Day 2: Machame Hut Camp to Shira Camp

2.8 miles

12,480 feet

When we woke in the morning, the clouds had broken, offering the first view of Kili’s summit. 

At 8:00, post porridge and papaya breakfast, we trekked into the moorland.  Soon, all signs of the jungle had disappeared, save for the mint green floss which still adorned the trees. The plants became stubby and more forbidding, rigidly inching skyward. 

Elevation flower emerged, first spotty, then carpeting the mountain’s base. The whiteness of it reminded me of edelweiss without the delicate poise. 

The funny thing about the Kilimanjaro experience is that we expected it to be private and serene.  Serene it was; private it was not.  

There were about 200 tourists climbing our same 7-day Machame schedule.  

“Pole Pole”, is Kilimanjaro’s motto which means “slowly, slowly.”   

This is the way to sustain yourself and make it to the summit.  

We (willingly or not) tended to stick to “Twende!” (“Let’s go!”) to surpass the 200 little ducklings waddling in single file.  

The moments in which we did find solitude were precious and so, so lovely.  

After a few hours we were beyond the crowd and stunned to be above the clouds. 

The earth's floor was refurbished in a plush white carpet.

 

At Shira Camp, popcorn, ginger cookies and tea awaited us.

Shira Camp

  

Merely two hours later, dinner was served: fried chicken, succulent green beans, and rice with peas drenched in a ginger coconut sauce.

From our table we watched the sun dip below the ridge.  

The canvas behind Mt. Meru, a neighboring extinct volcano, was streaked in crimson and tangerine.  The sky above the campsite was swathed in fuchsia and a nearly full moon perched itself high in Kilimanjaro’s navy backdrop.

The temperature dropped so rapidly that we took our hot chocolate into our tent and used the sleeping bag liners for the first time.

I’ll give the liners an A for effort.

Lexi & Dougie Love from Kilimanjaro.