I’m all signed up with AICR to fundraise and I’ve just received the itinerary for the trip! My climb will be like travelling from the equator to Antarctica in a few days. I will pass through tropical rain forests, evergreen forests, moorlands and alpine deserts and see an entirely unique landscape. 

© Mikelac01

Itinerary: 9th-26th June

1. 9th June: LHR to NBO
   Overnight flight from Heathrow to Nairobi International Airport, Kenya.
2. 10th June: NBO to Moshi, Tanzania
   Meet a representative and travel over the border to Tanzania (6 hour journey on a dirt road). Briefed on the climb. Enjoy the last experience of indoor plumbing we'll have for 6 days. 
3. 11th June: Machame Gate (1490 m) to Machame camp (2980 m)
   Hiking time: 4-5 hours 
   Breakfast then head to the Machame Gate. Sign in at the National Park Gate and begin a slow and steady hike through the cloud jungle. Arrive at camp and take in Kibo Peak in the distance over a candlelit dinner. Collapse in our tents. 
4. 12th June: Machame camp (2980 m) to Shira camp (3840 m)
   Hiking time: 5-6 hours
   Woken at dawn for a carb-filled breakfast. Steep ascent along the Machame ridge line working along to the Shira Plateau. Lunch en-route while viewing the spectacular view of Kibo Peak and the distant Mount Meru and the Maasai Highlands. Afternoon gives good resting opportunity with a short acclimatisation trip. Candlelit dinner then bed. 
5. 13th June: Shira camp (3840 m) to Barranco camp (3950 m) 
   Hiking time: 5-6 hours
   Breakfast then head east across the plateau on a gradual incline. Reach an altitude of 4,400m for acclimatisation focus then drop down to a lower altitude, implementing the climb high, sleep low tactic. Another hearty dinner then bed (with what will probably feel like the worst hangover of my entire life). 
6. 14th June: Barranco camp (3950 m) to Barafu camp (4673 m)
   Hiking time: 7-8 hours 
   Probably the toughest day due to the altitude. After taking a very early breakfast, we’ll head east up the Barranco Wall, gaining 700ft in height and continue over the ridges and valleys to the Karanga Valley with an early lunch. Leave Karanga to travel to the Barafu Camp. Dinner will be served around 4pm and we will sleep as early as possible. 
7. 15th June: Barafu camp (4673 m) Uhuru Peak (5895 m) 
   Hiking time: 5-6 hours.
   Woken at midnight for snacks and a dark but extremely slow climb towards Stella Point. First light at 5:30am, reaching Stella Point at around sunrise. Gentle ascent to the Uhuru Peak – The Roof of Africa. Observe the curvature of the earth at 19,000ft. Take a load of pictures that I probably won’t feel like taking but will be very thankful for later. 
8. Uhuru Peak (5895 m) to Mweka camp (3068 m)
   Hiking time: 4-6 hours. 
   Now altitude sickness isn’t a worry, it’s a speedy descent. Head back down to Stella Point and then to Barafu Camp where we’ll rest for one or two hours and take lunch. Leave Barafu Camp and head down to Mweka Camp, arriving late afternoon and taking a well-earned rest. 
9. 16th June: Mweka camp (3068 m)to Mweka gate (1,640 m)
   Hiking time: 3-4 hours. 
   Return to civilisation and indoor plumbing! We leave Mweka Camp after breakfast and descend back into the cloud forest. Sign-out at the Mweka Gate and return to the hotel in Moshi to receive a certificate. A hot shower and a warm bed will be the only thing I care about. 
10. 17th-24th June: Breakfast and independent travel
    Hoping to go on safari and then head to Zanzibar and relax on the beach.
11. 25th-26th June: Moshi, Tanzania over the border to NBO – flight to LHR
    Head home and have a nice cup of tea.