The Climb

A few years ago, an acquaintance of mine summited Mt. Kilimanjaro. I thought that sounded pretty cool.  I thought to myself, “If he can do it, surely I can.”

Never mind the fact that we called John “Superman” when we completed the Bataan Memorial Death March together – because John has super-human endurance.

When I chatted with John about Kilimanjaro, he highly encouraged me to go for it, saying that if I can do Bataan, I can do Kilimanjaro.

Fast forward to May 3, 2024. I turned 59. And decided that the year I turned 60, I would climb Kili! My husband encouraged my dream by giving me some seed money which quickly exited my bank account when I made my first visit to REI to buy gear.

In November 2024, I chose my outfitter and secured my spot for a 7-day climb via the Machame (muh-chom-ay) route.

Fast forward 10 months. The time for my climb has come. October 18^th, 2025.

Following a gear-check, and loading my huge, bright yellow duffel, I settled in for the night.

A sleepless one.

Because I’m only getting ready to climb the 4^th tallest mountain in the world behind Mount Everest (8,849 m/29,032 ft.), Aconcagua (6,961 m/22,837 ft.), and Denali (6,194m/20,321 ft.).

Mt. Kilimanjaro, located in Tanzania stands at 5,895m, or 19,340 ft.

Team Giraffe was comprised of a grandmother from Texas (you might know who I’m talking about); Andrin and Matthew, a father and son from Switzerland; Fritze and Maureen, two Georgetown students from California and New Jersey, respectively doing a semester abroad in Tanzania; Fritze’s father Scott and brother Spencer from California: Prahnav from London, Romauld (RJ) from Trinidad, and Simon from Australia.

Our guides, always with smiles on their faces, included Nelson, Phillemone (Philly), Nzanzo (Muusa), and Khatim.

After securing our valuables and luggage, and weighing in our duffels, we loaded the van for a short 20-minute ride to the Machame Gate.

After lunch, we were on our way.

Day 1 –

Starting elevation: 1,800 m/5,905 ft.
Machame Gate to Machame Camp.
11 km/6.84 miles.

The first rule we learned was that porters always have the right of way.

Consider this:  a porter may carry a trekker’s duffel (max weight of 15 kg or 33 pounds) + their own duffel. This is carried on either their head or their shoulders. Plus, another large backpack that contains I don’t know what.

Porters are also responsible for carrying tents, sleeping mats, tables, chairs, cooking equipment, toilets/toilet tents, and food.

Their goal is to arrive at each camp before the trekkers and have the camp completely set up. I came to find that the porters, like John, were super-human.

My porter’s name was Athmunth (pronounced Os-mun).

Our quest to summit Kili began in the rainforest. Plenty of foliage, as one might expect. Along with monkeys and different species of birds.

The incline was sometimes gentle, sometimes steep. Sometimes rocky (but nothing to scramble over), sometimes filled with roots.

In order to conserve energy, I used my trekking poles readily.

I was happy in that my legs did not feel overworked. Perhaps it was the 3-5 workouts I had done daily for the previous 4 months.

I don’t remember what we had for dinner that evening, but I know one thing we had for sure: soup! We had soup for almost every lunch and dinner throughout the trek. It was warm, yummy, and just what one needed to warm their body, especially as we got higher on the mountain and the temps got lower.

My bedtime routine took a bit to figure out, and the first night was rough.

I needed to put all electronics into a sock and into my sleeping bag. I placed them under the hood of my sleeping bag and placed my pillow on top. After brushing my teeth, then cleaning with wet wipes, I slid into my thermals, placed my hot water bottle (provided by my outfitter) near my feet and went to sleep.

Or not.

I tossed. I turned. I breathed heavily. And through my mouth. Sleep was not to be found. At least not that much of it.

Day 2 –
Starting elevation: 2,835 m/9,301 ft.
Machame Camp to Shira Cave Camp.
5 km/3.11 miles.

Our day began as every other day. Porridge, crepes, toast, eggs and sausage. There certainly wasn’t a shortage of food. Though I had a hard time finding my appetite.

Almost immediately after leaving camp, we entered a steep, rocky and narrow path upwards.  I’m unsure how long this torture … um … part of the trail lasted, but it was difficult, at best. 

