Photo: The disappearing snows of Mt. Kilimanjaro, as taken from our Ethiopian Airways flight from Arusha Tanzania.
In September 1989, John Rahn and I decided to take another expedition, this time to Africa and climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Standing at 19,340 feet tall, it is that continent’s tallest mountain and during that season, trekkers throughout the world were celebrating the centenary of the first climb by a European – Hans Mayer. Just as Tensing Norgay Sherpa had beaten Sir Edmond Hillary to the top of Everest, so too had a local chief passed out Mayer, on Kilimanjaro. There may be a lifelong lesson there.
During that centenary season, hundreds of European and American trekkers jostled for positions along the snow-clad rim of the volcano. The sheer commerciality of this hyped up ascent shocked me into the realization that climbing mountains at an approximate cost of two-thirds the annual income ($600.00), of a Tanzanian farmer, was odious to say the least. Climbing Kilimanjaro was an exciting experience but left me with an aftertaste of social and economic frustration. The first few days of the climb were quite easy, but not quite a walk in the park. However, It was not until that final ascent at midnight, from 16,000 ft., with just over three thousand feet to climb from Kibo Hut, that we faced our biggest challenges of altitude sickness and nausea. However we completed the climb but saw very little below as the mountain was partially covered in morning mist. For the record however, we received climbing certificates to prove that we were foolish enough to make the climb, as well as part so easily with $600.
Following the Kilimanjaro climb, John and I undertook a short safari with a local driver to Ngorongoro Crater, in northern Tanzania. Reputedly, it’s the world’s largest inactive, yet intact volcanic caldera. The Crater is listed among the 7 Natural Wonders of the World. Reputedly, Ngorongoro was the highest mountain in the world many eons ago, but later imploded – no explanations offered… We were also informed by our guide that more than 25,000 animals live within the amazing Ngorongoro bowl, including herds of wildebeest and zebras that graze among the mineral rich floor, covered in nutritious grasses. You will also find herds of topi, Thomson’s gazelles, Grant’s gazelles, and buffalo wandering the wide open plains. Within the crater, the critically endangered black rhinoceros live primarily in the open grasslands. Although it’s rare, herds of breeding elephants occasionally pass though the Crater, along with several old bulls, including some of Africa’s biggest remaining tuskers.
One of my lasting memories of our short safari was sleeping in a tent on the ridge of Ngorongoro Crater. At night, we nervously listened to the lions roaring, as they scoured northern Tanzania seeking food and mates. In my fragile plastic tent, I questioned why I was sleeping outdoors. Surely this was not the most ideal protection from wildlife. The following morning, I was very happy to skip breakfast and get back on the relative safety of Arusha.