The Machame Route: Our Route to the Top of Mt. Kilimanjaro

9 February 2013 by Raul 21 Comments

(At the end of this post, see the series of posts written post-climb about this route!)

I am a few days away from leaving for Tanzania to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, the rooftop of Africa. Eager anticipation and a modest level of anxiety are my constant companions these last few days before the trek… How fun will it be to finally see the mountain? Did I have the right pieces to deal with the extreme cold? Will my body cooperate? Will I summit? etc.

As I do a final review of the gear list, I am checking against the hike itinerary to be sure I am accounting for the right number of pieces given the varying climate zones we will encounter. Let me share with you what the climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro looks like. Mind you, this itinerary is based on going up the Machame Route (one of several routes available). The Machame Route is known to afford better altitude adjustment, offer better views, and typically have much less trekker traffic. All of these make it -ding, ding- a winner for me. Especially the better altitude adjustment since it increases the odds of summitting, something that is not assured even with a good fitness level since the lack of oxygen at high altitude can hit every person very differently.

Here is a view of the routes to climb Kilimanjaro to which you can refer as you read the day-by-day breakdown below.

Source: apartmentinlakeview.com

Itinerary to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro via the Machame Route

Day 1 – Adrenaline day!! Start at the Machame Gate at 1,800m/6,000ft. Head up to Machame Camp at 3,100m/10,200ft. It should take anywhere between 5-7 hrs depending on the number and duration of stops along the way. We should be covering around 18km/11miles. The habitat will mainly be forest. I am praying that adrenaline will carry me through the mud or whatever we encounter on this part of the hike!

Day 2 – “I can’t believe I am here” day. Continuing the climb, we go to the Shira Camp at 3,840m/12,600ft. This day we go for 4-6 hrs covering about 9km/5.5miles. The habitat here is moorland. You may ask what “moorland” looks like (like I did). So here you go, courtesy of http://www.africaimagelibrary.com. The landscape looks surreal, doesn’t it?

Day 3– Reality check day!! We leave the Shira Camp and move into semi-desert habitat. We head to the Lava Tower at 4,630m/15,200ft but descend to 3.860m/12,700ft to camp overnight at the Barranco Camp at 3,860m/12,700ft. As you may notice and wonder (like I did), why if we go up do we go through the effort of going BACK DOWN??!!! Seems counter-intuitive but after hearing the explanation, it makes perfectly good sense: you want to climb high to force the body to exert itself at altitude but then climb down so you can sleep at lower altitude (which means more oxygen) to help the body adjust better. OK, maybe also just the lay of the route contributes to this approach. This is the type of factor that helps improve the odds of making it to the summit. This hike will take 5-7 hrs and cover about 15km/9miles.

Lava Tower (Source: scottkress.com)

Day 4 – “OK, how much worse can it be compared to yesterday” day. This day we cross Alpine desert to go up to the Karanga Camp at 4,200m/13,800ft. This day we go up, and stay up. But we are not camping at the maximum height reached the day before so we are still sleeping lower than our maximum exertion the day before. Total time climbing should be around 4-5 hrs covering about 7km/4miles.

Day 5 – The “are we there yet?” day. Continuing to climb without descending, this day we move to 4,600m/15,100ft going for 4-6 hrs and covering 6km/3.7miles which seems a cake walk compared to the prior days given the shorter climb and duration but I am sure it will be anything but (you will see why as you read day 6)! We will stay at the Barafu Camp this night.

Day 6 – The big day!! This day we actually wake up at midnight (midnight between day 5 and day 6 – which means little sleep which will make ilivetotravel a little cranky – if he can muster the energy for that!). Why do we barely sleep this night? So we can see sunrise at the summit!!! It will be a long hard night for most of us as you can imagine. My headlamp will absolutely be my second best friend after all the layers of clothing that will keep me warm. Uhuru Peak (the tallest peak on Mt. Kilimanjaro) sits pretty at 5,896m/19,340ft. It will take us 7-8 hrs to go 7km/4miles. Yes, twice longer than the same distance on Day 4. Why? Well, it will be slower going due to the altitude. Pole, pole (slowly, slowly in Swahili) will rule this day. There will be ice/snow towards the summit and I hope to see the glacier that, it is said, will be gone in 30 years or so at the current rate. Stone scree will also be present so our gaiters will play an important role in keeping stuff out of our boots.