There was a huge log-jam due to everyone stopping to let the porters pass.

I was behind the 20-somethings in the group, who would stop to take pictures and/or just generally move at a very uneven pace.  As a result, when they’d take off to catch up, I felt compelled to do the same. Willing my body over the rocks, but unable to will it to regulate my breathing.

It was in this section, that I likely earned most of the bruises on my legs.

During one of our rest breaks, the guides moved me to the front of the line.  I’d like to believe they did so in order to allow me to maintain the slow and steady pace which is necessary on the mountain.  As they say,

Pole’, Pole’ (pronounced “pole-ay, pole-ay”), meaning “slowly, slowly”.

Being directly behind the guide also allowed them to give me a hand when the rocks were pitched so steeply, that my short little legs had difficulty in making the step.

The second part of today’s trek was a bit easier, with short bits of steep inclines, followed by lengthy bits of very sandy (soft dirt) trail.

It took us 5 hours, 45 minutes to cover those 3.11 miles.

Lunch included butternut squash soup and macaroni with beef and vegetables in sauce.

After lunch, it was time for a 1-hour acclimatization hike to Shira Cave, where we stayed for about 15 minutes before returning to camp.

Dinner included potato leek soup, chicken cacciatore and rice. Yum!

My twice-daily medical checks have gone well so far. My oxygen levels have remained above 90. While my pulse is a little higher than usual (in the 80’s), it was still acceptable.

Another night of the same routine. Including a lack of sleep. I know this is not sustainable and realize I have to find a solution. And soon.

Day 3 –
Starting elevation: 3,810 m/12,500 ft.
Shira Cave Camp to Lava Tower.
7 km/ 4.35 miles
Lava Tower to Barranco Camp

3 km/1.86 miles

With a wakeup call of 6:00, including coffee being brought to my tent, I got ready for the day, and packed up my belongings. After breakfast, we set off around 8:00 a.m. for Lava Tower.

This was a day I was built for. Long stretches of a slight incline. I was rarely out of breath. This would turn out to be our longest day (other than summit night) and one of my favorite days.

When we reached Lava Tower at 4,630 m/15,419 ft., both our toilets and our mess tent awaited us.

Lunch included potato leek soup, grilled cheese and onion sandwiches and beef stew. Guess who got their appetite back? I was so happy to feel like I wasn’t force-feeding myself! And actually enjoyed a meal for the first time.

Before descending to Barranco Camp, our lead guide, Nelson, taught us how to best use our trekking poles on the descent in order to save our knees. And when you’re my age (and the age of the oldest member of our team [63]), that info is golden!

The path going down was quite rocky, which made it challenging, but it wasn’t the worst thing I’d ever done.

We entered into a valley of Senecio trees and waterfalls (okay – 1 waterfall) just before the fog started rolling in.  Making it beautiful and enchanting all at the same time. The Senecio trees can only be found on Kili and I had been looking forward to seeing them; they were huge. And beautiful.

It was also during the descent that I encountered the side effects of Diamox (altitude sickness medication) for the first time. A tingling in my fingers that has the same feeling as when you hit your funny bone. Thankfully, it doesn’t last long (but it does come back randomly).

Just before arriving at camp, we got our first glimpse of the great Barranco Wall.  The seemingly sheer cliff that we would scale the next day. It's switchbacks, evident. It's height, daunting.

We stood with our jaws open. Sheesh! This will be interesting!

We arrived camp at 5:05, losing 654 m/2,145 ft. in elevation.

After a dinner of onion soup and spaghetti with chicken, it was time for med-checks and a briefing for tomorrow. My med-checks are still going well.

Each evening, as we arrived into camp, the fog rolled through. But by bedtime, the skies cleared and we were treated to the most beautiful starry night – including vivid views of the Milky Way.

It had now gotten much colder, so my bedtime routine included adding hot water to my water bottle (to hold near my chest), in addition to putting the hot water bottle near my feet.  I also placed my electronics at the bottom of my sleeping back, and adding my fleece jacket, gloves, and beanie to my pajama ensemble. And slept like a baby.

Except … when I tried to turn over on my other side.

I normally sleep like a rotisserie chicken – constantly turning all night long. Except when I did this at altitude, it took no less than 15 minutes for my heart rate to return to normal and my breathing to do the same. As a lifelong asthmatic, it was just a tad disconcerting.

