With three months into training and summer well and truly here in the UK, I am taking full advantage of the longer days and was given a great tip-off for a good challenging walk up to the top of St Martha's Hill in the central region of the Surrey Hills in Guildford. I'm paying full attention for my own good to listen out for the magic words of 'steep hills' or 'difficult' in any part of Surrey - so having already done Box Hill and Leith Hill, I armed myself up with my new walking poles (ones that are going to withstand the perils of 8 days of Kilimanjaro terrain) I headed out into the Surrey Hills for a day out of exploration up to St Martha's Hill.

3. My Kilimanjaro Training - 3 Months in - Box Hill 8 Mile Hike

Hello and thanks for dropping by to check in on my latest Kilimanjaro 2019 training journey.

My nearest what I call 'hilliest hike' to me is Box Hill in the Surrey Hills 'Area of Outstanding Beauty' so I've been jumping on the train for the cheap journey out here a few times to get more boot miles in as I search around for new hikes to add a bit of scenic variety to training for the big mountain in four months. The hike I come and do here is the Box Hill Hike which is a demanding circular trek covering 8 miles over the 230 acres of Box Hill. I'm pushing myself to take on long walks with anything with the words 'strenuous' 'tough' or 'hard'....

The National Trust map....'It is strenuous, climbing steep hills and dropping down into deep valleys. The ground is rough in places and includes steep slopes, slippery paths and many steps'............

........ perfect. 

2. My Kilimanjaro Training - 2 months in - Saturday Walkers Club - Holmwood - Leith Hill - Gomshall

Hello!

Thanks for dropping in to look at how my Kilimanjaro trainings going. With 5 months still to go I've needed to branch out nice and early to practice walking in much tougher terrain if I'm going to get fit to take on the big mountain!

This summer is going to be all about walking, walking and more walking! at least two/three days a month, so what better time to start than a good spring walk out in the wilds of the rolling Surrey hills of England. 

So I began seeking out different places to get some hill walking in around London and came to know about the Saturday Walkers Club which organises free country walks about an hour or so by train from Central London. Feeling that it would be nice to venture into new territory to get some hill walking in, the walk would take us 17km from Holmwood through the Surrey Hills to Gomshall up 294 metres of the wooded hill to Leith Tower - one of the highest points in the Surrey Hills and the South East of England, couldn't beat that for a bit of uphill practice!

Here's a mid walk video from the top of Leith Hill Tower....

1. My Kilimanjaro Training - 2 months in....Gyming it up and Richmond Park

Behold the almighty Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest dormant volcano in Tanzania standing at 5,895 metres above sea level and my next adventure. 

In October 2019, I will attempt to climb to the top of 'The Roof of Africa' over 8 days using the Lemosho route with a full team of porters, other climbers and guides. This is a personal physical and mental challenge I've always wanted to attempt and I'm sure will be the toughest and greatest adventure yet. 

I sometimes wonder what on earth I've got myself into!

'International Inspiration' - Tennis Colouring The Third World

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