Dallice M Tylee

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

October 15th: Day 5 Kilimanjaro Trek

Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp

"The easy day". LOL. It starts before the sun is up.

Another beautiful morning and the Barranco Wall loomed over us. Intimidating, but no way around it - literally. Up we went.

Actually, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and before long we'd scrambled, kissed the rock and were making our way 90 minutes steeply up the wall with hundreds of other people. Passengers/trekkers and porters alike. My fear had not actually been the climb, or even the heights (not great for me) but the fact I had nowhere to "make money" along the first half. I made up for this in less-than-discreet places on the second half!

Once at the top, we and all the other trekkers, were taking time to breathe and congratulate ourselves. Fun was definitely had!

Also at this time, I welcomed taking my poles out of my pack and using them. There is a lot of beauty in using some upper body strength to take pressure off my knees. I am glad all of my training hikes were done with poles and that I focused heavily on up-down hikes. (Just sayin'... the tendancy to watch YouTube obsessively and focus on my perceived weaknesses has 100% paid off.)

Side note: In 2023 there were two major wildfires on Kilimanjaro in this area. They burned for weeks and were put out only when the rainy season arrived. Every so often we'd see a cable on the ground. I asked about it. It used to be wifi... until it was burned in the fires and it was never repaired/replaced.

Today was definitely an up and down day. We dipped into valleys and climbed over ridges all the way to Karanga Camp. One of the highlights being that delightful time, a kilometer from camp, where porters appear out of nowhere to take our bags, lessen our loads and share the remaining journey. Other highlights include stunning views over clouds to Mt Meru and that hilarious time that our waiter, Emmanuel appeared, stealth-like behind me just as I was going to take Zar and Imogen's picture and said "I will do it" (not a question) as he took the phone from me. We all laughed... Perhaps he felt I was less competent. More likely he just really wanted to help! He disappeared a second later and we didn't see him again until 2 hours later when he called us to lunch at Karanga Camp.

Lunch... Yum. Rice, veggies, stewed beans with tomatoes - a group favorite. Fresh mango and pineapple.

The sun was making intermittent appearances and the tents were toasty. It was a good "washy-washy" day and in preparation for no washy-washy tomorrow since Base Camp is dry (no water nearby for porters to hike in) I gave it my best effort. Then I trimmed all my toenails and dusted my feet with talcom powder and thanked my feet for their service thus far. I was one step closer mentally and physically to Summit Night. For the first time, I really felt I had this. My training had been paying dividends and my team was nothing short of awesome. The weather had been holding nicely and mostly I just felt Mama Kili was calling me ... like really inside my head now, beckoning me home. It's hard to explain. But it was reassuring and warming.

We had all afternoon to nap. Yes!!! (I did sleep just fine last night though; socks and toe warmers, tights and joggers, baselayer and fleece, hat and balaclava. Hot water bottle. Sleeping bag, down liner and silk liner... and then summit jacket stuffed inside. Plus my down jacket around my feet which were already clad in down booties!)

Another hearty dinner full of hot carbs, veggies, fruit and lively conversation was followed by card playing with the kids. Then as the sun sets and the cold settles in, it was back to my sleeping bag.

Tomorrow's Briefing:

Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

4km in about 4 hours. At 4673m.

Wake: 6:00am

Breakfast then some dancing and motivational singing! A formal introduction to the members of the team we haven't had much chance to get to know.

We will arrive at Karanga camp earlier today. Wear the same as yesterday. (Not many options these days anyway!)

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

October 14th: Day 4 of Kilimanjaro Trek

Shira II Camp to Barranco Camp

Looking back, I thought today went quite well.

Sunrise at camp was seriously beautiful and other than just "not feeling" breakfast, or being able to taste it much, I ate ample and took some hot water for my Nalgene bottle and Camelbak to take the chill off the drinking water, and had time to enjoy some local wildlife... which also appreciates the food and water leftovers that camp affords them.

Confused by the toilet tent? Don't worry... you get used to it!

Today was a climb of 7km and 3000' to Lava Rock, a waypoint that promised a sitdown hot lunch. Pole pole worked out well and all 4 of us rocked it today.

However after a tea break, wearing only my baselayer and a jacket, I struggled to stay warm and was eventually (not to far from Lava) assigned a long-legged porter to walk a little faster with me. It did the trick and by the time I arrived, I was warm. A bit breathless but otherwise not feeling any ill effects of the 15,000' elevation. My training was paying off. No guarantees when higher of course... 15,000' is the highest I have EVER been and that was 6 years ago in Peru. Mt Elbert (July 2025) is the highest peak in Colorado @ 14,400'.

Lunch! Holy moly!!! Chicken masala pasta and curried veggies, fresh pineapple slices. Amazing even if it was not cooked up on the side of the mountain @ 15,000, but it was! Thomas/cook is a magician. Seriously! (Think about it... Morning tea set up mid-hike, then fully cooked lunch mid-hike... then they race us to next camp, set up everything and get dinner ready?! It's hard to wrap my head around!)

Umbeni... my long-legged porter! I just love him.

Post lunch and a wee break, complete with our own porta-loos in tents, we started the descent. Today's adventure saw us climb up 3000' and drop back down almost the same. The descent was rocky and uneven, steps more than a path and that's how 3km takes 2 hours. Oh and our trail intersected with the Machame Route just before Lava Rock so it's a busy route now too.

We left the alpine zone just before Barranco. BUT before that, stopped for many a picture of the unique Kilimanjaro Senecio trees. As the leaves die and drop they leave scales that thicken the trunk and are insulated with cotton. Perhaps the reason these trees survive this environment.

Welcome to Barranco Camp! Tomorrow... we scale the Barranco Wall.

In my mind this had taken on "cliffs of insanity" type image (Ref: Princess Bride movie), but it turns out I was being dramatic. Go figure. :-)