The
highest points of Africa are Mount Kenya in Kenya and Kilimanjaro in neighboring Tanzania.
First, we will go to Mount Kenya, originally known as Kirin Yaga, which is rising from
the plains of the Kenyan Highlands.
It is an ancient extinct volcano, sitting almost on top of the equator.
In Nanyuki, at the foot of the mountain, I meet my crew, a cook, a porter and my mountain
guide.
We continue by car to the gates of the national park and start walking from there.
Our first day's walk is easy but long.
It takes us through the gently rising slopes of the tropical forest zone.
On a dirt road, we are passing through the rich tropical wildlife of East Africa and reach
Old Moses Camp for our first night.
Early in the next morning, we continue through rain and mist, passing the heathland, entering
a sustained gorge, which leads us to our second night's camp.
From there, it is just a few hours to reach Point Lenana, one of the three main summits
of Mount Kenya range.
We continue by car to the gates of Nanyuki, which is rising from the plains of the Kenyan
Highlands.
On
the summit, unfortunately, many clouds are blocking the view, but the sunrise is nevertheless
spectacular.
Going down, the weather improves and we manage to see some of the beautiful animals and plants
who have adapted so well to high altitude.
Here is the rock hyrax, a relative of the elephants and lots of endemic lobilias and
plants.
On our way back to the plains, we meet some rare elant antelopes and many other animals
and plants.
Afterwards I work my way with the help of taxis and buses towards Tanzania.
I'm enjoying to watch the chaotic East African traffic.
Accidents are frequent here, but all goes well for me and my drivers.
Mount Kilimanjaro is a straight-o volcano with three cones, Shira, Kibo and Mavenzi.
Mavenzi and Shira are extinct, while Kibo, the highest, is dormant and could erupt again.
A huge green belt of tropical forests at the foot of the mountain is surrounding the rocky
peaks.
I join a group of hikers, doing the longest but also most scenic route to the top.
We are circling the mountain halfway for six days before the final ascent.
With over 30,000 hikers per year, tourism on Kilimanjaro is big.
Our starting point is Machame Gate, where hundreds of porters are checked before they
set off to carry tents, food and equipment for the hikers.
In
the evening at our first campsite, we are faced with dense fog.
But in the early morning hours, the sky is opening and whoever is awake can see the
glorious African night sky.
We proceed to the second camp at 3,800 meters and the incline is getting steeper.
My guide Francis and I are having a good time after he accepts that he won't be able to
convert me to Christianity.
In the afternoon, clouds are disappearing again and we get the first clear view of the
mighty giant Kibo.
There must be a couple of hundred people in the camp and everything is organized very
well.
Yet the joy is not missing.
Some porters, in spite of having the toughest job, start dancing and singing with some of
the guides at sunset and many tourists join in.
From camp 2 onwards, we are above the vegetated climate zones.
It's mostly dust, rocks and stunning views for the next days.
From far away, you can see hundreds of porters, tourists and guides forming an ant trail heading
for the next camp.
The
planes around Kili are often covered in clouds but during the night in Karanga camp, the curtain
falls and we can look down at the glittering town of Moschi more than 3,000 meters below.
In the morning, the misty cloud blanket returns.
Barafu is our highest camp and the last one before the final steep walk to the summit.
With only 50% of air pressure compared to sea level, breathing and moving is now becoming
harder with every additional altitude meter.
Yet our energetic crew sets up the tents once again in no time.
From Barafu, it's about 1300 meters in altitude to the top of Kibo which is called Uhuru Peak.
We start our march in the middle of the night.
From Barafu, it's about 1500 meters in altitude to the top of Kibo which is called Uhuru Peak.
The
views are overwhelming and I enjoy every moment of being in the lofty heights.
I would like to stay longer but the guides want to get the group down again for health
reasons.
So within a day, we are back in Moschi.
We don't know much about the original people living around the two mountains.
But it is clear that Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro were both regarded as very holy places.
The Kikuyu at Kirin Yaga regarded the mountain as residence of Ngai, a non-personal all-pervading
supreme god.
The Chaga around Kilimanjaro regarded Kibo as the divine embodiment of all that was
exalted, eternal and nourishing.
They honored their chiefs by calling them Kibo.
They also used the mountain in their blessings.
As Kibo ages not, so may you never be old.
The indigenous people practiced their songs, dances and rites for ages and would probably
still do so if not two German missionaries would have come along.
German discovers Kilimanjaro in 1848 and Krapf, Mount Kenya in 1849.
And in their wake, many missions are found and the locals are converted to Christianity.
More white adventurers come to explore and conquer the area.
So the original inhabitants had to change their habits and beliefs and they are still
adjusting today to the ways of the white man.
But also the two mighty giants which are towering over the African highlands have changed dramatically
over the last 150 years.
Their ice will be gone soon.
European universities are now helping the local governments to preserve the tremendously
valuable wildlife around the mountain ranges and tourists provide the region with the much
needed foreign income.