Regardless, I finally got a decent night’s sleep! Yea!

Day 4 –
Starting elevation: 3,976 m/13,044 ft.
Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
5 km/3.11 miles

The day began like all of the others – except the chefs surprised us with Spanish omelets instead of plain eggs.

Today we scaled the Barranco Wall.  Standing at 257 m/843.18 ft. tall, the wall is one large scramble.

Both porters and trekkers were on the wall at the same time. There was another log-jam, complete with lots of yelling (amongst the porters and guides) and one porter who was aggressively encroaching on our group. So aggressive, that our lead guide, who is the most laid-back person in all of Tanzania and has such a smooth, calming voice, raised his voice and threatened to take his picture and report him to the police, if he did not stop pushing our team!

Climbing the Barranco Wall was not exactly something I was looking forward to. Considering my fear of heights and the fact that we were climbing up the shear side of a cliff. But hey! It’s part of the adventure!

Some bits were fun, some were nerve-wracking, but our guides were always right there to lend a hand when we needed it and to make sure we didn’t fall.

A porter just in front of us tripped and lost the load from atop his head. It was a bit terrifying. Thankfully, the load did not go off the edge, as it surely would’ve hit the people down below.

Once at the top, one of our waiters had set up a table with tea and snacks.

We enjoyed a lengthy break before descending down the back side of the wall/mountain into a valley. Then back up the next mountain.

Whenever we asked, “How much further?”, Muusa would respond “20 minutes or something”. We soon figured out the “or something” could mean another hour. Or two.

This is the last camp where the porters could gather fresh water. When we ascend to our next camp, Barafu, the porters have to come all the way back here to gather water.

As we arrived into camp, my quads let me know it had been a long day. It was in fact, very taxing.

After a lunch of beet soup, chicken pizza, fries and beef & vegetables in sauce, it was time for a well-deserved rest.

Next, it was time to meet the 52 men and 1 woman who have supported our expedition, our crew. Yes, 53 people to support our team of 10!

 

In addition to our guides, we met our six junior guides, our camp masters, our toilet kit men, all of the other porters, and our chefs and waiters (who we had already met).

One of our guides, Khatim, had left after day 2 because he had a death in the family. We were introduced to our new guide, Hamza.

They sang for us and brought us up to dance.

A few of the guides had been calling me “mama”. But when they began singing one of the songs, they celebrated “mama”, “baba” (father), “kaka” (brother), “dada” (sister) and “dogo” (younger sibling).

From then on, we were greeted in camp by those names.

It was very special.

Dinner consisted of butternut squash soup, rice with vegetables in sauce, cornbread and drumsticks.

It was very cold this night and we could see the lights from Moshi-town below.

Day 5 –
Starting elevation: 3,995 m/13,106 ft.
Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
4 km/2.49 miles

As with all the other days, our breakfast was the same.  But this was no ordinary day. This was the day we would begin our quest for the summit.

But first, we had to climb to Barafu Camp – base camp.

We had a clear view of Kili from our campsite. I’m not gonna lie – it looked rather imposing. But this is why we’re here! To fulfill our dream of making it to the top!

Our hike was only a couple of hours. We were thankful because we had a long night ahead.

Shortly after arriving to camp, they took us on an acclimatization hike.  But more importantly, they wanted us to see in the daylight, the GINORMOUS  and steep field of boulders we would climb up at the beginning of the summit trail. It was important, the guides said, because they didn’t want us to be intimidated by them in the dark, when we began our quest for the summit.

Sitting atop the boulder field, I watched as those who summited were returning to camp. They looked bewildered, often being held arm-in-arm by a guide.

When we returned from our acclimatization hike, it began snowing. The guides were pleased that it did so just then – because it meant it was unlikely to snow while we were climbing later that night and that the wind would die down.

Next up was lunch, which included fajitas - complete with tortillas and guacamole. They're speaking my language. 

This was followed by a summit briefing, then they put us down for a nap at approximately 3:00.  By this time, the ground was mostly covered in snow.

After putting on my base layers for my summit climb, along with two fleece jackets, my gloves, beanie, ear plugs, and sleep mask (I’m sure I was quite the sight!), I surprisingly drifted off to sleep and managed a solid five hours.

