Climbing Kilimanjaro

As promised beginning posting some of son Peter's more exotic travels. Here we begin with Mount Kilimanjaro which is located in TANZANIA - a country in East Africa.
The mountain rises to 19,340 feet above sea level.
It is the tallest free standing mountain (not part of a mountain range) in the world.
Just a few of the 100 plus photos.

Here we see the initial party of 12 that began the journey.

Son Peter is at the back, 4th from right in the pale blue tea shirt. 

Some of the reasons to forbid the climb

Hikers must be physically fit.

If you have a sore throat, cold or breathing problems DO NOT go beyond 3,000 feet

Allow plenty of time to acclimatise by ascending slowly.

If you experience symptoms of mountain sickness please descend immediately, and more.  

Up and up with the African plaines behind them

First night of camping

Porters go ahead and set everything up, tents etc. and cook the meals

Higher and higher

and looking towards the mountain

A birthday surprise

A clear view of the mountain but still many days to walk

and a view of the peaks with the top of the mountain in view

Looking down on the world 

The mountain at sunrise

Peter

Took 6 days to climb the mountain so quite a few nights camping

Peter looking through the door of his tent towards one of the lower summits

Much harder walking now

Feeling on top of the world

Someone didn't make it!

Just keep going

This was the stopping point for some of the group

The fitter ones continued

Just a step at a time now

The seven that made it

Peter being one of them

With the porters and team that made the journey possible

Interestingly a few of the group have stayed in touch (this was 5 years ago) and they meet for climbing or walking weekends a few times a year.

Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Finally got some of son Peter's Kilimanjaro photos onto my computer

Having finished their safari the group had to leave their heavy cameras at the lodge and only allowed to carry a small digital as the slightest extra weight at the top makes a difference

Also on the final stages putting one foot in front of the other

was all they were thinking about 

copied just a few of them here

Strict rules on the climb

The group

Peter 4th in from the right in pale blue shirt

He was one of only 6 who made it to the summit

On their way and looking down over The Serengeti

Six days to the summit so six sleeps

 The Volcano in sight but still a long way to go

The two peaks appearing over the rim

The clouds rolling in

Sunset over the peaks

and sunrise on the way up

Only 6 were well and fit enough to go on from here

the remains of a plane crash

over the ice

Peter said that it was only when flying back to Nairobi that he had any sense of the height reached

They made it - over 19,000 feet

Peter

Time only for a quick photograph before a long descent to base camp - a walk of 15 hours that day

Can't stay at that altitude for long

and the Porters who looked after them on the climb

Yes I am proud of his achievement

After this the group flew off to Zanzibar to have a good rest

in a luxury hotel