Hiking Kilimanjaro Being on the top of africa

The first part of the hike was very warm and humid. We spent the first day and a half walking through thick vegetation of rain forest. An animal that we also got to come across during the first day was a Red Eye Monkey. These first two days were relatively easy because there was no issue with altitude yet and it was very steep either. However, the second day we did encounter some steep areas but overall it was some nice hours of walking.

Th end of the second day is when we started to see the rapid change of the ecosystem around us. The air was drier and thinner and the vegetation was slowly beginning to disappear. The big lush green trees were gone and now what mainly surrounded us was small bush like vegetation. Below are some pictures of a caterpillar and a gecko.

The third day was used for acclimation. We hiked up very very slowly (or as the guides like to say Pole Pole) for around three hours. Once we reached to a certain elevation of around 15,000 feet we walked back down (more like ran) to our campsite. The next day we did that same hike again but this time set up camp at 15,000 feet. The zone we were in this day was known as the Desert Moreland. Which was quite obvious because of how dry the air was around you. Many of us began to get nose bleeds and the oxygen was so thin that the simplest movement would leave you out of breath. I would be laying down in my tent and just by turning to lay on my other side I would be out of breath.

We also came across what was said to be a dead, preserved buffalo.
the view out of my tent at 15,000 feet

Once we got to the camp named School Hut at 15,000 feet, we ate lunch and napped for about an hour then woke up for an early dinner and then headed to sleep at 6:30 pm. We then woke up at 10:30 pm and began our hike at 11:00 pm. Since it was pitch black we had to use headlamps in order to start the hike up to 19,000 feet. I was feeling great and full of energy up until we hit around 17,000 feet. That is where everyone began to feel very dizzy and when the headaches began for most. One guy in my group needed to start using an oxygen tank because he couldn't walk straight anymore. 8 hours later we begin to see the sign for the peak. That is when I got a burst of energy and pushed with all I had to get to the summit. We made it there right in time for the sunrise. I felt on top of the world, but at the same time I wanted to get off that mountain because my head was pounding and we were all exhausted. But we made it!!!!

Glacier seen at the top
What the crater looks like from the summit

We did it! 19,341 feet!

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