On this same day, of course, we have to get off the summit. So on to 7-8 more hrs. of descent to the Mweka Camp at 3,100m/10,200ft to what it will feel like drowning in oxygen!

Day 7 – The happy day!!! OK, Day 6 will be a VERY HAPPY DAY for those of us who summit. But Day 7 is happy in other ways – we get to celebrate our climb and we get to shower!!! We climb down to the Mweka Gate which sits at 1,830m/6,000ft, walking down for 4 hrs and covering 10km/6miles through a forest habitat. A beer will never taste as good as the one I am planning to have that night at dinner!

Again, another view of the route (there were a few good ones so I couldn’t just use one…).

Source: apartmentinlakeview.com

Climbing Kilimanjaro is not without risks

The key to a safe and successful climb is to be aware of what is ahead of you (literally and figuratively). Going slowly, staying hydrated all the way, minding where you are walking, and very important: listen to the lead guide and his aides. We are lucky to have a veteran of Everest, Kili and the rest of the Seven Summits (tallest peaks in every continent) which makes me feel much better. Able to detect altitude sickness early, knowing the landscape well, supportive leadership, etc. are very important traits in a lead guide and we have that in our lead guide, Luis Benitez, one of the leading high altitude mountaineers in the world. In addition, I have been on a prior trek with Trekking for Kids and everything is well thought through and planned. So Luis and TFK are what make me feel confident that I will have a safe and successful climb regardless of the highest point of my climb: at the summit or somewhere on the way there!

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I have added to this post the writeups for each day AFTER the climb so you can read more about each day! Also here is a post about the actual clothing I took to climb Kilimanjaro item by item with the corresponding explanations in case it helps you plan your own hike!

Day 1 – Getting Going

Day 2 – The Moorlands and Reaching the Shira Camp

Day 3 – A Lava Tower and then All Hail Broke Loose!

Day 4 – The Barranco Wall and Its Challenges

Day 5 – Rocks Everywhere!

Day 6 – Reaching Kilimanjaro’s Summit: Uhuru Peak

The descent from Uhuru Peak

Filed Under: Africa, Hiking, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania Tagged With: Africa, Kilimanjaro, Machame Route, Tanzania, trek, Trekking for Kids, Uhuru Peak

Preparing to Hike Kilimanjaro: More than Training & Gear

2 February 2013 by Raul 33 Comments

I sit here, two weeks before my departure for Tanzania, asking myself “Oh my, what did I get into??”. As you may have read, I am headed to Tanzania to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro, something that 5 months I would have told you was the furthest thing from my bucket list. Seriously. As I contemplate the process so far, I have learned a few things and I wanted to share those with folks who may be thinking of hiking Kilimanjaro. Conditioning and gear are two important elements, But there is a less immediately obvious element in being prepared…

How did I decide to climb Kilimanjaro?

I already knew I wanted to do more treks with Trekking for Kids (with whom I trekked the Transylvanian Alps) because of the great work they do with orphanages but I was not expecting Kili would be the trek for me. I attended a TFK event last September where I heard Len Stanmore speak about his incredible journey of extreme outdoor adventure. His story is quite inspirational and others started talking about TFK’s upcoming trek to Kilimanjaro in February 2013 at the reception afterwards. I was hooked. Somehow. Not really sure what had just happened but I was in. ALL IN.

Besides the orphanage work (fundraising for it and actually spending a few days there), there are three key aspects for me about the hike itself: training, gear/packing preparations, and a third that I have yet to name at this point in this writing…

The kids at the Kili Centre orphanage sporting the new uniforms paid by funds raised by this trek

Training for climbing Kilimanjaro

Fortunately, when I decided to go on this trek, I was still relatively fresh from my Romania hike and had continued exercising in general. It makes for a good starting point!

I started more serious training by getting on the treadmill and increasing the incline over a few weeks to 15%, ending up doing this for a couple of hours. I also used a backpack whose weight I kept increasing beyond the expected weight we would carry on the hike (about 15 lbs for our day needs; porters would be carrying the rest) . I was doing great with this and was planning to mix in real hikes by going to small but still helpful Kennesaw Mountain near Marietta, Georgia, where I trained for the hike in Romania. And that is when a mini disaster struck: I over-stretched my Achilles tendons (both legs!) likely due to the imperfect simulation of a 15% incline on a treadmill. It all seems obvious now but I had not contemplated that I could hurt myself that way – you just don’t know what you don’t know!

