Tomorrow is the day we set off on our attempt to hike to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro – Africa’s highest peak often referred to as “the roof of Africa.” We haven’t actually seen the peak yet as it has been covered in clouds since we arrived in Tanzania yesterday – and haven’t decided if that’s a good or bad thing not knowing what awaits. Our hotel has a great view from the terrace – maybe we will have luck and it will be clear when we are back here in a week after we conquer Kilimanjaro.

Earlier today we met our two guides for the hike – Mate and Barik (sp?) and together went through a briefing and overview of what awaits us over the next seven days. It turns out no others have signed up for these dates so we will have our own private trek – the two of us, two guides, a cook, and 9 porters. It takes a whole team to get just the two of us to the top. They told us the four golden keys to reach the golden roof of Africa are: 1) drink a lot of water 2) eat a lot to keep energized 3) give your body time to rest and 4) stay positive. And when all else fails, just say Hakuna Matata – “no worries” in Swahili (the language of Tanzania and not just the Lion King). After the briefing we went through a gear check to make sure we had everything we needed. Since we are traveling for three months with just a carry on we had to rent a few items that were more difficult to carry with us (just wait until you see Fred at the summit in his purple ski jacket).

Tomorrow we start with a 2.5 drive to the Landarosa gate to register with the park system. Kilimanjaro national park requires you to register, have a permit, and be with a licensed tour guide when climbing. From there we go to the Lemosho gate which is the start of the Lemosho Route, one of the 5 routes you can take to the top. Over the course of the next days we will pass through 5 different climate zones using the concept of “hike high and sleep low” to help acclimate to the altitude and give us the best chance of a successful summit to the Uhruh Peak of 5895 meters (19,341 feet) which we will attempt on Friday morning (actually – it is a Thursday midnight departure). Finally on Saturday, when we are 67.5km (41.9 mi) from the start, we will hopefully cross back through the Mweka Gate with a successful summit and 7 days of beautiful hiking behind us, ready for a shower and real bed.

After a stop to the local grocery store to stock up on a few last minute supplies, packing our bags, and sitting down for a relaxing dinner, we head to bed soon, nervous but excited, and ready to wake up tomorrow and start our journey. We’ll be back with stories of how it went in a week!