Day 1-Entering the rainforest

 

Impatiens Kilimanjari-One of the 4 plants

native only to Mt. Kilimanjaro

 

 

Another view

 

 

Into the Heather region

 

The sun lights up the moss as

dark clouds set in behind

 

 

Our first camp site

 

 

Venus and the moon

 

 

Day 2-Our first morning on the mountain

 

The clouds surround us

View Panoramic

 

 

Erica, Steph, and Dr. Stoll

 

 

Mike and Brian

 

 

Some rodents are cute

 

 

Wind blown trees

 

 

 

 

Exploring a cave

 

 

Mt. Meru floats in the afternoon sky...

 

 

Day 3-In the morning

 

 

Ascending further

 

 

Lots of rocks

 

 

Lava tower-preserved by a glacier

 

A cloud pushes into the mountain

View Panoramic

 

 

Back on the trail

 

 

Walking alongside a stream

 

 

An unusual cactus like plant...

 

 

With flowers inside...

 

 

That this fat bird tries to get to

 

A forest of Senecio Kilimanjari-another

Kilimanjaro specific plant

 

Its leaves die and keep the

trunk and branches warm

 

 

Inside the forest

 

Everyone knows Peace Corps

volunteers are tree huggers...

 

 

Even me

 

 

But no one had as much fun as Steph

 

 

Closing up for the afternoon

 

 

Getting close

 

 

Day 4-Rise and shine

 

 

Our climb up a steep rock wall

 

 

Reaching the top

 

Kibo in the clouds

View Panoramic

 

 

Natural arch

 

 

Another steep climb

 

 

Slate

 

 

The last uphill of the day

 

 

Mawenzi peak

 

 

Our highest campsite

 

 

Day5-Steph and her dad reach the top

 

 

Steph and I

 

 

Erica and I

 

 

The glacier in early morning light

 

 

Clouds hover over Mawenzi

 

 

Sunrise

 

 

Our last glimpse of snow

 

 

The descent

 

 

Day 6-Back to warm