If my biography were to be written it would be titled – ‘He tried it all’

That is essentially my life mantra, to try everything in life once. In this quest for experiences and memories, I embarked on my journey to Africa’s highest mountain – Mount Kilimanjaro.

It all started with my friend Parthiv, an ex-colleague and a dear friend from Mumbai who is an avid trekker and has done several high altitude treks. It was always on my checklist to do a trek and we somehow zeroed in on Mount Kilimanjaro.

I knew of Mount Kilimanjaro but not much beyond the location, I had left the entire planning to Parthiv so every day was quite a surprise. The only thing I realized in time was that I needed to get myself fit for the trek, because Parthiv is a seasoned trekker and he was worried about it. And this was to be my first trek! I made sure I ran every day for a fortnight leading up to the trek but little would I later know this just didn’t do the job.

The journey begins

Day 1 – Abu Dhabi to Dar es Salaam to Moshi

The perks of working with a commercial aviation company are the cheap deals on air tickets and I make sure I fully utilize these. We flew from Abu Dhabi to Dar es Salaam, which is a major port city in Tanzania. This was my second trip to Africa, I had already visited Masai Mara in Kenya earlier so it was pretty much as expected. From Dar es Salaam we flew to Kilimanjaro Airport, it was a short flight, and we were met by our guide, George who owns the Kilimanjaro Brothers Climbing and Adventure Company.

We then took a short drive to Moshi which is the base town for climbing Kili. We were put up at the Parkview Inn, a pretty nice and decent hotel. By this point it was just a whole lot of traveling and I had not yet started feeling the excitement of the trek.

Day 2 – Moshi and Day 1 of trek – Rongai Point (1996m)- Simba Camp (2626m)

The anticipation was building up as George the owner introduced us to Ibby (Ibrahim) the chief guide who would accompany us on the trek. Yeah, Libhy meets Ibby! So Ibby took us through the trek and what we can expect from the entire experience, it was a good introduction for me as I wasn’t as updated about the trek as Parthiv. The bottom line was that we were not to take the trek complacently, it is a difficult trek and we would soon know of it!

The Kilimanjaro Brothers have the entire setup; they also rent out trekking equipment which means you don’t need to bother with getting bulky equipment from home. We got a few necessities and then met our team who would climb with us. Now, this was a huge surprise for me, we were to be accompanied by a team of 11 locals!! It was shocking that 2 trekkers would be a troop of 11; it almost reminded me of expeditions of the British era! The entire bunch was a mix of helpers, cook and guides.

With a packed lunch and lots of enthusiasm, we left for the gates of Mount Kilimanjaro National Park.

Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain and stands at a height of 5,895 m(19,341 ft). It is a dormant volcano and is one of the Seven Summits of the World, it has three peaks – Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira. There are seven trekking routes to reach the peaks – Lemosho, Machame, Marangu, Mweka, Rongai, Shira and Umbwe.

We had chosen to take the Rongai route also known as the Nalemuru route. The route has a different route for ascent and descent making it all the more interesting. After registration at the Park center we left for the trek. It was a short trek of about 2.5 hours and we reached our first camp Simba Camp. The trek itself was not too tedious, fairly flat, the trail took us through tropical forest. The weather was also pleasant with a bit of humidity. Overall, I was pleased with myself for making it to the camp in such a short while! I wanted to head on to the next camp but the guide was particular that we needed to rest.

The hospitality at the camp was insane! For someone who associates trekking with frugality and rationing of resources that was over the top. I even wondered if I paid too much for the whole setup! There was a kitchen tent, dining tent and sleeping tents set up for the entire company. Food was plentiful and served in courses in the pretty dining tent. I didn’t imagine this type of service in the middle of the forest; this was surely a vestige of the British Empire!

I felt like a lord before I felt like crap for taking a crap! The toilet tents set up for us were manually scavenged by the team and we felt it was completely unnecessary. We decided to use the common toilets that the park authorities had built for trekkers. It’s kind of depressing to see that people still demand such luxuries during an activity that is meant to test your endurance and challenge you.