That set me back about 6 weeks at a point when the intensity of my training was really beginning to pay off. (I am almost back to normal and training again at this point.) Not only that but I gained weight due to the double whammy of Thanksgiving and Christmas falling squarely in that 6-week period… So now I will carry even more weight uphill 🙂

Advice: If you embark on something like this without that type of starting point – don’t fret! Just be sure to start gradually. Aggressive training from cold is more than likely counterproductive if not outright a risk! That’s the easiest way to get injured. And also, stretch even of days you are not training. Stretching is your best ally in physical readiness.

Getting in gear. The gear to climb Kilimanjaro!

After being in good conditioning for the hike, the next item on the list is all the stuff that I will need on the hike. That short word “stuff” covers a wide range of things that I will need to make this a successful trip. After getting the packing list from TFK (VERY thorough!), I did an inventory of what I had and what I needed to research/acquire. I started staging all my items in a spare bedroom. It looks like a mess but it does two things for me: 1. allow me to start gathering in one place all that I will need to pack making packing later a lot easier and 2. allow me to start enjoying the upcoming trek by seeing it shape up!

The “mess” in the spare bedroom!

Advice:

Get a good packing list for the type of hike
Go talk to your local outfitter before you acquire things to learn about what they recommend, what materials are out there, criteria for choosing items, etc.
Then proceed with sourcing the items (borrow or buy).

Let me share some more specifics about gear and packing here (for a more detailed description of the clothing I took, go here)… But do check out this post on what I considered my 7 key items for this hike (written BEFORE the hike) and then the top 14 things I took (written AFTER the hike)!

I am happy to email you a copy of my packing list!

Clothing for your packing list

Mt. Kilimanjaro covers multiple climate zones ranging from forest where one may be trudging through mud to extreme cold and windy terrain towards the top. Guess what? That means carrying gear to deal with all the climate zones but, most importantly, to deal with the extreme cold and wind which is far more dangerous to a hiker. The key to all this is layers. Not rocket science, I know. I hear the cold towards the top is brutal!

The list I was provided by TFK was very clear on what was needed. I went (a few times!) to my favorite outfitter and explores the options available for each category of item needed. I have learned WAY more than I thought I’d ever learn about gear. And spent way more than I ever thought I’d spend. But two things help: one, I have bought thinking of re-use especially at ski time or in future treks and, second, I have tried to borrow some items (though it has not been as much as I would have hoped for).

Advice: My advice to you is to borrow, or buy used if possible, and think of re-use as you make choices on what to get. For example, instead of buying the absolute best gloves for the extreme temperature, think of using liners, etc. so the gloves themselves can work for you in less extreme weather back at home.

Accessories for the Kili climb

This covers a whole range of items like the hiking poles (with shock absorbers! see here for more on them), headlamp (not only to read at night or go potty in the middle of the night but also for the night hiking we will do on summit day!), sleeping bag liner (to make it warm enough for the coldest nights), sleeping bag pad (for comfort and further insulation from the very cold ground), cameras (yes, plural: the big one is not summiting with me – too heavy), even duct tape!

Advice: Borrow, or buy used if possible. Buy new if that suits you better. However, another possibility is renting some of the items on-site. This helps you in two ways: not buying stuff if you are not going to be hiking/camping more than this trip and also reducing the amount of stuff you have to lug half way around the world! However, some potential downsides of this: you don’t know the condition of the item you will rent (dirty, torn up, etc.) and you may not find the right type for the item you are looking for. For example, you need to be sure that sleeping bag will be warm enough.

Health/”Medical” items for your Kili climb

For this destination, one does have to be ready with anti-malarial and other items as recommended by the CDC. I have all the hepatitis stuff from prior travels so the anti-malarial (which is taken for every trip) and the typhoid (which I needed) were on the must-have list. But the medical category is not just the innoculations/vaccines. Things like ibuprofen, Cipro (for the potential digestive maladies that could affect a traveler…), and maybe even something to help you sleep get on the list. Other items, such like the iodine tablets, sunblock with DEET, high-SPF chapstick, etc. are more preventive in nature but just as important. This list is very important and is sometimes less obvious than the gear and clothing lists.

Advice: Do your research, ask people who have gone before (feel free to ask here!), and don’t try to save money by skimping on these items!

