to have while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Throughout this post, I’ll break down each day of the expedition, sharing what I experienced along the way and showcasing some of the incredible landscapes I was able to capture. Whether you’re interested in climbing Kilimanjaro yourself or simply want to follow my journey, I hope this post gives you a better insight into what the adventure was really like.
This photo was taken on day one of the expedition during golden hour at Shira 1 Camp (3,610 m).
Day 0
Now, I know this technically isn’t a day of the expedition, but I couldn’t leave this out. While booking my flights, I looked into the flight path from Addis Ababa to Kilimanjaro International Airport because I knew it was a daytime flight, and I wanted to truly see how big this mountain really was. To do this, I strategically booked my seats on the side of the plane that would give me the best view of the mountain while flying into Kilimanjaro International Airport.
As the mountain slowly started to come into view, at first I thought it was just an oddly shaped cloud and nothing more. However, as we flew closer, this huge black peak began to protrude through the clouds like the tip of an iceberg breaking through the ocean, revealing only a glimpse of the enormous mountain hidden beneath the clouds. It was at this moment that the true scale of Kilimanjaro began to sink in.
I had never experienced anything like this before. When flying into Marrakesh to climb Mount Toubkal, the mountain itself is not visible from the plane, meaning you don’t get that same first impression. However, seeing the peak of Kilimanjaro level with us from the aircraft window was something completely different. It was in that moment that the reality of the climb ahead truly began to sink in.