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Mount Kilimanjaro – Tanzania

7 day trek to the roof of Africa, a family hike to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro

Happy group on the roof of Africa. Each member has their own story.

In August 2015, Laura, Siobhan, Emily and I were fortunate enough do a trip of a lifetime to Tanzania. After an amazing 5 day safari that had us camping on the Serengeti we hit the slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro for a 7 day adventure to the summit.

I remember watching images of the wilds of Africa on tv as a child on Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. The tv and later the Toronto and Calgary zoos were about as close as I had come to Africa. The seeds of the trip were planted in 2014 when a fellow teacher told me about a safari that she had just done with her two adult daughters (both of whom I had taught). With my kids getting older, I knew that the opportunities for family trips would become more difficult as time went on.

I had just received a small inheritance from my mother’s brother and it was enough money that I could realistically think about taking the four of us to Africa. I did some searching on the internet and found the company Shadows of Africa, which could provide both a safari and an expedition up Mt Kilimanjaro.

I contacted Shadows of Africa just before Christmas 2014. I gave the girls the trip to Africa as a present with pictures and itinerary in a duotang. Needless to say they were excited.

It took about a month emailing back and forth to get an itinerary that would work with our schedule. We contemplated both an August trip and a December trip and finally finished with the following:

  • Aug 11 – arrive to Arusha late evening. Transfer to McElly’s for overnight stay
  • Aug 12 – Lake Manyara NP. Game drive. Overnight Eileen’s Trees Inn
  • Aug 13 – Oldupai Gorge stop, Serengeti NP – game drive. Overnight Camping Camping
  • Aug 14 – Serengeti NP – game drive. Overnight camping
  • Aug 15 – Serengeti NP To Ngorongoro Crater Rim- game drive. Overnight Eileen’s Trees Inn
  • Aug 16- Ngorongoro Crater – game drive, afternoon back to Arusha, McEllys
  • Aug 17 – start of Machame route at Machame Gate (1790m) – Machame Camp (3010m)
  • Aug 18 – Machame Camp (3010m) – Shira Camp (3845m)
  • Aug 19 – Shira Camp (3845m) – Barranco Camp (3960m)
  • Aug 20 – Barranco Camp (3960m) – Karanga Camp (4040m)
  • Aug 21 – Karanga Camp (4040m) – Barafu Camp (4640m)
  • Aug 22 – Summit Day: Barafu Camp (4640m) – Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Mweka Camp (3080m)
  • Aug 23 – Descend: Mweka Camp (3080m) – Mweka-Gate (1680m). Overnight McElly’s Mc-Ellys Hotel
  • Aug 24 – Depart Arusha.

For our route up the mountain we chose the 7 day itinerary. This would give us the best chance to acclimatize and highest probability of success. When you look at the map of our route we would go up quickly over two days, then spend three days walking around the mountain going up and coming back down. One big push up to the summit and two days to come down.

We took the orange route to the summit and back to Barafu Camp and followed the purple route down and out at Mweka Gate.

We tacked on a quick trip to England to see my cousin and his family, so we departed from Calgary Airport on August 6th. The entire trip was August 6th to the 24th. The climb up Mt Kilimanjaro was from August 17th to 23rd.

After a lot of searching and with the help of a local travel agent we ended up with quite reasonably priced flights on KLM. We flew from Calgary to Amsterdam, then to London for our England visit. Then we flew back to Amsterdam and on to Kilimanjaro International Airport, Tanzania. The return flight was simpler as we flew from Kilimanjaro Int’l Airport to Amsterdam with a stop in Kigali, Rwanda, and then from Amsterdam to Calgary.

Now that the trip was all planned it was time to prepare.

How We Prepared for Mount Kilimanjaro

Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro

Day 1 Machame Gate to Machame Camp

Day 2 Machame Camp to Shira Camp

Day 3 Shira Camp to Barranco Camp

Day 4 Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp

Day 5 Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

Night 5 The Summit

Day 6 Barafu Camp to Mweka Camp

Day 7 Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate

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bootwreckers

Pondering the pleasures of the hike. Mt Assiniboin Pondering the pleasures of the hike. Mt Assiniboine and Lake Magog.

