Yes- the summit of Mount Meru is almost 15,000 feet high.  If you climb Meru, you can, with one day or no days in between, climb Kilimanjaro thereafter with a lower number of days (5 or 6) because you will have had exposure to approximately the highest altitude where you will camp on Kilimanjaro (Kibo Hut and Barafu are about 15,500 feet high).

However, do not be too aggressive on either trek.  To do Meru and a challenging Kilimanjaro climb back to back may put too much stress on your body.  And strenuous activity increases the likelihood of altitude sickness. So while the Meru/Kilimanjaro climb combination can increase the probability of summit success over a lengthy Kilimanjaro climb alone, it can also decrease it.  The success of this schedule depends on how strong of a hiker you are.

Many who venture to Tanzania to climb Kilimanjaro extend their stay to enjoy a safari.  And for good reason - Tanzania is the mecca for wildlife viewing, with national parks, game reserves and conservation areas comprising more than 25% of its land. 

The Serengeti National Park is undoubtedly the most famous park in the world, with the highest concentration of plains game in the world.  Contrary to popular belief, the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti does not only occur over a certain season, but rather it occurs continuously. 

As shown in the illustration, the migration follows a clockwise movement throughout the year.  The important part to note is that between August and October, the herd crosses into the Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya.  Therefore, if you are intent on seeing the migration as part of your Northern Tanzania safari, fall is not the ideal time to visit.  Of course, that runs counter to some of the best months to climb Kilimanjaro.  But not to worry, if you do come during the fall, there will still be plenty of animals to see.  Only half of the animal population participates in the migration, meaning half are still available for viewing.  In other words, don’t let it stop you from visiting the Serengeti.

All nine members of the Red Nose Climb made it to the summit today.  Although nearly all climbers experienced some form of altitude sickness or minor injuries during the climb, they each made the gruelling ascent in the cold, windy mountain air and reached Uhuru Point before sunrise.  They are currently at Millenium camp, and will be off the mountain tomorrow.  The climbers used the 8-day Lemosho route.

They have a raised over 1,500,000 GBP for Comic Relief, a British charity organization. 

A band of nine UK celebrities are climbing Kilimanjaro in a charity climb, known as the BT Red Nose Climb for Comic Relief (Comic Relief is a British charity organization).  The goal of this trek is to raise money to help  the people of Africa combat malaria.  Malaria is the leading killer of children in Tanzania.  Donations will be used to train rural health workers, for early treatment of malaria, and to supply mosquito bed nets. So far the team has raised 800,000 GBP.

To sponsor the BT Red Nose team, visit:  http://www.rednoseday.com/climb/sponsor/the_team

The celebrities on the mountain are:  Alesha Dixon, Ben Shepard, Cheryl Cole, Chris Moyles, Denise Van Outen, Fearne Cotton, Gary Barlow, Kimberley Walsh, Ronan Keating.

The group is using the Lemosho route.  Today’s reports indicate they passed the Shira Cathedral and are staying at Lava Tower.   It is their fourth day on the mountain.

Swahili and English are the main languages spoken in Tanzania.  Here are some useful phrases:

English	Swahili
Hello	Jambo
How are you?	Habari?
Fine	Mzuri Sana
What’s your name?	Jina lako nin nani?
My name is…	Jina langu ni…
Goodbye	Kwaheri
Please	Tafadhali
Thank you	Asante sana
Yes	Ndio
No	Hapana
Excuse me	Samahani
Sorry	Samehani
No thanks	La asante
Where is toilet?	Choo kiko wapi?
How much? How many?	Ngapi?
How much is it?	Ngapi shillings?
Wait	Ngojea
Slow down (caution)	Pole pole
May I take your picture?	Nikupige picha?
I understand	Naelewa
I don’t understand	Sielewi
Do you speak English?	Unasema Kiingeresa?
Elephant	Tembo
Cheetah	Duma
Lion	Simba
Giraffe	Twiga
Hippo	Kiboko
Hartebeest	Kongoni
Snake	Nyoka

We often get asked for recommendations on gear items. There are a myriad of quality brands and products, so what you ultimately find visually appealing, functional and economical is a personal choice. However, we would like to point out specific products that we find outstanding.