That was an eventful day and we called it a night. Unfortunately, you can’t roam around or stay outside your tents for too long. There is always a danger of wild animals like boars coming through! I slept in raring to power through the next day.

Day 3 – Day 2 of trek – Simba Camp (2626m) – Kikelewa Camp (3679m)

We woke up at around 6 AM, it’s quite late in the day as far as trekking is concerned but today was also supposed to be a short day. After a hearty breakfast, we left for the trek and reached the next camp by afternoon. The trail is fairly easy with rocky terrain and shrubbery. This part of the trek does not have any forests or tall vegetation. It is cool in the morning but tends to warm up around afternoon even getting hot.

It was a leisurely walk and we also spotted Kili in the distance.

You might expect me to pause here and regale about the mountain but it was disappointing! Kili has a rounded top and looks too unassuming, compared to the Himalayas which can be striking and awe-inspiring.

But at every stage we were being told not to underestimate Kili and that it can truly surprise us. Hoping for that to be true, we called it a day. The night was cold and our jackets came out. The first few days are perfect for curling up with a book at the end of the trek, this was giving me the break I was craving for a long time!

Day 4 – Day 3 of trek –Kikelewa Camp (3679m) – Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4303m)

Being a habitual early riser, I woke up early to head out for a walk. It was a beautiful clear morning and to soak in the fresh air was wonderful. I love exploring and headed to a cliff where the clouds were just coming up to meet the mountain. I hadn’t realized we were so high up already!

After breakfast, we headed out for the day’s trek. This was to be easy again and I was enjoying the company of the guides who were regaling us with songs and stories. It was great to talk to them about their culture and lifestyle. The terrain gets even drier, reminding of the desert. We had to keep drinking water to hydrate ourselves and to ward off any altitude sickness. The major challenge on this trek is altitude sickness and I was feeling fine hoping to adjust properly.

We reached the camp early, by 12 PM itself and there were no other camps set at the spot.

It was a surreal experience, after a very long time I was disconnected from the phone and the internet. It was just the mountain and me, the open terrain with shrubs and nothing else was simply fantastic. Plugging in my earphones and my favorite Kandisa playing, I was definitely in an alternate universe!

I found a cave too, where I spent the rest of the day reading.

Day 5- Day 4 of trek – Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4303m) – Kibo Hut (4730m)

Today was a critical day and one where I realized the might of Kilimanjaro. We had an early start and after breakfast started for the trek. We were carrying two water bottles each and just a day pack with essentials for the road.

The terrain was bleak and dry and the magnitude of the trek starts hitting you here. The air feels heavy and that’s when I started getting breathless. I have always been active, I am the odd one out who seeks the trails instead of the roads. It was shocking to me that I was laboring so hard against the elements, my body was rebelling against me and it was not a great realization. I regretted not being more prepared; I could see my friend handling it better. All along the assistant guide Joseph was with me, pushing me to keep going.

Although it was punctuated with harsh words, “We have the right to ask anyone to stop trekking if their health is failing!”. I certainly hadn’t come so far to fail.

But every five minutes of walking had to be punctuated with 2 minutes of rest and the worry was creeping in. I could feel the earth beneath me rise and gravity pushing hard against my already tired legs. “Saala, Mazak nahi hai Kili chadna!”

Nevertheless, I reached Kibo Hut. I was not elated; instead, I was all woozy and had a headache. My worry was now showing on my face as my friend asked me if I was doing okay. I was not doing okay.

I somehow managed to down some lunch and drank lots of water. It was 2:30 PM and the weather was cloudy, we couldn’t see much beyond our surrounding. I just wanted to sleep and was woken up around 7 for dinner. Thankfully, I woke up refreshed, feeling much better than earlier in the day. I was probably acclimatizing and although I wasn’t feeling perfect, I figured I would be okay.

It was not to be so.

Day 6 – Day 5 of trek – Kibo Hut (4730m) – Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Horombo Hut (3705m)

We were woken by Ibby and Joseph at 11 PM, our summit attempt was to begin. We got ready in at least 4-5 layers of clothes. Layering helps in keeping the cold out and we certainly need a lot of it. Temperatures along the track run into the minus degrees!

