Kilimanjaro : Day 2 Towards Shira 2 Camp - Pole, Pole
- ravitijare
- Feb 25, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 24, 2024
Date: Feb 5, 2024
Distance Covered: ~5 Miles/8.0 Kms Moving Time: ~ 4 Hrs (Total time taken ~ 6 hrs)
Elevation Gain: Total 1800 ft, Elevation loss: 600 ft
Hike 1: 11,400 ft to 12,600 ft Hike 2: 12,600 ft to 13,200 ft. then back to 12,600 ft
What a way to wake up in the morning! The servers knocked on our tents serving hot beverages - coffee, tea and hot chocolate. It's not every day you get treated like royalty while you're out in the wild. We had a solid half-hour to shake off the sleep and make our way to the lunch tent.
Breakfast kicked off with the usual suspects: porridge, eggs, pancakes, and that notoriously tough-to-swallow bread : ) Plus, the eggs made a second appearance. A few of us gave beans on toast a whirl, hoping it might ease the struggle. I managed to get through half a slice of bread and eggs.
After basking in that warm and fuzzy feeling, we got into gear-packing mode and then zipped off to start our trek from Shira 1 to Shira 2 Camp. We started hearing Pole Pole (po-lay, po-lay, which means slowly in Swahili) more frequently.
We passed this huge rock on the way and team Buffalo couldn't resist stopping for a photo op. Perfect spot for a few snapshots with the mountain on the background!
After we got to Shira 2 a little after noon, we grabbed some lunch in the dining tent and had a bit of downtime. Then, in the mid-afternoon, We were given two option - Cathedral Point or an acclimatization hike. We prefered to prepare our bodies for the days ahead and chose the acclimatization hike.
Every day got tougher than the last, but it also meant we were one step closer to our goal. "Pole Pole" (slowly, slowly) was our mantra.
After a long day's hike, when we finally made it to the campsite for dinner, our support crew took the opportunity to introduce themselves. They brought the evening to life with amazing songs and rhythms, creating an unforgettable experience. It's moments like these that really highlight the spirit and culture of the journey. Check out the video for a snippet of the vibrant atmosphere we were lucky enough to be a part of.
On Day 2, we tackled trails of light to medium difficulty, getting up close and personal with Kilimanjaro's incredible flora and fauna. (Pictures here, Credit Dale Partridge). Hiking profile of the day’s hike as well as acclimatization hike after lunch from Strava is below (Courtesy: Bernedad Wols).
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