Finally – Emotional Preparedness

I will have to get back to you on this after the trip for a full report. However, I had heard that a lot about hiking Kili is the mental strength to power through tough conditions like mud and rain, tiredness, perhaps pain, and other discomforts. So I am thinking this would fall under emotional preparedness. I have heard from people who have hiked it before that, in the end, this is the most important elements in preparing for Kili. You may be fit, you may not. Altitude sickness could keep you from summiting and that is independent of your fitness level (amazing!). But if you don’t have some toughness in this realm, you may fall short of your goals.

We are lucky that our lead guide is one of the foremost mountain expedition leaders in the world, Luis Benitez. He is also a Board Member of TFK! In an email he sent the trekkers last week, he told us that the best thing to do in this category is to expect discomfort, understand it will happen, understand it starts and it ends. All that so that when it hits at any point in the trip, you remember it will pass and you don’t let it bring you down (figuratively speaking!). I think this is a great piece of advice that will serve ME well in these 2 weeks before I leave for this hike.

Advice: Listen to Luis’ advice!

Final thoughts on climbing Kilimanjaro

I am almost done doing all the things that I need to do to be ready but, in the end, it is the emotional preparedness that I am not sure how to measure. I cannot check it off a list, like I can do with the other items on my packing list. Yet it is likely one of the most important success factors in this trek. I don’t know if altitude sickness will beat me to the summit. I can’t control that. But I sure hope I am ready enough to control my willpower and discomforts to summit or get very close to it! Kili, I shall meet you very soon!

P.S. – Thanks for all the words of support, advice, and orphanage donations via Trekking for Kids!

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A month after this post went up, I had completed climbing Kilimanjaro and started writing about every day in the trek (7 total days) and about the route we were to take. Check it out!

– The Machame Route

– Gear for climbing Kili: clothing

– Day 1 (and links to the subsequent days)

Filed Under: Africa, Hiking, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania Tagged With: adventure, gear, hiking, Kilimanjaro, orphanage, outdoor, packing list, travel, travel for good, trekking, Trekking for Kids

7 Items You Won’t See Me without while Hiking Kilimanjaro

12 December 2012 by Raul 20 Comments

If things go well, I will be trekking in Tanzania soon – hiking up Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa. I am excited about the upcoming hike as I am doing it with Trekking for Kids, with whom I hiked in Romania in the summer of 2012. Our hike will help a local orphanage with capital improvements to the infrastructure and, therefore, improve the standard of living for the children who live in the orphanage. I do have anxiety about how well prepared I will be in terms of level of fitness and about how altitude may affect me. But for everything else, research and planning has helped me ensure I have everything else I need for the hike! Here are the seven items you will not see me without (should you see me!) while I hike “Kili”…

The things that will keep me warm

One of the most important things to know about Mount Kilimanjaro is that you go through five (5) distinct climate zones as you pursue this mountain. This means you need to be prepared for the range of climate conditions across these 5 zones. Pack for cold and pack for warm. Of course, as the hike goes higher, I am told to expect VERY cold temperatures. The challenge with this, for me, will be getting out of the sleeping bags in the cold mornings!!

Of course, using layers is how I will handle the variations in temperatures that I will go through during the hike. Let me share my three most important items to pack to stay warm during the climb to the summit of Kilimanjaro:

#1 – Hardshell Exterior

My outermost layer is a hardshell exterior (see below for picture) to provide me protection from the wind and from water. The Arcteryx piece I chose is of top quality and its design is perfect for the conditions of the hike, especially its versatility as it can serve in warmer and colder temperatures as a barrier to water. It uses Gore-Tex and delivers a very lightweight piece – important as I will want to go as light as possible! Some features that I liked about this model were the under-arm zippers in case extra ventilation is needed, and the hoodie. Mine is orange, for the record.