One of the waiters woke us up at 10:00 p.m..

We had a “summit brunch” consisting of porridge, crepes, eggs, toast and sausage.

Before leaving camp, the lead guide, Nelson, pulled me aside and asked me to lead the team in prayer. I was honored to do so.

We set off for our nighttime summit hike at 11:00.

I’ve been asked quite a bit about why the summit hike takes place at night.  I’m unsure, but I know the goal is to reach the summit by sunrise.

Day 6 –
Starting elevation: 4,673 m/15,331 ft.
Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak
5 km/3.11 miles

When we left camp, it was COLD.  I’m unsure of the temperature, I just know I was cold.

My bottom layer consisted of thermals, fleece-lined leggings, and snow pants. My top layer consisted of thermals, fleece jacket x 2, rain jacket, and liner gloves. In my pack were my mittens and snow jacket.

As the climb began, the chatter among the team was non-existent.

I had abandoned the idea of using the playlist I had curated specifically for summit night. The playlist whose artists ranged from Dolly to Rush, from the Texas Longhorn Band to Journey (of course!), from Hootie and the Blowfish to Queen. Songs that made me happy, gave me a little pep in my step and the playlist my grandchildren loved to listen to, asking what each song meant to me.

The consensus of the team was that my phone battery would drain (as would the charge on my ear buds). So I was left to my own imagination and will to keep going.

Around 1:00 a.m., I began to sing the ABC’s to myself. Just to keep my mind engaged. Over and over and over again.

When that became boring, about an hour later, I started to feel dizzy. Or delirious. Or maybe both.

I asked if someone could carry my pack. One of the junior guides, Wilson, was assigned to do so, attaching my pack to the back of his own.

Shortly after that, I expressed that I was, in fact, feeling dizzy. I’m not quite sure what caused it – maybe the altitude, maybe the 250 mg of Diamox (altitude sickness medication) taken at once (prior to this, we were taking 125 mg in the morning and 125 mg at lunch).

Whatever the case, something just didn’t feel right.

Nelson separated me from the group and asked me to go just a little slower.  I was thankful he was not sending me back down the mountain.

Philly and Wilson became my guides.

Philly would sing and say things, prompting me to respond.
“Sharon YEAAAAH. Sharon AHHHH.”

I think I will not soon forget the sound of Philly’s voice as he made sure I was still amongst the living.

We stopped for a break. At which time, he poured a whole packet of glucose in my mouth. And handed me a mango juice box to wash it down. Let me be very clear, I DESPISE mango. I drank as much as I could, but Wilson insisted I finish it.

And so I did.

By this time, Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” became my mantra.  Although only a portion of the song because I couldn’t possibly remember it in its entirety.

The ascent to Stella Point, the mountain's ridgeline, (5,756 m/18,884.51 ft.) was so very steep.  I kept looking up and there didn’t seem to be an end to the trail of headlamps ahead of me. 

Just before the ascent to Stella, Philly sat me down for another break.  A full-size Snickers bar was produced by Wilson and I was told to “eat!” Meanwhile, Philly hooked up the oxygen tank.

I was breathing fine, so the oxygen (10 minutes’ worth) was meant to give me an energy boost.  I was glad for the additional “lift”.

Soon, the sun peeked through the clouds. And when it did, I was above them.

What a welcome sight!

I continued on.
“One. Two. Keep Going.”
“One. Two. Don’t Stop.”
“One. Two. Keep Going.
“One. Two. Don’t Stop.”
 
Philly assured me I was not that far behind the rest of the team. And that I would arrive at the summit in time for group photos.

When I got my first look at Uhuru Peak (the summit), Philly pointed out my group. They really were fairly close.

Seeing the sign at Uhuru Peak buoyed my spirits and I knew I was going to make the summit. A wave of emotion came over me, though I don’t think I spilled any tears. For certain, they would have frozen onto my face.

As we approached the summit, I took in the amazing sight of the glacier on my left and the crater on my right.

My teammates cheered when I approached and said how glad they were that I had made it.

The ceremonial picture was taken at the top and then group photos.