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On Kilimanjaro, you won’t need a huge backpack because our porters carry most of your gear from camp to camp. The only things you need to carry are those that you may need while on the trail. This includes extra layers of clothing, water, snacks, sunscreen, and other small items. A medium-sized pack is recommended.We like the Gregory Z35. It is the right size, and sits very comfortably on your body, as all Gregory packs do. It has a mesh back panel to keep your back dry, several back and side pockets, compression straps, and is hydration bag compatible. The Gregory Z35 Backpack retails for $149 and is available at REI.

Gregory Z35 Pack - Men’s

Gregory Jade 35 Pack - Women’s

Air Tanzania, Precision Air, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Air and other local carriers that serve Tanzania are sometimes difficult to deal with.  Their websites might be down, do not allow online booking, and telephone calls and e-mails frequently go unanswered. 

A dependable way to book domestic or regional flights to or from Tanzania is through Vayama. This powerful travel search engine is easy to use and gives many pricing and timing options when planning your trip itinerary.  It’s a great resource that I recommend to our clients.

In an interview with TVweek, Ann Curry, Today show host, discussed her recent trip to Kilimanjaro.  She and her production crew attempted to climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro as part of the show’s ‘Ends of the Earth’ series.  But she was turned around at about 16,000 feet due to altitude sickness. 

Currently, Curry is recovering from amoeba  that she got from bad drinking water.  In the interview, she reveals just how sick she and her crew were during the trek.   She reported having a headache “from the top of my skull to the back”, being nauseated, having swollen legs, hands and face, being bloated, hallucinating, and having a chest cold.  Curry said that, “Every moment we had was suffering” and that, “We were in bad shape.”

While 80% of climbers do experience symptoms of altitude sickness, Curry’s collection of symptoms and their severity were more serious than the average climber would, and should, experience.  In my opinion, she shouldn’t have been on the mountain in the first place.  Curry states, “We climbed with little or no training, certainly with no expertise, trying to do something that had never been done before, and I’ve got to tell you we were all heart. That’s all we had.”  Furthermore, she talks about her Walmart raingear malfunctioning and getting blisters from wearing boots she didn’t break in.  In other words, she was woefully unprepared, physically and mentally - a recipe for trouble on the mountain.

Curry noted that she was supposed to go to the Great Barrier Reef for her show, but did not because they could not get a live signal there, so they went to Kilimanjaro instead.  This decision occurred three weeks before her departure.  Complicating the matter, she attempted to climb the most dangerous route during the rainy season.

Kilimanjaro is known as a “beginner’s” mountain, because it requires no technical skills and is a ‘walkable’ mountain.  However, it is not to be underestimated.  19,341 feet is an extremely high altitude.  Kilimanjaro claims lives every year.  All climbers need to prepare and outfit themselves adequately for the journey. 

Curry’s tale is an example of how not to climb Kilimanjaro.

TVWeek Interview with Ann Curry

Ann Curry, Today show host, is back from climbing Kilimanjaro and is in New York.  She is recuperating from her trek and is taking this week off from her Today show duties.  She and some members of her team are a bit sick, reportedly feeling the effects of “poor drinking water.”  Curry noted that her blisters are healing and she is ok.  She will be back on the show next week, after the Thanksgiving weekend.

Here is the video:

• http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27715113#27924293

Ann Curry, host of the Today show, reported that their five person team decided unanimously to call off their summit attempt today.  As noted yesterday, Ann and fellow members of her party were experiencing altitude sickness as they rested on Arrow Glacier camp and were deciding whether to continue climbing today.  She stated today that all of the team members were still feeling the effects of acute mountain sickness. 

I had noted in the last post that it was a near certainty that they would not climb the Western Breach despite Curry’s reporting a “50/50″ chance of going for the summit.  Given the condition of the team and the challenges of the Western Breach and Crater Camp, it would have been irresponsible for their guide service to lead the Today show team up the mountain.  Rightfully, the team began their descent.

Here are the latest videos of Ann on Kilimanjaro: 

• http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27819034#27819034
• http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27819034#27811310