Conquering Kilimanjaro: Two RSA climbers share their journey

Over the summer Gillian Rennie, our Property Portfolio Lead, and Rob Palethorpe, our Risk Training and Communications Manager, recently achieved a remarkable feat - summiting Mount Kilimanjaro. In this interview, they offer insights into their motivations, preparations, and the extraordinary highs and lows of their seven and eight-day treks.

Preparation

Gillian: “Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the roof of Africa, had been up there at the top of my bucket list for some time. I didn’t think it would ever be anything but a dream until my friend and I got talking one night about life dreams and possibilities. That was the start of it really. From there, there was lots of research and planning and then eight months later the two of us plus two other walking friends had booked up. We were doing it!!!”

Rob: “My journey to the summit started about 25 years ago. I was a keen mountaineer, and I’d already attempted Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe, along with a number of treks above 4000m. Kilimanjaro was always next on the list, but then life took over, and it took the COVID-19 pandemic to make me realise that it was now or never. So, even though I was now older, larger, and with considerably less hair, I started on my training. I spent about 18 months getting ready, even going as far as booking my partner into a hotel in the last few weeks so she couldn’t pass on any germs before the flight. I also received brilliant support from my colleagues in CORM, who must be mightily sick of hearing about Kilimanjaro by now. Thank you everyone!”

Gillian: “It was still approx. 18 months before we were due to take on the mammoth challenge, but training and preparation was under way. We are fortunate enough to have the Scottish Highlands on our doorstep, so training wasn’t too difficult. For myself I was climbing hills when the weather and time allowed but my training programme mainly consisted of weight training, HIIT, indoor spin and many a hours spent on the stair master. I’d be training three times a week, but this ramped up in the two months leading up to the trek where training soon took over my life. I had to take a membership out for a second gym to make sure I had access to the required training and equipment. That was the build-up to setting off and before we knew it, the day had arrived for us to fly out to Tanzania.”

Setting Off

Gillian and Rob embarked on their treks with different routes - Machame for Gillian and Lemosho for Rob. Gillian's private trek comprised an all-female group with a dedicated team of 20. Rob chose the longer Lemosho route for better acclimatisation.

Gillian: “That was the build-up to setting off and before we knew it, the day had arrived for us to fly out to Tanzania. We set off on our seven-day trek via the Machame route on 2 September. We had a private trek, which was perfect for us. All female groups aren’t common, so we wanted to make sure we were comfortable. We had a team of 20 looking after us. This included a head guide, assistant guide, medic, chef, tent porters, toilet porter and general porters. They were the most amazing team and I know that had it not been for them, I wouldn’t have had a successful summit.”

Rob: “I chose the eight-day Lemosho route which, being a little longer than most, allows more time to acclimatise to the altitude. It starts off steeply through lush forest, dodging the huge piles of animal droppings (I was never sure what created them, but I definitely didn’t want to meet it!) before cresting out on the Shira Plateau, a mind-bogglingly vast volcanic crater left over from a previous eruption. It takes about two days to cross the plateau before the terrain becomes increasingly barren, eventually reaching 4800m at a landmark known as the Lava Tower.

“After that, things get weird. After a morning of trekking through blasted lava plains, the descent into the Barranco Valley is filled with lush, and very strange, mountain vegetation. The culprit is the Senecio Kilimanjaro, a 15-foot cactus-like monstrosity that gives this side of the mountain an otherworldly feeling. At the bottom is Barranco Camp, where a number of approach routes converge to create a small city of tents. It’s a lively place, where you can get your first mobile phone signal in days, and it’s here that you really start to get a feeling being somewhere very different to anywhere else on the planet.”

The Trek

Both climbers encountered diverse landscapes, from rainforests to alpine deserts. Altitude effects, however, were a universal challenge. Gillian describes the physical toll, emphasising the unpredictability of altitude sickness. Rob sheds light on the surprising busyness of Kilimanjaro, the volcanic dust challenge, and the unique experience of the Barranco Wall.

Gillian: “The terrain and scenery blew us away. No two days were the same as we worked our way through the rainforest, grassland, moorland alpine desert and arctic summit. The nights were cold, but our tents were cosy. The coldness did make some day-to-day tasks a little hard, but it was nothing compared to the altitude. The effects of the altitude really did affect us all in different ways. For me it was exhaustion and for others it was lack of appetite and headaches. It got to us all one way or another.?All the training beforehand made sure the muscles worked but no training could prepare us for the real effects of the altitude. I will never take oxygen for granted ever again.“

Rob: “There are things nobody tells you about climbing Kilimanjaro.

