#TravelTuesday: How We Climbed & Conquered Kilmanjaro – Funmi Oyatogun
Written by Smooth FM on September 3, 2019
This is the story of how a group of 12 Nigerians climbed Africa’s highest mountain – Mount Kilimanjaro. It is a story of resilience, COLD, success and unbelievable teamwork.
In August 2018, I was invited to join #WomenClimbKili by Eco-Africa Climbing (A sustainable travel company in Tanzania).
I couldn’t make it so our team at TVP Adventures used that opportunity to extend the adventure to everyone.
We handled the planning for a year, allowed people pay in installments and created a support group.
The year leading to the climb was critical to our success. We helped each other gear thanks to guidance from Eco-Africa Climbing, we worked out together (where possible), some people even joined our TVP Adventures training hikes to Ado Awaye.
We named ourselves the #RooftopGang.
By the time we got to the airport, we knew each other a little. We were so excited! The team at TVP Adventures had facilitated the visa processing for Tanzania and our visas were ready way in advance. After a layover in Nairobi on Kenya Airways, we arrived Kilimanjaro!
Note: we didn’t all leave from Lagos. Anyone could join this climb. When we got to Kilimanjaro, we could see the magnificent beast peaking out from the sky. The mountain looked high but it wasn’t daunting yet since most of it was covered by cloud and fog.
Later at the hotel, we had a briefing with our climbing partners – Eco-Africa Climbing. They shared park rules, daily activities and introduced us to the crew (7 guides, 41 kilifighters (porters) and 2 chefs). We were thrilled to see that one of our guides was a woman – Janet.
On the first day of the climb, we had our pulse and oxygen saturation checked and documented. This would be done daily. We spent some time at Machame gate completing registration and eating boxed lunches. There was even WiFi at the gate of the camp. Then we started the climb!
The first day was pretty easy but since we started at about 1:15, we didn’t arrive camp until it was after 7pm. The terrain was first road, then gravel, then a rocky rain-forest trail. After a hot dinner, we slept in our tents.
Day 2 was HARD. It was a dry, rocky, steep climb with no plains almost the entire way but we pulled through. On Day 3, the worst thing that could happen happened…my period came! I had done everything my gynaecologist recommended to push this back but oh no!
It was a difficult terrain but coupled with the pain of my period, it was horrible. I got to camp way after the sunset and I was so discouraged.
Two of our teammates who had beat their personal best decided to return because their bodies could no longer continue.
After crying, weighing my options, praying and crying some more, I pushed on through Day 4! This was the best day of the entire climb. We climbed an almost vertical wall and a steep section of trail but ended up in camp by 3pm or so. We played games, talked, It was fun!
On Day 5, we could no longer climb as fast as before because we had hit 4,000m and the air was so thin.
We had to go seriously slow. POLE POLE, as Tanzanians say. The trick is to climb slowly without stopping for one hour, rest for 15 minutes then repeat. And HYDRATE!
On the 6th Day, we left for the summit at about 15 minutes past midnight. It was awfully cold. Fingers were freezing despite heat packs. Everything is a blur to be honest. The air was so thin and the summit was close but so far away! After a certain point, we became robots.
It took almost 12 hours to come back down from the summit range to the base of the mountain. I slept off while walking at least six times, and it was easy to slip and fall in the HEAVY RAIN.
After a checkup at the hospital (don’t be scared, just regular acute mountain sickness), we got to the hotel the following morning. The rest of the group also returned that morning. There is no greater feeling than how we felt when we reunited AS CHAMPIONS!
By the time I turned on my data, I saw that my family had created a special WhatsApp group sending prayers and well-wishes to our entire team. I broke down in tears. My family supports me but their level of extra is always a surprise. They were rooting for us. See…
I woke up with a lovely reminder that I had been on that mountain. My entire face was swollen but the doctor assured me that it would be fine in a day or two. My face was sunburned and my face was a nice ball. But I was happy!
Later, we got deep tissue massages (a gift from the gods) and enjoyed dinner on the town.
We also did our tipping ceremony for our guides since we were finally all together again. We cannot thank Eco-Africa Climbing enough. Thank you! Thank you so much. And we got our certificates.
You deserve an experience like this. The experience will give you memories but also show you how strong your body and mind can be.
Join the TVP Adventures Mount Kilimanjaro 2020 Climb. Get all information HERE
Special thanks to FUNMI OYATOGUN for the permission to share her Kilmanjaro adventure on #TravelTuesday. Follow Funmi on twitter @funmioyatogun
