Introduction to today's journey
Today's journey takes me from Marangu Village to the start of the Marangu Route up Mount Kilimanjaro. We hike through dense cloud forest eventually reaching the huts at Mandara. Once we are set up, we continue a little further along the track to explore Maundi Crater.
Today's Journey
 |
Meeting our guides and porters as they pack up ready to support our journey up the mountain. |
 |
We are driven to the start of the track, already at 1970 metres above sea level. Today's hike will take us through the forest to the first hut at Mandara. |
 |
We walk slowly through the dense rainforest. Our guides tell us to take it very slowly as we need to adjust to the high altitude. |
 |
A dirt road runs parallel to our track. The porters walk up this road carrying our gear. |
 |
Stopping for lunch beside the road. Our porters have set it all up for us before we arrived. |
 |
The long drop toilet hidden in the forest behind the picnic tables. |
 |
From the lunch stop we continue for another hour through the jungle before we reach today's destination at Mandara. Our guide Fateali is signing our group in at the hut. |
 |
The gnarly trees are amazing here. After settling in the huts we continue further through the track to above the bushline. |
 |
It is not long before we reach Maundi Crater, as far as where most day walkers reach on the mountain. This is as far as we are going today but will pass this crater tomorrow as we press on towards the summit. |
 |
For this evening though, we are staying here at the Mandara Huts overnight. |
|
