The forest below Mt. Kilimanjaro

The last day of most Mt. Kilimanjaro climbs involves a trek through lush forest from Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate.

It is rich in exotic plants. I have just completed the annual Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb. Posts of the annual event will appear in this blog within the next few day

We are on our way to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro

We have just arrived at the registration point, at Londorssi Gate, on our first day of the Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Charity Climb.

Jim Becket, Jaffar Amin, and Andrea Wobmann to climb Kilimanjaro next week

I have been on the road (figure of speech) since yesterday on my way to Moshi for the 4^th annual Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Charity Climb. I intended to travel directly from Butiama to Moshi through the Serengeti, but travel through that World Heritage site remains most unpredictable for me. I have ended up in Mwanza and plan to fly to the Kilimanjaro International Airport tomorrow.

There might be less of charity this year because the groundwork for the preparations for the fund raising drive has been inadequate. Before departure towards the summit, scheduled for the 20th September 2011 I will decide whether it will be possible to launch an effective funding appeal or postpone this appeal until the next climb.

The interesting aspect of this year's climb is the decision by a renowned American film director, Jim Becket, to shoot a documentary film during the climb. Jaffar Amin is also joining me to climb again Kilimanjaro this year following our plans during last year's climb to raise more funds for charitable causes.

Jim has decided that the documentary will cover a range of subjects, including the environment and how it affects Lake Victoria and Mount Kilimanjaro. Since Jaffar will also join the climb, Jim wants to explore the past historical relations between Tanzania and Uganda and how these have changed, focusing on what Jaffar and I have done.

Swiss national Andrea Wobmann who has worked as a volunteer in Mwanza is also joining this climb.

Mawenzi peak

On a perfect day Mawenzi, which towers at 5,149m above sea level and is one of Mt. Kilimanjaro's

two peaks, offers the best backdrop for descending from the summit.

I took this photograph on 13th December 2010 (exactly 9 months ago to the minute of this post) during my descent from the summit at Kibo, at 5,895m above sea level.

Posts related to this one:
http://blogkili.blogspot.com/2011/01/the-mwalimu-nyereremt-kilimanjaro_2.html
http://blogkili.blogspot.com/2011/01/the-mwalimu-nyereremt-kilimanjaro_13.html
http://blogkili.blogspot.com/2008/12/the-receeding-snows-of-kilimanjaro.html

It's Kili time!

It's time for Kilimanjaro, again. The mountain, not the lager.

If this bicycle could talk it would complain how I have neglected it for the whole year and only now that I am preparing myself to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro beginning September 20, have I remembered that it exists.

Today, for the second time in 3 days, I rode the bike for a distance of about 5 kilometres around some of Butiama's hilly terrain. It was Yahoo, the Mt. Kilimanjaro guide, who had suggested I buy the bike to help me strengthen my leg muscles.

My visit to one beneficiary of last year's Kilimanjaro climb

During last year’s Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb, I was joined by Mary Kalikawe from Kiroyera Tours and William Rutta of the Bukoba Disabled Assistance Project (BUDAP), a Bukoba-based organization formed in 2005 to provide “…appropriate training and employment in the production of handicrafts and related products” for its members, who are predominantly victims of polio.

BUDAP’s products include traditional drums, and handbags made from traditional African khanga and kitenge cloth.

After the climb I visited Bukoba and BUDAP’s premises near the Bukoba airport. I met some of BUDAP’s members and shared with them stories (only true ones) of the adventures of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro.

In the photograph, from left to right: Baraka, Ashirafu, Themistocles, the author of this post, and Elias.

If you wish to donate to BUDAP you can contact them through:

Bukoba Disabled Assistance Project (BUDAP)

P.O. Box 485

Bukoba - Tanzania.

www.budap.org

mailbudap@yahoo.com

Tel.+255713568276

Posts related to this one:

http://blogkili.blogspot.com/2011/06/mary-kalikawe-and-william-rutta-reach_15.html

http://blogkili.blogspot.com/2010/12/jaffar-amin-has-arrived-in-moshi-for.html

http://blogkili.blogspot.com/2011/01/elifariji-lima-donates-sh15-million-to.html

Travel options to Mt. Kilimanjaro: to hitch a ride across the Serengeti or to fly?

This post, is a continuation of my older posts from my other blog From Butiama and Beyond. Traveling between where I live and the starting point of the Kilimanjaro climb always presents challenges. 

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I arrived in Moshi last night, having failed to cross the Serengeti National Park by car at a cost of 23 US dolllars. Placing reliance on cars that may or may not pass through Ndabaka Gate, the western entrance to the Serengeti National Park, was like playing the lottery.

In the morning I decided to board a bus from Lamadi, the small town close to Ndabaka Gate, for Mwanza from where I took an afternoon flight to Mwanza. In the end I did not see a single wild animal and paid much more than the 23 dollars I budgeted for. But I can still say I crossed the Serengeti - at 5000m above sea level.

And staying at Lamadi gave me an idea about writing a guidebook on budget travel. I stayed at the Nima Delux Guest House for 9,000 shillings (6 US dollars). At Mama Mniko's I ate a meal of rice, beans, and Balala fried fish for 1,300 shillings (0.86 US dollars). Bus fare to Mwanza 3,000 shillings (2 US dollars).

At Mama Mniko's where a plate of food sells for Shs.1,300/-.




Inside my room at Nima Delux Guest House, Lamadi.

Then the final expense item and a reminder that plans do not always unfold as expected, I paid 220,000 shillings (147 US dollars) for the flight from Mwanza to the Kilimanjaro International Airport.

Posts related to this one:
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2011/06/across-serengeti-again.html
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2011/06/serengeti-crossing-not-yet-i-settle-for.html
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2011/06/through-serengeti-this-time-from.html