The guides briefed us about the trek route before embarking. Now, this trek is awarded a certificate at the end of completion and there are three levels – Gilman Point often called the certificate point and infamously the India Point because that is where most Indians give up on the trek! The second point was Stella Point and the third being the peak at Uhuru. We were determined to change the perception of Indians on Kili and were keen on summiting the peak.

We left in the dead of the night at 12:30 AM, there were 25 other trekkers also aiming to the summit on that day. We trudged along and within the hour the horrors of the previous day came along. I was hit by a wave of breathlessness and fatigue. It was difficult to move along the steep slope, I had not expected this so early into the day. My friend was still in his element and walking fast but Ibby our guide stopped him and wanted all of us to walk together as a group.

It was mentally tough for me to be the laggard of the group. I tried to keep up and this is where the first warning from Ibby, if we walked at this pace we could never reach the summit!

With the headtorch showing the way ahead, I kept pulling myself on the slippery slope. Pulling myself with the walking sticks along the trail it was exhausting me. Every step was difficult and I knew I was holding the group back. This was when Ibby decided that my friend and Joseph would move ahead so at least he could summit the peak. I remembered my enthusiasm at proving the stereotype of Indian trekkers wrong, I was afraid I had spoken too soon!

This is when the next warning came. Ibby warned me that he has the final call on curtailing a trekker’s journey. I didn’t want to be held back!

My friend had given me electrolyte prior to heading up and I drank some of it and immediately started vomiting! Headaches, dizziness, vomiting, I had all the signs of altitude sickness. Would I be asked to go back, that was the question on my mind. It was only 2 AM at this point, making it hardly one and half hour since we left camp but it felt like an eternity. The burden was too much, I felt really tired and was continuously stopping. Even my day pack was taken by Ibby, my solace was in the emergency oxygen cylinder that was also being carried with him. This was at my lowest mentally and we were not even at the half past point on the trek!

I kept going on. And then right up to us were two people on their way down. It was a trekker who couldn’t go ahead and she was asked to head back to camp. This was extremely demotivating and I felt I was in the same boat. I certainly didn’t want to go back, even in that stupor and extreme fatigue I knew I wanted to summit.

At that point, Ibby asked me to look up ahead and there it was the silver lining. The Gilman Point.

I definitely didn’t let down myself. I had reached the certificate point at least. And this was heartening for many reasons.

• The first rays of the sun were already upon us, it was 5 AM and it was no longer dark. Darkness can be psychologically debilitating.
• We were briefed that the trek up to Gilman’s Point is the toughest in terms of the gradient. In fact, that is why trekkers start early at night to cover this part of the trail. Else, the entire climb up can be mentally draining.
• We were at Gilman’s Point at daybreak which meant I could still summit in time.

This was hope and I was reaching for it!

I was expecting to be asked to turn around at this point by Ibby. But that didn’t happen. He pushed me to go beyond instead. By now Kili was in charge and the weather was getting colder. It had started to snow lightly and the ground was wet.

For a while the altitude reduced and it wasn’t so tough to walk. But my body was still revolting, I was puking all over the place! My stomach was crying out for help but Ibby kept pushing me. He wanted me to reach Stella Point at least.

And onwards I moved. I have literally no pictures for this part of my trek because I wasn’t in any position to! My entire focus was on surviving through the ordeal.

It was 6:30 AM when we reached Stella Point. It felt good but it was like my body was refusing to cooperate. To make it worse I could see people returning from the summit! They had reached the summit and were on their way back! HOW!!! There I was struggling with no one around except Ibby. The bleak surroundings and the way ahead, this was probably how Frodo while returning the ring to Mordor!

At every point, I was expecting Ibby to ask me to stop and return to camp. But no he was sure that I could make it to the summit. By now I felt like a machine, simply taking orders from my guide because my mind couldn’t process anything and I certainly didn’t want it to think about the challenge ahead.

Onwards to Uhuru Peak

The trail after Stella Point was steep and we were ascending. I could spot glaciers in the horizon, the sun was peeking through the clouds and it was amazing. At least I think it was amazing because I was in no frame of mind to admire! I kept my eyes on the trail and walked, I saw many trekkers returning now after their summit climb. I was feeling low because I have never been the last person anywhere!

