Four days on the mountain took me from the green forest at the entrance to Kilimanjaro National Park, through changing vegetation and stark volcanic landscapes, to a freezing night-time summit climb and, finally, Uhuru Peak at 5,895 metres. This diary brings together the photographs and the moments that defined the journey.

DAY 1 – Into Kilimanjaro: From the park gate into the forest

Approx. 4 hrs 10 mins walking | 08:00 pick-up to 19:30 bed

The Start

The first day was about finally turning preparation into reality. At the Kilimanjaro National Park entrance, the climb stopped being an idea and became something I was actually doing.

Into The Forest

The early trail led through dense, green forest. Under the canopy, the path was damp and earthy, surrounded by huge trees, moss and thick vegetation. It felt a world away from the snow and ice that waited higher up.

First Night on the Mountain

By the end of the day, the simple mountain accommodation felt very welcome. There was time to eat, sort the kit, take in the surroundings and prepare for another day of climbing.

DAY 2 – Above The Forest: The landscape opens and the mountain begins to reveal itself

Approx. 6 hrs 25 mins on the trail, including stops | 06:00 wake-up to 18:00 dinner

A Changing Landscape

Leaving the thicker forest behind, the vegetation became lower and the views opened out. The trail felt more exposed and the scale of Kilimanjaro became easier to appreciate.

Pole Pole

The rhythm of the mountain was becoming familiar: steady walking, regular stops and no rushing. ‘Pole pole’ – slowly, slowly – was not just advice; it was the way to keep moving as the altitude increased.

Looking Higher

As the day progressed, the terrain became drier and more rugged. Peaks and ridges appeared through the cloud and the higher mountain began to dominate the horizon.

DAY 3 – To Kibo Hut: The summit suddenly feels very close

Approx. 5 hrs 25 mins daytime trek | 06:30 wake-up to 23:30 summit preparation

Into the Alpine Desert

Day 3 brought a dramatic change. The greenery largely disappeared and the route crossed a broad, dry volcanic landscape. It was stark, beautiful and increasingly hostile.

Kibo Hut

Eventually Kibo Hut came into view. At around 4,700 metres, this was the staging point for the summit attempt. The mountain towered above us and there was no disguising what came next.

Waiting for Midnight

There was little time for a normal night’s sleep. The priority was food, water, warm layers, headtorch, gloves and trying to rest before getting up again in the darkness. The summit attempt would begin at night.

DAY 4 – Summit Day: Darkness, ice, sunrise and the Roof of Africa

Over 11 hours from the 00:40 summit start to returning to Kibo at 11:50 – then back on the trail again at around 13:00

The Night Climb

We set off at 00:40 in complete darkness, wrapped in layers and following the small pool of light from our head torches. The pace was deliberately slow. At this altitude, every step had to be earned. Step by step. Breath by breath.

Gilman’s Point – 5,681m

At 06:09, we reached Gilman’s Point at 5,681 metres, just as the sun began to rise. It was a huge milestone after more than five hours of climbing through the darkness, but the journey was not finished. There was still more altitude to gain.

Sunrise on Kilimanjaro

As daylight arrived, the mountain changed completely. The darkness gave way to extraordinary orange light, black volcanic rock, snow and ice. After hours of climbing through the night, watching the sunrise from this height was unforgettable.

Stella Point – 5,756m

Stella Point brought another landmark and another reminder that the summit was now within reach. The route continued across the upper snowfields toward the highest point.

The Final Push

The sun was up, but the altitude made every step demanding. Snow and ice stretched across the upper mountain, with clouds far below. There was only one destination left: Uhuru Peak.

Uhuru Peak – 5,895m

And then, finally, there it was. Uhuru Peak, 5,895 metres above sea level – the highest point in Africa. After four days of walking, the freezing overnight climb, the altitude, exhaustion and countless pole pole steps, I was standing at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. I’d made it. For a few moments there was nowhere else I needed to get to. No next checkpoint. No higher point. Just the chance to stand there and appreciate where I was.

The View from the Roof of Africa

Looking out from the summit was almost surreal. Snow and ice stretched across the upper mountain and beyond it was an enormous sea of clouds. Looking back towards Mawenzi made the scale of everything even more apparent.

The Descent

Reaching the summit was not the end of Day 4. After celebrating briefly, we turned around and began the descent. By 11:50 we were back at Kibo/base for a short rest. At around 13:00, we set off again towards the next base camp. Looking down across the barren volcanic landscape, the scale of the journey was suddenly obvious: the summit was behind me, but the day’s walking was still far from over.

Four Days. One Summit.

Kilimanjaro was more than a walk to a summit. Each day changed the landscape, the weather and the challenge. The forest at the beginning felt a lifetime away from the ice at the top. The photographs capture the places, but the strongest memory is the process of getting there: one slow step after another.

Our team members are climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to raise vital funds and awareness for Kijana Kwanza (Young People First), a non-profit organisation based in Moshi supporting orphaned children and vulnerable young people. Learn more about Kijana Kwanza and our previous expeditions here.

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On Friday 29^th September 2023 we held an event for the grand opening of our brand new Beeches Independent School, with local authorities, neighbours, colleagues, friends, and family all coming together to support us on this momentous occasion.

Main article photo, photo of class room interior and photo of ribbon cutting of The Beeches Independent School at Thorpe Road by Peterborough MP Paul Bristow – all courtesy of The Peterborough Telegraph.

We were honoured to have Paul Bristow, MP for Peterborough attend to officially open our new school, and we also had a special guest appearance from Barry Fry, Director of Football at Peterborough United, which certainly brought a smile to many of our pupils’ faces!

Read The Peterborough Telegraph Article →

We were delighted to be featured in The Peterborough Telegraph, as well as on several social media platforms.

It truly was a brilliant afternoon, with guests getting to tour all of our brand new facilities, and meet our talented pupils and teachers. We are so proud of how well our pupils interacted with everyone, the amazing artwork they produced, the tours they gave, and their speeches – including one who bravely stood up in front of everyone to talk first-hand about his experience of attending our school.

We look forward to continuing our exciting new journey, so stay tuned for further updates!

The post The Beeches Independent School Grand Opening appeared first on The Beeches Independent School.