When I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, I wasn't sure what gear to bring. I had a packing list from my tour guide, but I didn't know what things I could do without since I had never climbed such a big mountain before. In this article I go through what worked well for me and what didn't, and also items that were nice to have on the remainder of my trip. I focus on women’s gear, but I also include the male equivalent for most products.
Read MoreWe spent the day getting a tour of Dar Es Salaam, but unfortunately we had a bit too much down time and ended up getting to the airport early and having to wait for several hours for our flight. We made it home safely, but not before our car engine blew out on us 30 miles from home.
Read MoreToday we visited the big tortoises on Prison Island. We had a lot of fun, and we got some snorkeling in afterwards as well. After this it was time to take the ferry back to mainland Tanzania which meant our trip was soon coming to an end.
Read MoreToday we did the infamous Spice Tour in Stone Town which I would recommend to anyone traveling to Zanzibar. We learned about a bunch of spices and got to see them in their natural habitat and then had to chance to eat some spices and fruit. We also walked around Stone Town today and got some food at the local markets.
Read MoreToday we took a dhow to the outskirts of Mnemba Island to go snorkeling. We had a great time, although we wished it lasted longer. Both of us got a little sea sick, but it was still a great time!
Read MoreToday we went to Kiwengwa to go horseback riding! We spent some time relaxing on the beach and guarding our stuff from local toddlers who were trying to steal our stuff, and then I went horseback riding on the beach and swimming bareback in the ocean. After that we walked down the beach, made friends with a herd of cows, backtracked to search for a missing shoe, and then ended the day back in Nungwi to watch a boat full of crazy drunk Russians come and party at the restaurant we were eating dinner at.
Read MoreToday we flew from Kilimanjaro International Airport to Zanzibar. Our hotel wasn't expecting us, so we had to sit around and wait while they got a room ready for us which ended up being beautiful. We stayed at Langi Langi Beach Bungalows in Nungwi. Today we walked around the local villages, explored the dhows on the beach, and ate lots of good food.
Read MoreToday we spent the day at Ngorongoro Crater and saw a bunch of lions! This was by far my favorite place to visit on our safari. We learned more about the disappearing black rhino population and were even lucky enough to see a few rhino from far away.
Read MoreWe spent another day in the Serengeti today and saw a lion, cheetah, and leopard! We also made a pit stop at Olduvai Gorge which is a famous archaeological site. We finished the day with a broken car after some wild rides.
Read MoreToday we drove over to the Serengeti. On our way, we had to get our car repaired by a guy with a sketchy setup that involved plugging his homemade contraption into live electrical wires. We visited a Massai Village, and Charlie got to do the "jumping dance" with the tribe members. After that we saw some more wildlife including the cutest baby baboon
Read MoreToday was day 1 of our camping safari with Ahsante Tours. We met our safari guide, Elvis, and drove over to Tarangire National Park to view some wildlife. The roads would have been difficult to navigate if we didn't have a guide. We saw many animals today, including elephant, zebra, giraffe, water buck, buffalo, baboon, wart hog, impala, ostrich, and even two cheetah at the end. Our day ended at Karatu Forest Tented Camp, which was much more luxurious than we were expecting!
Read MoreToday was our last day on the Lemosho Route. We had an amazing time climbing Kilimanjaro, and today was a day of celebration. We had a tipping ceremony on the mountain, and this proved to be awkward when our guide read all the tip numbers out loud for the whole crew to hear.
Read MoreCharlie and I barely slept at Crater Camp, and our camp manager was vomiting all night from altitude sickness. We had a small breakfast in the morning and made our way back up to the summit, which was nice and clear! After that, we made the long trip down to Millenium Camp in the rain.
Read MoreToday we summitted Kilimanjaro and then made our way down to Crater Camp. We are really feeling the effects of altitude, and Charlie had to rest in the tent while I explored the crater and glaciers with Raymond and Arden. It was a cold night, and we both had headaches and couldn't sleep, but it was an experience that was totally worth it!
Read MoreToday was another short day, making our way from Karanga Valley Camp to Barafu Camp. We were above the clouds for a bit, and we are now anticipating summit day tomorrow!
Read MoreToday we climbed up the Barranco Wall. It was a short day, and we arrived at Karanga Valley Camp before lunchtime!
Read MoreToday we hiked up to Lava Tower for acclimation, and then made our way down to the beautiful Barranco Camp.
Read MoreToday we broke out of the jungle and got a beautiful view of Kilimanjaro. My asthma acted up on me a little bit, but we are still doing great.
Read MoreOur first day on the Lemosho Route was an easy day. We walked through the jungle and spent the night at Big Tree Camp. Charlie and I both have traveler's diarrhea, but we're doing okay so far.
Read MoreWe traveled from Arusha to Moshi by bus today and had the joy of trying to drag our luggage on the streets after our bus driver drove past our stop. We met with our guides, had them check our gear, and relaxed the rest of the day since our climb starts tomorrow!
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