Team Giraffe had summited Mt. Kilimanjaro. Africa’s highest peak, “the rooftop of Africa”. 5,895 m/ 19,340.55 ft.

Reflecting on my accomplishment. A dream I’d held for several years. At age 60, I summited Mt. Kilimanjaro. The feeling was indescribable. The sensation of having summited, surreal. 

The word "gobsmacked" might just describe it best.

We were herded down from the summit relatively quickly as it’s not safe to stay up that high for very long.

The descent took approximately three hours total (compared to the 8.5 hours it took to reach the summit). I descended in a bit of a daze.

When we neared the GINORMOUS rock field near the end, Wilson held onto my hand, my quads shaky.

Arriving at base camp, we were greeted with hugs and high-fives by the crew. Nelson embraced me and picked me up off of my feet.  Philly asked if I remembered on Day 1, how he had told me he believed in me (I did). The waiters, chefs, and all of the porters broke into song.

Jambo, jambo Bwana (Hello, hello Sir)

Habari gani (How are you?)

Mzuri sana (very fine)

Wageni, mwakaribishwa (Foreigners, you're welcome)

Kilimanjaro, hakuna matata (Kilimanjaro, there is no problem)

Tembea pole pole, hakuna matata (Walk slowly, slowly, no problem)

Utafika salama, hakuna matata (You'll get there safe, no problem)

Kunywa maji mengi, hakuna matata (Drink plenty of water, no problem)

Jambo Bwana (click to listen to the song)

The song, when sung by the crew, is a whole vibe.

We had lunch, did a med check, and napped for 20 whole minutes.

You would think we had earned a little more rest.  But nope! It was time to descend to our next camp.

Starting elevation: 4,673 m/15,331 ft.
Barafu Camp to Millennium Camp
5.6 km/3.48 miles

The hike to Millennium Camp was relatively short. At this point, we were operating on pure adrenaline.

For dinner that night, the chefs surprised us with non-alcoholic champagne to celebrate our successful summit. Alcohol is not allowed in the national park, so this would certainly do.

We were fast asleep by 8:30.

Day 7 –
Starting elevation: 3,733 m/12,247.38 ft.
Millennium Camp to Mweka Gate
13.5 km/8.39 miles

On our final day, we descended through the rainforest.

The weather was comfortable, but it was drizzly. Making the trail (which was covered in tree roots) very slippery.

We made the trek in 5 ½ hours. Arriving at the gate, I felt I could finally enjoy the moment.

The moment I summited. The entire trip. It was overwhelming.

The chefs had prepared a hot lunch for us, including a bottle of Coke, Kilimanjaro beer, and champagne. The mood was light and fun.

After lunch, our guides held a ceremony, where they presented us with certificates and a medal. There was more singing. More dancing. More pictures. More hugs. And Nelson again, lifted me off of my feet.

As the van pulled into the hotel driveway, the guides began singing again.

Jambo. Jambo Bwana.

And we sang along. It was a fitting end to such an incredible trip.

After the best shower ever, we had one last team dinner and said our goodbyes. I think we all agreed what we had just accomplished was difficult to process, hard to put into words. We simply looked around the table at each other, knowing what we had just been through.

And smiled.

Final thoughts:

The crew who support these expeditions are nothing short of A-MAZING. They were always positive and ready with a smile.

The porters. I can’t say this enough. They are super-human. To watch them work with their 60-some-odd-pound loads on their head or shoulders, was awe-inspiring.  (Not that I ever want to be a porter, mind you, but hey! I got a lot of inspiration for the book I’ve been planning to write following this trip!)

I’ve always said (about myself) that this girl don’t camp. Glamp, yes! Camp, no. So until I figured out the best morning/nighttime routine and sleeping arrangement, I was struggling. 

This girl still don't camp.

Aside from summitting, the Barranco Wall was probably my favorite part of the trek. And that’s saying a lot for a girl who has a terrible fear of heights!

In some ways, I feel like my summit should have an asterisk by it.  Why? Because I needed a little extra help. 

But when I look at the trek as a whole, I know that my summit is “mine” and mine alone. I made it to Uhuru Peak without being held up by my guides. And made it back down the same (except for that last little portion as we descended the ginormous boulders).

So yeah. I did it! I summited Mt. Kilimanjaro.

It was (always) about the climb.