The Road to Tarangire

The journey from Arusha to Tarangire National Park takes about an hour and a half. The ugly single line of power pylons that stretches over and long the road and into the horizon destroys the picturesque scenery, the sight of these iron towers brings a realization of changing times and modernization.  Through the fields Massai herds men attend their livestock gently ambling along, dressed in their customary red robes, bead jewelry and simple sandals.

Scattered across the flat lands you see the Maassi homes (enkaji), thatched round mud huts along with rectangular shaped sheds that accommodate their animals all surrounded by twig fences. Traditional beehive logs hung from many a tree around the villages. Everything seems so peaceful so simple, traditions untouched, masasai doing what their fathers and fore fathers did before them.

Maassi Enkaji & Beehive Logs

The Final Day, Day Six

Horombo Hut (3705m) Marangu Gate (1860m) The Final Day

Campsite Above The Clouds

The final day, peering out of my tent I was greeted with a view that you don’t experience every day, a sea of clouds laid before me. The morning was cold as I walked around the camp, after a short while the sun began to rise above clouds and fell across Kilimanjaro and Horombo Huts.

Sunrise Over Kilimangaro

The traditional farval ceremonial songs and dance was to take place after breakfast, this tradition is to mark the near conclusion of our journey. The atmosphere around the camp was relaxed I guess having the hardest days behind us was a good feeling, there was also a sense of sadness knowing our journey and our Kilimanjaro adventure was coming to an end.

One Of the Many Huts at Horombo Hut

As we walked over the crest of the ridge the view over Horombo Huts was magnificent, from now the walk would be downward, this was the day that I get the shower I dreamed of, I have a feeling it will be the best shower I have ever had.








Closing Chapter

When I think about the six days that were spent on Kilimanjaro mountain and the days I thought the walk would never end, the faces I encountered and the conversations I had I have a feeling my story on Kilimanjaro has not found a conclusion, having not summated I guess it’s a feeling of un-finished business, so with that I will add my closing statement "To Be Continued".

The Return Journey

Kibo Hut (4730m) to Horombo Hut (3705m), Day Five


Looking at my watch it read four degrees it felt like it as well. Crawling out of the tent, the camp lacked the usual morning bustle.

Six people from the group were still on the mountain, the morning was fresh however a lot warmer than it was six hours ago in the dark. The morning coffee was welcome, breakfast was hard to digest I lacked the appetite. Alfred would be leading us back across the saddle ahead of the group, there was little point in waiting for their return, they were going to be in need of sleep after their night hike. The camp was quieter than when we arrived the previous day, porters packing up camp sites preparing for their return journeys.

Kilimanjaro Porter 

Our walk began, porters passed us laidened with their heavy packs, they seemed to bear these with what appeared to be relative ease, I wondered so many times how often they had walked these paths they were so familiar with. I looked back to the way we had come and saw a moment that I so wanted to capture.

Kilimanjaro Guide

A guide stood along the path motionless, dressed in black with a mask covering his face protecting him from the elements, behind him was Kimbo base camp and above the clouds had covered the path that led up to the summit.


Across the saddle the walk seemed never ending a different route to the one we took when we approached Kimbo the previous day, the sun was out and felt strong its warmth hidden by the breeze and moisture from the passing clouds. People passed us occasionally on the path towards Kimbo Huts, with the look of anticipation and the curiosity of what laid before them.

The Saddle Kilimanjaro

As we approached Horombo Huts, I felt consumed by exhaustion, the sight of this place lifted me somewhat knowing that the days walk was almost done. Sitting outside the registration hut were a number of larger huts, nothing spectacular to look at but that is not what caught my attention, outside the hut stood a man wearing shorts and a t-shirt with a towel around his neck he was drying his hair. I felt the pang of jealously, this guy had had what I had dreamed of having and was in desperate need of for the past two days "A Shower". 

The clouds moved in so quickly, from being in the suns warmth to being surrounded in the damp coldness of clouds. Horombo Huts was so much more civilized in comparison to what we had been used to, a real luxury, however our own simple living remained the same. That afternoon gave way for time to reflect upon the last twenty four hours.