The first 3 days of my 10 hike on the Great Divide Trail, Section C, with Emily are summarized and up our my website, see link in Bio.

Fun addition to the summary is that we have included some of Emily's thoughts in the summary. Fun to see how she sees life on the trail.

Hope you the enjoy the summary nearly as much as we enjoyed th hike.

#greatdivide #greatdividetrail #gdt #parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #canada
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Great weather, great company, great adventure. 

Full trip report on my website, link in Bio.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelbcp #snow #waterfall #waterfalls #waterfallphotography
New hike posted to Bootwreckers, see link in Bio. New hike posted to Bootwreckers, see link in Bio.

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With a @neil.real.deal and @kbsymington 

Photo - crossing snowfield at Tumbling Pass, with Mount Gray at centre and Tumbling Peak and it's glacier in the distance.

Great early season three day hike.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #snow
I wrote an article about not judging other hikers I wrote an article about not judging other hikers on the trail and it got published.

It is my first ever article. Was a fun little project.

See link in bio
Takakkaw Falls from th Incline Trail, Yoho NP. Ph Takakkaw Falls from th Incline Trail, Yoho NP.

Photos of Takakkaw Falls taken from the Iceline Trail.

1) 1.6 second exposure of the falls

2) view of the falls and the Daly Glacier that feeds the water to th falls

The Iceline Trail was a nice way to get a more unique view of the falls and with fewer people.

Morning of day 2 of amazing trip last summer with @sio.mellors 

Yoho NP

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #friendsofyoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #falls #waterfallphotography #waterfall #waterfallsofinstagram
Going through some photos from summer 2020. I lik Going through some photos from summer 2020.

I liked this photo, captured the early morning at Yoho Lake CG on my trip with @sio.mellors 

Loved how the water grabbed th orange reflection off the bottom of the clouds as the sun just crested the horizon.

I enjoy getting up early when camping. Not only do I get to enjoy the peace and quiet of camp, but the light of the sun presents fleeting visual displays that are gone in moments.

Yoho NP

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #friendsofyoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #sunrise #morning #sunrisephotography  #lake #reflection #reflections
View looking West over the Tonto Platform from the View looking West over the Tonto Platform from the South Kaibab Trail.

This April will be our 10 year anniversary of our first trip to the Grand Canyon.

It is truly one of my happy places, have visited five times and camped below the rim three times.

Looking to get back sometime soon, but good things are worth the wait.

#nps, #nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #100yearsofgrand #100yearsofbeauty #100yearsofgrandcanyon
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Shot off my phone from the parking in downtown Canmore.

#sunrise #sunrisephotography #sunrise_sunset_photogroup #earth #outside #outdoors #naturephotography #nature #naturelovers #sky #skyphotography #sky_brilliance
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Just like hiking, if we keep going we will see beauty in amongst the prickles, but we need to stay on the trail.

Here's to good times ahead.

From our hike last year Emily hiking among the cactii towards the feature we affectionately named the Thumb, Passage 16 on the Arizona Trail

#teamzpacks #zpacks #zpacksduplex #aztassociation #aztrail #aztrails #hike #loveazt #desertphotography #desert #hikingadventures #hikes #backpacking #camping #getoutside #familytime #traillife #aztassociation , #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside  #rightnow #goparks #aztrails #aztrail #loveazt  #azt #arizonatrailassociation
Looking at a fun trip last summer through Yoho NP Looking at a fun trip last summer through Yoho NP with @sio.mellors 

Lots of waterfalls to see in the park, Laughing Falls is a fun and loud falls right off the main trail located surprisingly, next to Laughing Falls CG.

We stopped by on our way to Twin Falls CG after spending the day hiking the Iceline Trail

Like this photo of Siobhan getting close to the falls for her own picture. 

