Day 7: Climb to base camp

Start: Karanga Camp

Finish: Barafu Camp

Distance: 2 miles

Elevation gain: 3995m to 4673m

Climatic zone: Alpine Desert

The morning was bitterly cold and I clutched my tea as I stood before the mountain, staring in awe to where the summit extended high into the clouds, a monument of the slow working forces of nature through countless millenniums. There’s something mesmerising about a free standing mountain, unlike the vastness of ranges like the Himalayas, the Andes and the Alps where neighbouring peaks are connected through a complex mix of passes and steep sided valleys – Kilimanjaro proudly emerges from the Tanzanian plains, standing peacefully in solitude. Kilimanjaro is simply a product of geology but along with many natural environments like deep oceans, rainforests and glaciers the human imagination and our need to chase our adventurous desires has romanticised it into so much more. Our mind’s perception of mountainous environments is often a stark contrast from the real experience. Even after witnessing the inhospitable nature of lands above 5000m; with the steep and sharp rock, the extreme cold and nausea inducing altitude; upon returning home I am also guilty of romanticising these environments. Focusing merely on the unspeakable beauty, the wildness and the incomparable feeling of standing above the clouds while allowing the unappealing aspects fade into irrelevant foggy memories. It’s not until moments when you're longing for oxygen, wiggling your fingers around in the hope feeling returns as your legs burn from the consistent inclines that those memories resurface and remind us of the disjunction between the imagined and real characteristics of high mountains.

We ate breakfast in the morning sun as Saidi completed our daily health checks and asked us to rate how we were feeling on a scale of 1-10, as everything was documented in the orange folder. He repeatedly reminded us to always be honest with him, telling us, "I'll know from looking into your eyes if you are truly not okay!" He had also deciphered from very early on the trip that if George was not constantly chatting, Will was not eating second and third helpings of food and I was not smiling and laughing - then something was wrong! Despite a few headaches, slight appetite depletion and mild nausea - everyone was doing well and we were assured that these symptoms are completely normal at this height. Today we would slowly progress our way through the rugged volcanic wilderness, extending high above the clouds to an altitude of 4600m, where the base camp was situated. Saidi warned us at breakfast that we were guaranteed to meet people returning from the summit on our arrival to base camp and requested that we didn't interact with them or engage in discussions about their experience on the summit. He didn't want any negativity or doubt entering our heads, that would make the challenge ahead feel even more daunting. He explained that each team's experience is different - the weather, the guides, their mindset and it would be no use listening to others at this point. "Follow my guidance, I'll keep you safe and do everything I can to make sure you touch the sky" he expressed with a beaming smile, enthusiastically slapping our backs and shoulders! Although I could sense a shift in the tone, as apprehension levels grew as the summit attempt was no longer a distant mission, we had built a strong bond with the guides and knew we could trust them to support our endeavour.

The pace had slowed further as we approached base camp, climbing a gentle but persistent rocky incline, stopping frequently for energy dense snacks, hydration and "flower picking" opportunities. The guides kept morale high, singing and dancing, making us laugh to distract us from the rescue helicopters that soared above our heads. The route was beautiful, with Mawenzi Peak (Kilimanjaro's eastern most summit) visible and our destination of Uhuru peak rising above us to the north. George nudged me saying "It doesn't look that much higher right?" and Saidi called over with a cheeky grin, "Ah no problems, summit night is the easiest of all the days!" After a slow relaxed morning we arrived at base camp, to see a colourful array of tents scattered across the rocky terrain as porters dashed around ensuring everything was prepared for their teams. As we headed towards our tents I witnessed exactly what Saidi had warned us of. A man was keeled over, gasping for breath and wheezing, as two guides linked arms with him for support. A woman was flopped over a guides back with her eyes closed, as he carried her with urgency down the mountain - I wondered if she was even conscious. Lines of climbers staggered through base camp, staring wearily into the distance. Saidi looked over to me and noted my anxiety and concern at the scenes I was witnessing. He bounded over and interlocked his fingers with mine, squeezing my hand, pulling me gently away from the descending climbers saying "Do you know Amy when giraffes walk, they move both legs on the same side of their body forward at the same time, then they switch to the opposite side?" I knew what he was doing. Using his facts and anecdotes about animals, that he knew I enjoyed, to distract me from the distressing surroundings. He continued telling me the average weight of a male elephant, showing me a video on his phone of the wildebeest migration and explaining the differing roles of male and female lions. He'd succeeded and I was smiling again, pushing what I'd witnessed into the back of my mind and focusing only on the present as he repeatedly told us to do. My apprehension further lifted during my favourite time of the day; dust removal by being whacked with a tea towel which was accompanied by a shoulder massage from Saidi and Ramaa handing me mango juice. George and Will laughed, calling over "Amy it's your favourite time of the day!" as I grinned back at them!

Following lunch and an afternoon nap, we returned to the mess tent for our summit night briefing and dinner. Everyone was quieter than usual, awaiting instructions - what time would we have to wake up? How long would it take? How many layers should we wear? Saidi, Joey and Anton gathered for the briefing - joined by Husain, a porter who would also be joining us for the summit push. This meant we would have a 1:1 ratio of clients to guides for summit night. We would be woken up at 10.30pm, given tea and biscuits before setting off at 11.30pm - the aim of the earlier start was to get ahead of the larger teams in the hope that we would reach Stella point just shy of the sunrise before progressing to the true summit. The guides covered everything from what we should pack, how we should dress and the terrain to expect while constantly reassuring us that we would be safe. Saidi finished with motivational words, reminding us that we have to get to the summit for our "Tanzania vs UK big football final on the roof of Africa". It was 7pm and we were told to try to get some sleep or at least some rest. Saidi then visited each of our tents in turn as he wanted to check our summit night outfit, the gear we'd be carrying in our packs and ensure we had functioning head torches with fresh batteries. He sat on the edge of my sleeping mat, reviewing everything thoughtfully, ensuring I was all ready to go and finished by saying "You've helped us all this week with your smiles and positivity, now let me help you to get your dream and touch the sky!" I felt a little emotional, a strange mix of excitement that my goal felt reachable and apprehension as I knew the task was not easy, but his words gave me a deep reassurance that everything would work out. We said goodnight and I lay bundled up in my layers ready for 3 hours of anxious rest.