Kilimanjaro 2010 Pictures Page 8


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Click here to return to the General 2010 Piccies Page, or click on one of the links below:
Page 1: 15th August 2010 - Kilimanjaro Approach (7)
Page 2: 16th August 2010 - Karama Lodge and Safari (77)
Page 3: 17th August 2010 - Trek Day 1: Start to Machame Camp (51)
Page 4: 18th August 2010 - Trek Day 2: Machame Camp to Barranco Camp (72)
Page 5: 19th August 2010 - Trek Day 3: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp (110)
Page 6: 20th and 21st August 2010 - Trek Days 4 and 5: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp and Shabbat (91)
Page 7: 22nd August 2010 - Trek Day 6: Summit Day (53)
Page 8 (This Page): 23rd August 2010 - Trek Day 7: Barafu Camp to Mweka Camp (58)
Page 9: 24th August 2010 - Trek Day 8: Mweka Camp to Exit (33)
Page 10: 25th August 2010 - Kilimanjaro Exit (10)

Total: 562 Pictures


Photos 23rd August 2010 - Trek Day 7: Barafu Camp to Mweka Camp (58 Pictures)


LocationAltitude (m / ft)DistanceAltitude Gained / Lost
Barafu Huts4,662m / 15,295ft  
Millenium Hut3,827m / 12,556ft 835m / 2,739ft Lost
Mweka Huts3,106m / 10,190ft 721m / 2,366ft Lost
Total 6.64km1,556m / 5,105ft Lost

The Morning After at Barafu Camp

So I slept for over 11 hours. When I woke up I noted how everything was covered in dust by now. It's so dry up here in the Alpine Desert zone. It had been another cold and very windy night. I was now more than happy to descend. I packed everything up in time for breakfast at 9AM. Meanwhile outside there was the most surreal sight of David and Bob with Talit and Tephilin on davening Shacharit on the mountainside. Because the dining tent needed repair (to be done at Mweka Camp) we had breakfast outside. The setting on a rocky outcrop high above the clouds was a glorious one, albeit fragging cold. The food was delicious as ever though.


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Shacharit will never be the same again! David and Bob davening at 15,000 feet. The early morning sun hilights the ridge along which the Mweka trail follows and that we will soon walk along. One last close look at Stella Point from Barafu Camp. The dining tent had blown down again overnight and was damaged. It was cold and breezy, but breakfast in the sunshine above the clouds was a glorious one.

Embarking on the Mweka Descent Trail: Barafu Camp to Millenium Camp

By 9:35AM we were all eagerly setting off downhill along the Mweka trail. The going started off well with an easy trail snaking its way among the rocks on the top of a ridge. Ahead of us far below was an extensive sheet of clouds hugging the montane cloud forest. While behind us the view of Kibo from the South was an impressive one, and receding away from us as we progressed. The silhouette of Mawenzi was also slowly hiding itself behind the ridge. As we descended the vegetation also rapidly increaded in amount. First the everlastings, and then giant heathers appeared. Before long we found Millenium Camp nestled amongst the giant heathers. We took a rest stop there. I had a good signal there as a solar powered antenna was attached to Millenium hut.

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Descending along the Mweka Trail, picking its way through the boulders, leaving Kibo behind. It isn't long before we descend far enough for plant life to increase in abundance markedly. Mawenzi's impressive spires silhouetted against the skyline. Down below there is a lot of cloud shrouding the Montane Cloud Forest zone. Already the everlastings are increasing in numbers and heathers not far ahead. Approaching Millenium Camp. Lower down the giant heathers have made an appearance.

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A Helipad marked out at Millenium Camp. No doubt one way to shift people affected by acute altitude sickness. Kibo from Millenium Camp. Getting far away already. Millenium Hut. The aerial appears to be a solar powered mobile phone transmitter. Nifty for keeping in touch with loved ones back home. Taking a rest at Millenium (or High) Camp. The clouds below getting ever closer and the views over them more breathtaking.

Millenium Camp to Mweka Camp

Onwards and downwards. The landscape got more spectacular and rocky, and vegetation thicker and thicker. Those montane cloud forest clouds getting ever more bigger and closer. My legs were still tired from the summit day so I found the last third of the descent to Mweka camp really difficult. I am so glad we paused overnight at Barafu Camp! But hurting toes and knees and jelly legs did not stop me from continuing to admire the scenery, from Mawenzi and Kibo disappearing for the last time to the ever expanding petrified lava flows, cloud scape and vegetation as we descended. Eventually Mweka Camp appeared below, seemingly on the edge of the sea of clouds. (Mweka Camp, like Machame Camp, is only just above the tree line.) One final gift as I got close to Mweka Camp was finally seeing a Malachite Sunbird - reportedly the prettiest bird in the area. (I did not get to see the two horned chameleon though although others did find one.)