Sample Outer Shell – Arcteryx Alpha SL Jacket

#2 – Jacket

For the second layer from the outside, I needed to choose something to keep me warm and, again, be light enough (begin to see a pattern?!). I chose an REI Revelcloud jacket which can also serve as a barrier to water for times when I may not want to wear the outer layer. At higher altitude, I will use both. It can help withstand winds of up to 50 mph! This particular jacket uses Primaloft, a synthetic material that emulates down but is not bulky and able to be compacted into the little bag it comes with. Also, its design eliminates shoulder seams which will help with range of motion, especially good since I will likely be wearing multiple layers and too many seams can become an annoyance. (I cannot find the item any more in the REI website; likely a new model is being rolled out – I bought mine at a great discount sale! Below I share a link to what seems to be a similar item for this layer.) I have to admit that I have been wearing this jacket when the weather has gotten cold as the material is very soft and it just feels good. 🙂

After trying several layers on, it became clear the outer ones described above should be a size larger than I would normally wear if not putting on several layers. At colder times, I will be wearing two under layers: a smart wool one and then perhaps a thinner one next to my skin (helping withdraw moisture from my skin). I will likely not wear as many layers on my legs as I do on my torso. Hiking pants with a thin layer (like long johns) under them should suffice. Says he…

#3 – Sleeping bag

After discussing clothing, let me share how everyone stays warm at night. <Sleeping bag enters the stage left of center> Instead of buying a sub-zero-rated sleeping bag that I may not use too often, I chose to go for one rated for zero degree (that I may get to re-use in other hikes that do not go as high and cold) and get a liner with something akin to thermonuclear for its rating. (Do some reading on the ratings ahead of time so you know how to read the sleeping bag specs.) I also wanted to make sure I used something that would pack relatively light.

The shape of the sleeping bag matters a good bit – something that had not occurred to me prior to researching the matter. But it makes perfect sense that at very cold settings, you want to maximize heat retention. Models whose width tapers down as it moves from head to feet are the best – they are called “mummy”-shaped as that is what they look like. The less air inside, the less cold inside when you get it in that will need your body heat to warm up. Therefore, more heat stays with you. (That thermodynamics course in college is paying off – finally!) This sleeping bag’s 2-way zippers will also make the job of closing and opening it up easier – nice feature!

Coleman Silverton 0 Degree Adult Mummy Sleeping Bag

#4 – My knee’s best friends – hiking poles

I have learned that hiking poles are my knees’ BFFs through my hiking experiences. Hiking poles help with stability but, more importantly, they have a mission of protecting my knees from too much wear-and-tear, especially while descending when the knees get a pounding – especially if it is a few hours worth of going down like we will do in Kilimanjaro when we descend. I decided to take advantage of a sale to get a great pair that have anti-shock features. I am sure people will have different opinions but hikers that I know well (and trust) said they would be worth the extra expense. The weight of the poles is also something to consider so an aluminum shaft was perfect.

After deciding on the anti-shock and the weight, the next consideration was the grip or handle. This is a matter of personal preference. I chose a round cork top (that unscrews to also serve as a camera mount!) with a long foam cover under the top for the different grip I will want. The locking mechanism can matter – some are easier to lock. The ones I got use twist-lock for ease of adjusting since I will be wearing gloves a good bit. Oh, and I bought rubber tips to use. I share both the one I ended up getting and another I considered. The one I got from REI. What sold me on the REI one was the handle.

Black Diamond Trail Pro Shock Trekking Pole

#5 Big priority – stay hydrated: Camelbak and Steripen to the rescue!

Hydration will be key to my well-being during this hike (pretty much true of any hike). Carrying a bottle and dealing with pulling it out when I want to drink is a little bit of a nuisance. This will especially be true on this hike when I may be wearing gloves a lot. A camelbak is perfect as it allows easy access to water at any point without having to stop or slow down. Additionally, I have learned that I drink water on a more frequent basis by sipping because it is easy with a camelbak tube versus gulping water more spaced out whenever I decide to pull a water bottle out. Sipping has another added benefit: because I don’t take in water in bigger gulps, I need fewer nature stops – who’s with me?? 🙂

My camelbak bag is inserted into my backpack (designed for this). I may be buy something to protect the tube coming out of the backpack to prevent it from freezing when it is very cold. Of course, making sure I have safe-to-drink water is a big priority. Steripen or something similar will be crucial so consider it item #5.5!

SteriPEN Adventurer, Handheld UV Water Purifier

Oh, and someone suggested a hot water bottle that you fill in with hot water before zipping up the sleeping bag to help keep you warm AND to have non-freezing cold water when you wake up to drink! Now, does that go in this section or on the first section about keeping warm??

