Day 7 on Kilimanjaro

Our last morning on Kili
Our last morning on Kili

The mood was high our last morning on Kili. Sure, we and our guides were excited about our successful summit of Kili yesterday. But the whole trekking team took on an air of pride and accomplishment and celebration. We couldn’t have done it without them all supporting us in so many ways.

Before we took off, we held the tipping ceremony and said good-bye to the porters. The guide books say that porters will often look disappointed by the tip amounts, but ours seemed very happy. They perform some farewell songs for us…

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d6RVdihGMQ]

We still had another 6,000′ to descend, so it wasn’t exactly going to be a couch potato kind of day, but it was all down-hill, so… just a walk in the (Kili National) park! And we would be descending down the south side of Kilimanjaro, so there was a complete change of scenery.

Our route down was via the southern face of Kilimanjaro - much greener than the northern face.
Our route down was via the southern face of Kilimanjaro – much greener than the northern face.

A couple of hours in, Anne-Marie and I were really ready for our celebratory Kili beers, so we took off running and skipping down the trail with Godlisten… the boys just waved us “Ba-bye!”

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It was as beautiful as this picture depicts.
The further into the rain forest, the more beautiful it was.
Leaving the Kili national park.  The end of our trek.
Leaving the Kili national park. The end of our trek.
A plaque commemorating the first guided trek to Uhuru Peak in 1889.  The guide was an 18 year old by the name of Yohana Lauwo, who was the grandfather of our guide, Penda Lauwo.  Yohana died in 1996 at the age of 124 years!
A plaque commemorating the first guided trek to Uhuru Peak in 1889. The guide was an 18 year old by the name of Yohana Lauwo, who was the grandfather of our guide, Penda Lauwo. Yohana died in 1996 at the age of 124 years!!!

Anne-Marie gave Godlisten a lesson on shotgunning a beer…

The lesson...
The lesson…
Nice technique Godlisten!
Nice technique Godlisten!
One of our porters was wearing a Texas Longhorns cap, but he didn't know about them.  Anne-Marie tried to "educate" him.
One of our porters was wearing a Texas Longhorns cap, but he didn’t know about them. Anne-Marie tried to “educate” him.
We are official!
We are official!

A few more beers and a two-hour ride from the base of Kili back to Arusha.

Just after returning to the Arusha resort after a two-hour ride from the base of Kili.  A tired but happy bunch.
Back at Legendary Lodge in Arusha…a tired but happy bunch.

An epic adventure by every measure.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d6RVdihGMQ]

Our Kili Outfitter: Nature Discovery

  Trip created by our travel pros, Khashana Adventure Travel. To see more view our other posts or visit their web site.

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