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #friendsofyoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #waterfall #waterfall #waterfallphotography #waterfallsofinstagram
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Haiduk Lake is just beyond Whistling Pass as you hike from Egypt Lake to Balls Pass Junction.

Very pretty Lake. We were lucky enough to pass by early in the morning as we hiked from Egypt Lake to Floe Lake during our #gdt hike this summer.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #alpine #lifeelevated #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail
#kananaskis #kananaskiscountry
Chasing th Aurora on Friday night at Lake Minnewan Chasing th Aurora on Friday night at Lake Minnewanka in Banff NP.

Sadly it did not come right out to play,  but was obviously a lot of light coming from th North East.

Always fun to be outside in a dark place to see th glory of the night sky.

#outside, #hiking #camping, #backpacking,
#adventure, #adventureoutside, #nature, #landscapephotography, #nobaddays, #adventureholiday, #hikingadventures, #astrophotography, #milkyway #kootenaylife #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark #nationalparks
#parkscanada #northernlights #aurora #auroras #auroramax
Hiking the GDT Day 1. I was almost completely sa Hiking the GDT Day 1. 

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I remember remarking to Emily "this is why I hike"

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #alpine #lifeelevated #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail
#kananaskis #kananaskiscountry
Morning from Floe Lake with Floe Peak selection of Morning from Floe Lake with Floe Peak selection off the mirror smooth waters.

Another amazing morning hiking the GDT.

Never get tired of Floe Lake, was my third visit and just a year after my previous visit.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #flowers #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail #goldenhour #goldenhourphotography #mirrorphotography #lake
Golden hour! Morning sun shining off of Tumbling Golden hour!

Morning sun shining off of Tumbling Glacier and the Rockwall. 

Waking up at Tumbling Creek Campground during my Great Divide Hike this summer. 

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #flowers #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail #goldenhour #goldenhourphotography
Flower Field, Tumbling Pass, Kootenay NP. From la Flower Field, Tumbling Pass, Kootenay NP.

From last summer's Great Divide Trail hike. At th top of Tumbling Pass on the Rockwall, treated to a visual feast of colour.

Awesome day, epic hike.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #flowers #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail
As we head into winter, a shot from last spring at As we head into winter, a shot from last spring at the end of winter. The snow was just clearing from the trails, and flowers poking through to greet the warmth.

Heading out over Rockwall Pass, Kootenay NP, with @kbsymington  and @neil.real.deal .

Had some snowfields to cross, good day out on th trail

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #flowers #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia
Fun photo from Twin Falls Campground in Yoho Natio Fun photo from Twin Falls Campground in Yoho National Park.

As night fell I was able to take some long exposure shots of Twin Falls Creek as it tumbles through the campground.

Fun 3 day trip with @sio.mellors.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #friendsofyoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #waterfall #rainbow #spectrum #hikingadventures #longexposure #longexposurephotography #river
Top of Guinns Pass, Kananaskis Country 2016 Guinn Top of Guinns Pass, Kananaskis Country 2016

Guinns Pass connects the valley with Ribbon Lake and Ribbon Creek and the valley with Lillian Lake and Galetea Creek. Stunning views in all directions from the top of the pass.

There is also a scramble up the connecting ridge to the east up to Guinns Peak and onto Mt Kidd South.

Great two days hiking with @emilysjumpinginpuddles

#hikingwithdogs, #hiking, #hikingdogsofinstagram, #outside, #kananaskiscountry, #kananaskis, #spcacanmore, #spcarescue, #snowyowlsleddogtours, #snowyowldogsledtours, #retiredsleddog, #retiredhusky, #backpacking, #tongueouttuesday, #canmore, #canmorealberta, #adventure,
Larch season is coming to an end in the Rockies, b Larch season is coming to an end in the Rockies, but last weekend we were treated to quite a display near Taylor Lake in Banff NP

#outside, #outsidethebox, #liveoutdoors, #liveoutsidethebox #naturephotography, #naturelovers,  #retiredhusky, #rescuer
#parkscanada #banffnationalpark #banffalberta #banffcanada #larches #fall #autumn
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