#6 Finally, show me the way… My headlamp

No, my final item is not my boots but that’s not because they are not important – they are supremely so! Please be sure to find comfortable boots, that are water resistant, and then be very sure to break them in through practice hikes before you embark on the big hike. Blisters are your worst enemy and proper footwear is key. Back to #6… my headlight. The ascent to Kili’s summit starts around midnight so this will be an essential item to go up. Why does it start at this weird hour? Because you want to be up there to see the first morning light!! However, this headlamp will also be important so I can see at nighttime before I head to “bed” and in case I wake up in the middle of the night and need to relieve myself, something I hope I don’t have to do often!

Petzl – ACTIK Headlamp, 300 Lumens, Active Lighting

#7 OK, one more thing (I did say 7 in the title…)

Duct tape! Duct tape can serve MANY purposes. If anything breaks, you can likely fix it with some duct tape. But also, should you start developing blisters, apply some small strips of duct tape to protect the spot as soon as you feel the heat coming on and prevent a full-blown blister. Blisters are THE last thing a hiker needs! In any case, duct tape can help repair things that are important to you during the hike. Sure, you may toss the things later but not while on the mountain! So, duct tape can keep things going until you can properly fix or dispose of them. I recommend rolling duct tape along the hiking poles for easy access without looking through a backpack’s worth of contents or having to remember to put it in the backpack to begin with! I will let you pick the color of duct tape – bright orange could be useful if you get lost – ha! (Mine was white, for what that’s worth. No reason for it!)

Well, a few more things to bring along… bonus round!

I hope this has been a helpful list – would love to hear your own suggestions or get your questions. There are many other things to consider as you prep for a hike like this and I would be remiss if I don’t list some of them here just to be sure you don’t miss some key items: a backpack that feels comfortable (and that has both waist and chest front straps to prevent back issues), sunblock (and wear it!), chapstick (with sunblock – the sun’s rays are much more powerful at altitude), snacks, wipies, underwear that wicks moisture away from your skin (prevent chaffing), sunglasses, a nice warm hat, very warm gloves (OK, you may want two types: one for extreme cold and a regular pair), ear plugs (because you never know who may be sleeping next to you…), a hot water bottle (will feel nice inside that sleeping bag!), and finally: a camera for all the great shots you will want to take!

Bottom line: do your research and be prepared – it will make the experience much more memorable! Stay tuned for my updates from my hike of Kilimanjaro!

I did write more in two other posts AFTER the hike so check them out for more insights after the specific Kilimanjaro experience:

Clothing choices
14 other items

Pin this to your hiking board so you can refer back to this post and a visual of all the things you will pack!

Kilimanjaro, planning, gear, packing, climb, hiking, trekking, Tanzania, mountaineering

Pin it and dream of Kili!

Filed Under: Africa, Hiking, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania Tagged With: camelbak, camping, gear list, headlamp, hike planning, hiking, hiking gear, hiking poles, jacket, Kilimanjaro, packing list hiking, sleeping bag, what to pack for Kilimanjaro

Trekking with a Purpose – the Best of Both Worlds

17 August 2012 by Raul 27 Comments

My trip to Romania and Moldova was triggered and centered around a hike in Romania organized by Trekking for Kids to support a local orphanage. If it were not for this organization, I may have waited much longer to get to Romania and, more than likely, never hiked the beautiful trails along the Carpathian Mountains. And, if it were not for this organization, I would not have met the wonderful kids I met at the orphanage in Romania.

The Bucegi Mountains

Trekking for Kids

Trekking for Kids (TFK) was created in 2005 to find a way to support orphanages around the world while combining those efforts with treks for those helping fundraise for those orphanages (see their full story). Over the years, they have conducted treks (some of them they repeat over the years) and helped orphanages in (trek/orphanage): Everest Base Camp/Nepal, Camino de Santiago/Morocco, Inca Trail/Peru, Kilimanjaro/Tanzania, and others. In fact, Kilimanjaro is planned for 2013 along with a couple of other unnamed destinations but including college- and family- oriented treks! So go check them out and bookmark; you never know what will call to you!

The Romania Trek

In this Romania trek, TFK organized a well-planned and well-run hike whether for newbie trekkers like me or experienced ones as some of my fellow trekkers. Their choice of the hike guides (Your Guide Romania) was simply outstanding; they do more than hikes and should you desire to explore Romania and mix with adventures like hiking, paragliding, skiing, etc., they ARE your guys and this group of trekkers seriously endorses them!