I was still puking but trudged along. And soon I saw the summit! It wasn’t a tall peak since we were already high up on the mountain. There was a graduate slope and I could see it. It felt hardly 400 mts away and I just wanted to seize it.

I wanted to run towards the summit, just be there. And I did it! I RAN!! I ran like Forrest Gump, I ran like I never did but alas I couldn’t make it.

No miracle there. The high altitude made it impossible for me to run efficiently, Ibby caught up with me. He said you can’t run on the mountain, you will tire out. I gave up, I just stopped and all within the sight of the summit. So near, yet so far…..

And then I started walking again, faster this time. I walked and just near the summit I ran again, and I just collapsed near the summit! I was on my knees, bent over; I swear I was on the verge of crying. I can’t out in words the feeling of reaching the summit. The sun was bright and the clouds were at my feet, I was literally feeling on top of the world.

I was proud, proud of myself for making it there and proud as an Indian who made it there. Gilman Point would no more be Indian Point! I took out the Indian Flag, ready to pose for my summit photo. My friend had given me the flag before I summited. I had met him on the way from Stella Point. In almost a comic timing, the flag flew right out of my hands! Oh Shit! That flag had seen many a summit and I was not going to return without a photo with it. Thankfully, the flag was stuck on the board and I ended up flaunting it for my summit photo!

I look happy in the photo. Yes, my energy was returning to me, I had succeeded despite everything Kilimanjaro had to throw at me. But my body was protesting, I needed to get back to a lower altitude. I wanted to spend some time sitting at the summit but Ibby would have none of it and we started the slow descent back.

I was feeling better, and I wanted to get back to camp as soon as I could. I almost ran on the way back in between stops. The slopes were littered with small pebbles and big rocks. It was dangerous territory and despite Ibby’s warning, I was at it! I ran down a slope near Gilman’s Point where I slipped and tumbled down. I hit my chin and escaped near death by maneuvering myself away from rocks on my way. I could have triggered an avalanche but luck was on my side that day throughout. It was this stupid confidence I had that I have control over my body, I had done this trick of running down slopes on several other treks. But not all mountains are Kili, it could teach you a lesson this one!

We finally reached Kibo Hut, I could have collapsed in the tent and slept for eternity. But that was not to be done because the tents would need to be used for the next incoming batch. We had our lunch and slept for about 45 minutes before heading out again. Now we were to take the Marangu Route or the Coca-Cola route. It took us about 4 hours to reach Horombo Hut, the trek was more relaxed and I took in the scenery as I trekked. Ah man! It felt good!

Day 7 – Day 6 of trek – Horombo Hut (3705m)– Marangu Gate (1860m) – Moshi

We reached the Marangu Gate fairly soon by afternoon. We had to do the formalities of signing our names at the register and we received our certificates for the summit climb. It wasn’t as much the certificate but the entire experience was overwhelming. I had the odds thrown at me and I overcame them. Physical fitness is a matter of pride for me and I was thoroughly tested on that front! Kilimanjaro can be a truly humbling experience.

We spent the night in Moshi at the same hotel and had a celebratory dinner! At the end of the trek we had to tip our guides, it is a fairly regular practice and you can consult your guide for the tipping rates. We explored Moshi a bit, we were warned against going into the town as it can be unsafe for foreign tourists. But we didn’t experience anything untoward and had a good evening out.

The next couple of days I spent in the island destination of Zanzibar. Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania and we stayed in the Zanzibar city. It is especially known for the spice trade and tourism and I could draw several parallels to Kerala. In fact, the city reminded me of Kozhikode, the quaint city with old architecture and the seaside had a unique vibe of its own. We spent time in Zanzibar chilling on the beaches and walking through the streets. There is a vibrant promenade, night market, and several street food shops all round. It’s nice to chill here after a demanding trek like Kilimanjaro. This was the perfect getaway before I headed to the drudgery of work!

This post is a personal experience of Libhy Krishnalayam, an avid traveler who loves backpacking. If you have questions regarding the Kilimanjaro Trek do write in to trektourtravel@gmail.com