Trekking in Tanzania

They are both a little tired. But they have decided to take things slowly. So a little rest, a short hike. After being picked up at Kilimanjaro International Airport by the Twende Tanzania guide, they first went to the hotel for a shower, then a stroll around Arusha and an early night. A little comfort before and after the march to Kilimanjaro can do no harm. They made themselves comfortable at the Arusha Serena Hotel Resort.

On the second day, they set off on their bikes, sometimes on endless dead-straight roads. And often with a view of Mount Meru, the “little daughter” of Kilimanjaro. It’s quite unusual to see monkeys and colorful, unfamiliar birds in the evening.

Now we were off. Bernhard felt fit and rested. But Klaus had not yet broken in his shoes properly. If only he could do that without blisters? At Horombo Hut, we had a decent dinner and a worried look at Kilimanjaro: it was shrouded in clouds.

Now it was a bit tough. Klaus was limping at the end of the six-hour tour. And Bernhard was also having a crisis. They had covered a thousand meters in altitude. It wasn’t a difficult route. Nevertheless, how were they going to manage the last stage the day after tomorrow, with almost 3,500 meters of altitude? But the weather cleared up and the summit shone majestically in the evening sun.

Surprise when they reached the plateau between Kibo and Mawenzi about halfway up. They caught up with a small group speaking Swiss German. And Klaus actually met an old schoolmate. After a brief negotiation, they all decided to continue together. At Kibo Hut, the stage stop, everyone was totally tired, but it was still a lot of fun.

The fourth day of the ascent was the longest. We started very early, almost after midnight. Little was said. The sunrise was experienced as an almost mystical phenomenon. Then, after several hours, the first snowfields began to appear. It became noticeably cooler. It was a strange feeling to be walking around in the middle of Africa in thick down jackets and on frozen snow. At Horombo Hut, everyone was panting. But overjoyed to be up here. Simply indescribable.

The descent was strange. A long day began with a kind of euphoric starting hour. Klaus and Bernhard were almost jumping and had to hug each other again and again for joy. Then, at lunch, Klaus’ pain became unbearable. Large blisters had formed. It took a while, and borrowed shoes from a group member, before Klaus was reasonably fit to walk again. Late after sunset, they dropped into the car seats of the waiting jeep. And just as sleepily, they found their beds in the hotel.

Nothing but rest was on the agenda that day, and they weren’t up for anything else. They enjoyed the sun, the pool, a thorough medical check-up (the Twende Tanzania guide had arranged for a young nurse) and a sumptuous dinner.

Now Bernhard and Klaus were really looking forward to driving. Even though it took almost five hours. It was varied. With a short stopover at a Maasai village and a really easy short walk, during which they were able to observe hippos, giraffes and even lions.

One of the most impressive things was the drive into the Ngorongoro Crater. Klaus and Bernhard practically didn’t want to take another step on foot. That was only possible to a limited extent. Nevertheless, they got their money’s worth. With plenty of landscape and animal photos on their memory cards and their feet reasonably healed, they headed back to Arusha and home to Switzerland.