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One last view of Mawenzi's spires before it disappears from view for the last time. An arty view down onto the clouds below. Keeping an eye on Kibo, now way behind us. A Kilimanjaro Orchid *TODO* Identify Admiring the views down to the dynamic ever changing clouds below as I follow Anne down the now rocky and (for me) difficult trail. Boy did my toes take a battering. Such a long way down!

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The last view of Kibo, now way behind us, as we walk alongside a petrified lava flow. Can't get enough of the spectacular views over the clouds. Some Tree Groundsels sheltering in a hollow. Another view down to the clouds. Mweka Hut comes into view near the edge of the clouds. Not far to go now.

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Continuing to take in the spectacular cloudscapes as we close in on Mweka Camp. Close up shots of Helichrysum kilimanjari Everlasting flowers. The giant heathers now tower way over our heads.

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Are these Yucca plants? They look remarkably similar to the familiar house plant back home. Dropping below cloud top height, now almost at Mweka Camp.

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For the whole trip I had heard about but not seen the Malachite Sunbird, until now! One made a brief appearance for long enough for me to obtain these long range shots. A two horned chameleon was spotted by others but alas not me. This looks very much like wild mint.

Mweka Camp

Finally after a small ascent from a small dip (which felt great after all that dcescending) I made it to Mweka Camp at 12:30pm. By then we had spread out and I spent more periods alone. But we were soon together again at the tents. At a similar height to Machame Camp, the tents were set under giant heathers and other plants just above the tree line. The dining tent by now had been repaired, and lunch was served in it at 1:30pm. It was a nice relaxed affair as we now have the rest of the day to recover.

During the afternoon I went for a wander around the extensive camp site and a little uphill too. I failed to repeat my Malachite Sunbird sighting though. There was plenty of bird life in the camp, from the ever present White Necked Ravens to some curious robin-like birds called Montane White-Eyes, with a striking white ring around each eye. A less pleasant afternoon sighting was a man being carted downhill rapidly by four porters. Again I was expecting to see some AMS victims so it wasn't that surprising, but no less unsettling anyway.


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Arrival at Mweka Hut. The camp site is nestled neatly underneath lots of giant heathers and other plents just above the tree line. The dining tent has now been repaired too.

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A very tame Dusky Turtle Dove wandering near the tents. Me with Michael, my namesake on the trip, who is an assistant to the chef. Another avian resident of Mweka Camp. *TODO* Identify Two shots of a Montane White-Eyes bird close to the loo tent. Light levels very poor at the time so I was lucky to get these shots.

The Kilimanjaro Song and the Final Evening

At 5:40pm there was a ceremony. Being the last evening on the mountain, it was nice to say goodbye and thanks to the porters, guides and chef who had made the trip not only possible but comfortable and very pleasant. After being told of the generous tip we were planning, the guys were all very happy and promptly burst into song. I managed to film all but the first few seconds of 'The Kilimanjaro Song', a lovely African style song about the mountain. They were all good singers and made a good choir. We returned fire with 'Heveinu Shalom Alechem' (chosen as it was simple to learn for those of us who did not know it), and sung it as we danced round in a big circle just like in a bar mitzvah or wedding. Complete with a small inner circle with Yedidya and Boaz dancing wildly. The porters enjoyed and joined in a bit. Then the tips were handed out. Each porter made a point of greatfully shaking each and every one of our hands.


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Two shots of the team of porters, guides and other members of the crew who helped make our trip a huge success. A bunch of us posing with the crew. As each porter was handed his tip, they made a point of shaking all of our hands and thanking us all personally. It was such a nice atmosphere.

I also uploaded a You Tube Video of the Kilimanjaro song as sung by the porters. I missed the first few seconds but think I got away with it. Also there is a small clip of Israeli style dancing almost like a cultural exchange.

Then after the ceremony, and as it got dark, we went for our final supper in the dining tent. One final briefing from William and then it was off to our tents for one last night in them. We had an early start the next morning as David needed to get to the airport early. So we planned for a 6AM breakfast so that we didn't have to rush our way down through the final jungle trail.


Click here to return to the main Pictures index.
Click here to return to the General 2010 Piccies Page, or click on one of the links below:
Page 1: 15th August 2010 - Kilimanjaro Approach (7)
Page 2: 16th August 2010 - Karama Lodge and Safari (77)
Page 3: 17th August 2010 - Trek Day 1: Start to Machame Camp (51)
Page 4: 18th August 2010 - Trek Day 2: Machame Camp to Barranco Camp (72)
Page 5: 19th August 2010 - Trek Day 3: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp (110)
Page 6: 20th and 21st August 2010 - Trek Days 4 and 5: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp and Shabbat (91)
Page 7: 22nd August 2010 - Trek Day 6: Summit Day (53)
Page 8 (This Page): 23rd August 2010 - Trek Day 7: Barafu Camp to Mweka Camp (58)
Page 9: 24th August 2010 - Trek Day 8: Mweka Camp to Exit (29)
Page 10: 25th August 2010 - Kilimanjaro Exit (10)

Total: 562 Pictures