Spending three weeks in East Africa was unforgettable. We went to pursue dreams many years in the making, and somehow, it still surpassed all expectations. The journey started in Kenya, on safari in the Maasai Mara, then continued to Tanzania for a 7-day trek to summit Mount Kilimanjaro.
As one can imagine, planning an ambitious trip to this part of the world involves a lot of logistics. I wouldn't recommend doing it alone. We worked with a wonderful tour operator, who helped us confirm flights, lodging, visas, and more. I'd be happy to send her information to anyone on request.
We flew into Nairobi, Kenya and caught our breath at the Four Points Sheradon. Before heading off on another flight, we had the opportunity to eat lunch at a beautiful restaurant called Cultiva. It's a farm-to-table experience that will blow you away. Many of the ingredients cultivated on-site in their beautiful gardens. Everything — the sodas, the food, the desserts, the atmosphere, and the service — is top notch. We had many meals on the trip, but this one was probably the best. I recommend making the trip if you have time.
Alas, we weren't in Nairobi for long. After catching up on sleep, we caught a one-hour flight in a small plane to Maasai Mara. It's not so much an airport as it is a dirt strip, but right away it is clear you are somewhere very special. This is where our safari began.
We stayed at the beautiful Enkewa Camp, situated inside the national park. I can't say enough good things about this place. The accomodations, people, surroundings, and conservationist policies (100% solar!) were all first class. Waking up there every day was a privilege.
The Maasai Tribe
The Maasai have lived in the Mara for manay generations. Today, they are actively helping to protect the animals and conserve of the environment. We had an opportunity to learn some of the language, get to know the culture, and visit a local villages on the trip. Their knowledge of the animals, plant life, and environment is unbelievable. Having them as our guides was a special experience.
Game Drives
Every day, starting around 6:30am, we jumped in the Land Cruiser and went on a game drive for several hours. We did a shorter drive around 4pm as well. Although we were spending up to eight hours in the truck every day, every minute was exciting and invigorating. We never knew what was around the corner.
We were lucky to see every animal we could have imagined seeing on the trip. Rather than list them off, I'll let the photos do most of the work. The most rare animals we saw were a leopard (and her cub) and two black rhinos, of which there are only 52 in the park. Seeing lions, elephants, and giraffes was quite common, but we never tired of it. Seeing them up close is indescribable.
The Great Migration
Once a year, the largest animal migration on the planet takes place between Tanzania and Kenya. When the grass starts drying up in Tanzania, about 1.7 million wildabeasts and 260k zebras start making their way to Kenya. Alongside them is an entire ecosystem of other animals. We were lucky to see thousands of animals making the dangerous journey on our trip.
The video below is full of action, but we waited about two hours for the wildabeast herd to muster the courage to cross the Sand River. Once several of them start moving, the herd follows, and the migration is on.
In conclusion, the safari experience easily surpassed our expectations. Being so close to nature and these incredible animals has an impact on you. It gives you a deep and lasting appreciation for the world we live in, and who we share it with. I hope we have the opportunity to do it again someday.
Mount Kilimanjaro
A six-day safari is ambitious, but we had something even more challenging in store for the second leg of our East Africa journey. The goal was to climb the world's largest free-standing mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, which stands at 19,341 feet (5,895 meters).
Roughly 75k people make the Kilimanjaro trek each year. It's known as the "easiest" of the world's tallest mountains, as the weather is relatively consistent in the high season and no technical climbing or mountaineering is necessary to reach the summit.
We took the Lemosho route, which takes 7-8 days and has an 80% success rate due to the gradual elevation gain, enabling your body to acclimate properly. The entire route was 42 miles and took us about 37 hours of hiking over seven days. Spoiler alert: we made it to the summit, and because we're quite competitive, we were the first team to summit on August 8, 2024.
Logistically, the effort required is immense. We had a team of thirteen people: one guide, one assistant guide, one chef, and ten porters to carry the camping gear. The team's passion, knowledge, kindness, and work ethic is deeply inspiring. It's a true team effort. We're seeking a goal together and doing everything we can to help each other. As you can imagine, bonds form quickly, which made reaching our goal quite emotional.
Days 1 & 2
The first couple of days is all about getting your bearings and establishing a routine. We started hiking between 5:30-6:30am every day. We aren't big campers, and even though we had a lot of help, living in a tent was an adjustment.
The scenery along the way was awesome, and after a couple of days, we had about ten miles under our belts and saw the summit for the first time. Game on!
Days 3 & 4
The hike got progressively more serious as we gained altitude. Above 4,000 meters (13,123 feet), with less oxygen available, the green plants are replaced by desert-like conditions and less wildlife. Each morning, the clouds form at a low altitude and cover the mountain, which makes for absolutely gorgeous photos.
Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano, and the summit we know today was the result of an eruption about 300 million years ago. Lava Rock, pictured in one of the photos below, was one of the eruption's creations.
Days 5 & 6
The summit slowly started getting closer. It always looked imposing. You can't even see the way up until you get to basecamp at 15,100 feet. The nights got colder, the altitude higher, and the hikes more challenging.
Day 6 was the summit hike, which technically started at 11:45pm on day 5. We hiked straight up (roughly 4,200 feet) for several hours in the dark, in temperatures as low as 5 degrees F (-15 C). We had to keep moving to stay warm.
Thanks to the team and our preparation, we were able to do the seven-hour hike in six hours and reach the summit first. Having the top to ourselves for the sunrise is something I'll never forget.
After the summit, there's no rest for the weary. We still had a six-hour hike down to the camp for the night. Ultimately, we did twelve hours of hiking and were asleep in the tent by 1:00pm on summit day, grateful to be safe and sound.
Day 7
The final day is a gentle, and in our case muddy, hike down another 4,000 feet to the park gate. It was there that we said goodbye to our amazing team and received certificates of completion. What an incredible experience!
