12th Stage - The highest mountain is defeated

It only took us 74 hours to reach the peak – with insufficient acclimatisation, through constant rain; wading through snow from any height above 4,200 metres. Most of us are suffering from headaches, coupled with dizziness from the thin air. But, we did it – sitting on the roof of Africa – we can almost touch the sky.

However – what goes up must come down. A six-kilometre rise from the highest lying Kibo hut (4703 metres) in seven hours – that’s bad enough. Then, however, the direct descent over the steep Mweka-Route – a 24 kilometre stretch – 4000 metres down in little over nine hours. Absolutely exhausted, we meet up, once again, with the rest of the team on the edge the rainforest belt at the foot of Kilimanjaro.

The clouds parted, almost as a reward, and allowed us the briefest of glances up to the tallest peak in Africa. The first thing that we all did, on returning to the Meru View Lodge was to take a warm shower. And only then, can the whole team gobble down a royal meal. After this, only one thought remains in our heads: sleep!