Mount Meru 4556m

This climb was to aid acclimatisation, and took 4 days.

Day 1
After leaving the Keys Hotel in Moshi we drove by 4x4 vehicles to the gates of the National Park at 1500m. After a long wait (that we discovered would be the norm) we set off to the Miriakamba hut at 2500m, we passed lots of wild animals including giraffes some only 10m from us. Even though we were going very slowly (Polie polie as they say in Swahili) the excessive heat +38C soon got to most of us, one having to be treated for mild heat exhaustion. We arrived at the hut around 1800hr having taken 4hr 40.

Sun rise meru

Day 2
The next day we went up to the Saddle hut at 3500m. We left at 0840 arriving 1320 (4:40hr).
After lunch we all climbed Little Meru 3735m. Up and down in 2hr 15. From the top we could see the route up Meru and could tell it was not going to be a walk in the park as the "expedition itinerary" leads you to believe! On returning to the hut several people were sick and had headaches but nothing serious.

Day 3

Up at 0015 all having not slept too well. Left 0130 in two parties the slow and the slower. It was a really really hard day! There was some scrambling down from Rhino Point that some didn't enjoy especially in the dark. All but 2 got to top (one of them being me!), they got to 250m of the top and ran out of time to get there & back. The remains of the second team got there an hour after the first. Most felt really crap at the top.
Back at the Saddle hut between 13:00 14:30, after lunch (chips and battered bananas, yum), down to the Miriakumba hut we reached there 18:10 all in surprising shape considering how we had felt earlier. Except for one who had extremely bad blisters which we didn't learnt about until back at the hotel.

Day 4
We return back to the park gate. From there back to the hotel arrived back at 13:00. Met up with the team who had just climbed Kili, they had all made it and warned of the snow up the Western Breach.
The full extent of the blisters became apparent after a visit to the hospital. They were so bad it resulted in him having to abandon the rest of the expedition.

Kilimanjaro Uhuru peak 5896m
The Big one!
Up the Umbwe route and Western breach, down the Mweka route.
Some 37 Km in all and 4200m of climbing.

Day 5

We all said our farewells to our returning colleague (very sad). Then it was off for the big one. Another long wait for the permit at the gate before we could start. It was a nice walk up from 1700m to Forest Cave camp at 2960m. 8Km 6hr.

We arrived shortly after the porters (the only time!) so helped put our tents up.

Day 6

Up to Baranco camp at 3940m. We passed though some amazing vegetation, which included giant groundsel and giant 3m high heather with old mans beard hanging from it. We had lunch in a cave which was a good spot as it rained shortly after stopping.
4Km 5hr.

Our "Speedy Gonzalez" arrived at camp some considerable time before the rest of us.

We spent 2 night here to help acclimatisation.

Day 7

Acclimatising walk/scramble(S1) up Baranco Wall and back, 3Km 4hr 4170m. After a snooze most walked around the area of camp some even walked up to 4100m. There were a few slight headache but paracetamol sorted them out others were still suffering from the "squits" to the extent that two took antibiotics for them, which worked much to their relief.

Day 8
Up to Arrow camp below the Western Breach at 4800m. It started to snow as we were nearing camp, arrived at camp 1240. 4Km 4hr . Couldn't see much for most of the time due to cloud, most snoozed, some walked around camp and even up the lower part of the Western Breach. All felt good we had been told we would start suffering here, I was very depressed about this prospect but felt fine. Most slept well not like Meru summit night.

Day 9 (summit day)

Up at 00:20 left 01:20 , 1st hr climbed 200m but soon into difficult snow and slowed right down crampons and ice axes would have been good ( the local guide John didn't seem to know how to use his!!) Some found the scramble (S1) and snow very hard! Crater rim at 0830 (7hrs) thick cloud no view!! Top (Uhuru peak) 1030 (9hr) all looked spaced out one or two were sick I got wobbly legs due to lack of food again! I was helped down to 5300m. Waited at Barafu hut (the pits!) for others, cooks had contoured round with drinks and pineapple. Down to Millennium camp first by 15:30 last by 16:50. 12Km 14hrs.

The cooks only had 1 gas bottle useable by now so dinner was not till 2000hr.

We did sleep well that night!

Day 10

Down to gate, left camp 0830 arrived at gate spread out between 1230 and 1400. 10Km (4.5hr) .

Back to the Keys, a shower, the presentations, paying of the tips and "the song"! Dinner, booze and sleep.

Day 11

After breakfast Ian our expedition leader went off to Zanzibar for a few days diving.

The rest of us went into Moshi for a look around, then lounged around the pool until the flight home in the evening.

Notes

Food:
We got Semolina for breakfast and chicken noodle soup for dinner every mountain day also chicken most nights. But it was good especially the fritters and chips and the stew at Arrow camp (chicken of course).

Clothing:
Below 3000m short & T shirt were OK especially below 2000m. Duvets were needed for the evenings above 3000m. Summit day I wore: 2 x base layer tops, micro fleece top, fleece waist coat and cagool, bottom half winter fleece trousers & expedition overtrousers.

Photos:
The photos that do not have links to bigger picture are from a video camera and of too poor a quality to enlarge.
Many thanks to Keith Kinrade, Phil Gunhouse and Alan Robinson for the copies of their photos.

Expedition Provider
We went with Jagged Globe who are a British firm, they did an excellent job for us.