More importantly, TFK found and carefully vetted a local orphanage that would not just accept funds and other contributions but one that has a philosophy of truly caring for its children, offering them a healthy home environment, and that thought about the children’s long-term needs: those once a child turns 18 and, normally, gets shown out of an orphanage.

The Foundation for Abandoned Children (Pentru Copii Abondonati) clearly has a vision not only for the immediate care of the children and young adults, but for preparing them to enter life outside of the home. And that’s what I found so wonderful about the choice TFK made: I knew my efforts, my donors’ contributions, and my time would be magnified as this foundation’s philosophy and approach was perfect to take the unexpected support they were receiving via TFK and translating it into bigger possibilities for the children and young adults.

Our First Day with the Children

We arrived at one of the three houses in the town of Ghimbav, near Brasov, all eager to meet the children and wondering what specifically the conditions at the orphanage would be. As we arrived, a couple of children came out as they were clearly all eagerly awaiting us.

We had just made the 2-3 hr drive from Bucharest on a Saturday morning which means it takes longer than normal due to weekend traffic from the big city to the country. We had stopped at our hotel, the Kolping Hotel, on the outskirts of Brasov by the mountain with the BRASOV sign, to drop of our luggage before meeting the children.

So, we entered the orphanage and immediately started meeting both children and staff. Lots of names to remember but TFK had brought name tags which would greatly facilitate remembering everyone’s names. At some point, I traded names with one of the kids named Anton, and I started a mania – all of a sudden, and for most of the rest of the day, a constant flurry of name tag changing began. The younger kids loved it and it made for part of the fun.

Clearly my name is not Anton but that was my name at the moment. Here with Alex, one of the older teens.

We were shown around the houses (2 owned by the foundation and 1 rented if I remember correctly). The facilities were pretty good and that made my heart feel good as I have seen orphanages elsewhere where the conditions, while not the worst, still did not feel adequate for children. Clearly, the foundation has done a good job of establishing a healthy environment for the children to live in.

The largest home houses kids, boys and girls, of all ages. The second home houses boys. The third home right now has mostly work space (e.g., a woodworking workshop) but will be prepared to take the older children/young adults after a new roof is installed and the indoor space renovated. Some of the funds raised will go to the repair of the roof and some of the older boys have contributed to the prep work and will participate, led by the construction crew, in repairing the roof – a good skill to pick up!

The roof and space to be renovated

The upper space to be renovated

After getting a lay of the land and seeing the garden where they grow produce, we proceeded to break up into groups to do different projects. Some of us stayed at the boys’ house to sand furniture down so they could be restored. Others went off to help bottle up jam (to sell, along with crafts made by the kids, in local markets). Others started doing a tie-dye shirt project which they kids and teens greatly enjoyed (and we the saw the end results when we returned after the hike – really good job!). At some point, we all moved through some of the activities along with the children. These activities enabled us to get to know the kids and the kids to get to know us. It was a great afternoon.

Working hard and having fun with tie-dying!

And lots of concentration!

Post-Hike Time at the Orphanage

Hike concluded, we went back to the orphanage for two days of activities: on the first day BBQ/dinner and games at the orphanage; and the second day a morning hike followed by lunch. The kids sported their newly-made tie-dye shirts and they truly were amazing!

The BBQ/dinner was a lot of fun. These kids know how to fend for themselves and the food was delicious! We then did several activities: making smores, playing football (soccer) & basketball, etc. I played my very first soccer match ever and apparently I am great at defending and goal-keeping! Who knew!

Yet-another Spanish-blooded Raul who can play football/soccer

The hike and lunch was a fun day too. Not all the children went up the trail and stayed earlier in the trail. The rest of us went to the top with a few of us hanging out and the bulk of the group going through a more difficult section of the trail. I hung out with a couple of adults and a few of the kids who didn’t want to go on. Afterwards, we treated the kids to a lunch out which was a great way to hang out before our departure for Bucharest, and back home.

Zoli and I killing time as we waited for the rest of the group

In the end, it’s never enough time to spend with the children and teens, especially once you make the connections. While I do not know what the future brings, I sure hope I can remain in touch with the foundation and hear about the children – and, who knows, perhaps seeing them again some day! And I also hope I am blessed with another opportunity to go on a trek with TFK.

The entire group – thanks to the wonderful staff and the great children!