“The first is just how busy it is. It’s possible to climb at any time of year, but most people wait until the dry season, when the weather on the mountain is cold and clear. As a result, most of Kilimanjaro’s 30,000 annual visitors are crammed into just a few short months.?There’s a whole industry that’s developed around getting people to the top, and the paths are thronged with climbers, guides and porters. Kilimanjaro is a cheerful, bustling place, awash with brightly coloured tents, the songs of the porters, and the companionship of hundreds of trekking groups. This is definitely not a lonely mountain hike.

“Another surprise is that, by the time you’ve finished, you’ll have breathed in half of the mountain in the form of volcanic dust. Tanzania is already an arid country, but on the mountain you can add in millennia of loose rock and ash, much of it dislodged by the boots of the person directly in front of you. Each morning and evening starts with ‘washy washy’, where a kindly porter delivers half an inch of lukewarm water for you to clean the grime away. The sight of that plastic bucket quickly becomes one of the major highlights of the day.“

“Of all the obstacles on Kilimanjaro, the Barranco Wall is probably the most feared. It’s a sheer ridge that separates the east and west sides of the mountain, and everyone has their own story about it. After Barranco camp, it takes about two hours to clamber up the Wall, all the while trying to ignore the precipitous drop down to the valley below.? In reality, it’s a fairly easy scramble, but that doesn’t stop the feeling of relief once it’s behind you. The top is a natural selfie spot, with the sun shining on the clouds far below, and there’s a general party atmosphere there which lasts into the rest of the day.

“After that, things take a slightly more serious tone. The upper two camps are where the effects of altitude really start to kick in, and Kilimanjaro’s resident rescue helicopter is in almost constant use. Altitude sickness is no joke, and at these heights it’s common to see very sick people being led downhill or to hear the deep wheezing of people with lung damage. Kilimanjaro’s death rate is very low, largely due to the constant care and attention paid by the guides, but it’s a sobering thought all the same. Luckily, it’s also where the mountain is at its most majestic, with some truly incredible sunsets and the most amazing panorama of stars framing the summit cone in the middle of the night.

“Summit day starts at midnight. It’s here that the climbing groups become more fragmented, with everyone taking their own pace. The Swahili phrase for this is ‘pole pole’ (slowly, slowly) and there’s no rush. Pretty soon you fall into a kind of trance, marked by the steady sound of one foot being put in front of the other, and of the guides singing quietly in encouragement. It’s a long and difficult night, but eventually the sun appears over Mawenzi Peak to the east and the summit caldera is in sight. After cresting the ridge it’s an easy walk to Uhuru Peak, the Roof of Africa. There’s a strict 20-minute time limit at the top, so just time for a quick selfie at the summit and a bite of chocolate before heading down the scree path back to camp.”?

Gillian: “ The descent wasn’t a walk in the park either. It’s the bit people forget about. It takes best part of two days to get back down, and your knees and toes definitely don’t thank you for it. It was however an instant relief getting away from the effects of the altitude and it was fun skiing down the scree for the first 400-500m.”

Reflection

Gillian summarises the trek as an incredible experience with emotional highs and lows, particularly emphasising the difficulty of summit night. Despite exhaustion and altitude challenges, all four climbers successfully conquered Kilimanjaro. Rob concludes by highlighting the transformative potential of this tough challenge, encouraging others to pursue their dreams of reaching the Roof of Africa.

Gillian: “If I were to summarise the trek, I would have to say that it was a truly incredible experience with lots of highs and lows along the way. Summit night was by far one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to experience. We set off for summit at 2am, this being after only 3 hours of sleep and after a super long day of trekking. We were exhausted and the altitude was really starting to play games with our minds. There were tears of joy and pain, but it was all worth it. I’m so glad I didn’t let my head take over that night and that I found the inner mindset to keep on going. I’m fairly certain there were hours of sleep trekking because it took us 10 hours to reach summit from last camp and I definitely don’t remember 10 hours. I think my brain must have blocked some of it out. I was in survival mode!!! That was in September and I’m proud to say that the four of us were all successful on our summit and we all conquered Mount Kilimanjaro.”

Rob: “One final thing that nobody tells you about Kilimanjaro: in the end, it’s all about the little, personal stories. In my group, there was a 71 year-old marathon runner who inspired us all with her determination. There were sisters in their 60s who just kept on going, and going, and going, and going. All of our group made it to the top; 15 people who had been strangers at the start but who moulded into a ‘Kilimanjaro family’.? It’s a tough challenge, but one that’s achievable – and potentially life-changing - for many people. If it’s always been on your bucket list then I’d recommend you give it a go.”