Filed Under: Europe, Hiking, Romania Tagged With: hiking, orphanage, Romania, travel, trekking, Trekking for Kids, voluntourism, Your Guide Romania

Traveling for Good – A Trek in Romania

20 May 2012 by Raul 3 Comments

I have pondered may a-times how lucky I am that I can travel to places around the world mostly for personal reasons and sometimes even for business. I, like many others, are blessed with the opportunities possible in this day and age to make long distance travel possible. In 14 hrs I can be in Seoul should I choose. 50 yrs ago, maybe a lot less years ago, that trip would have taken much longer to do. And on and on I could go about how good we have it.

And then I realized that I can do these trips not only because the world is smaller and technology facilitates many things. I can travel because where I was born and where I live have afforded me opportunities to be in a good enough situation to travel, something many people in other less developed countries may never have. But I go further the more I think about it: even if I didn’t have the wherewithal to be able to travel, I still don’t have to worry about many basic things. Malaria is not a threat in my country. Water safety is not a concern (usually, anyway). There is good medicine accessible within a mile or so from where I live. Etc.

Many people in this world have to worry about such things. Forget about whether they would have the wherewithal to travel abroad – they have to worry about the basics that you and I, dear reader, more than likely will never have to worry about. Yes, we do have issues too but not at the scale of what a good portion of our fellow human beings have to worry about.

It is with that in mind that I decided to do a trek to help some folks who may have a lot less of the basics than most of us. A friend of mine founded an organization a few years ago that organizes treks in support of orphanages around the world. They have gone to base camp in Everest, to the top of Kilimanjaro, done the Camino in Spain, hiked to Machu Picchu, etc. This July they are organizing a “lite” trek in the mountains of Romania – the Transylvanian Alps – and I have decided to join them for the first time! The organization is called Trekking for Kids. The trek will begin and end in Brasov in central Romania, an area with well-known beauty and famous (or infamous as the case may be) for Bran’s Castle that inspired the Dracula story (I even hate to mention it but had to!).

Trekkers raise funds that directly fund the projects that will be done for the targeted orphanage (capital improvements, sustainability-oriented projects, etc.). Not only do we fundraise for the orphanage but we will pitch in with sweat equity while at the orphanage as well as just be with the children.

I am thrilled to be undertaking this challenge. It is a lite trek but that is 4 days in a row of hiking and I have not done more than one day ever… My longest hike was over 20 yrs ago… So I will share a little between now and July about preparations for the trek and then share with you the experience once the trek is done. I am hoping my troublesome knee will cooperate as it has been acting up the last 3 years. But I hope it all works out for the best first and foremost for the kids in that orphanage in Brasov, Romania!

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If you’d like to support the orphanage projects via Trekking for Kids via my trek, go to their site, click on “Donate” on the top right, go to the “Select Trek or Fund” box and select “Romania 2012”, and then (don’t forget!), select me as the Trekker you are supporting! (If you prefer to pay by check, please email me so I can get the form to you which will also provide you with your tax receipt.)

Filed Under: Europe, Hiking, Romania, Transylvania Tagged With: Brasov, hiking, orphanage, Romania, Transylvanian Alps, trek

On the List for a Future Trip to Patagonia

29 July 2011 by Raul Leave a Comment

Reminiscing about my trip to Patagonia and the southern tip of the Americas, I think about what I didn’t get to see… Somehow, 7 months later, Patagonia’s grasp on my mind and my spirit is still very strong. I don’t know if it is the remoteness, the “unspoiltness” (though there is tourism there), the closer-to-how-it-used-be, or just a magnificent nature landscape. But Patagonia has got hold of me. I long to return. I’d thought I’d write down those things I would have liked to have time for in case I can go back again – then all I would have to do is look up this entry and, voilá, my travel plans are ready! And perhaps help a fellow traveler or dream-of-traveler…

Towards the top of the list is that I never actually made it to Tierra del Fuego proper. I thought I was going to TdF by going to Punta Arenas but it turns out TdF is the island across the Straits of Magellan from Punta Arenas and my itinerary had me going NORTH and SOUTH of Punta Arenas but not EAST… Now, I am not sure what I would have seen there that would have been worth the trip but, definitely, I would have liked to explore it. (The thought that I went SOUTH of Punta Arenas but didn’t make it to TdF is somehow mindboggling, n’est-ce pas?)

Oway, penguins, pingüinos, Chile, Patagonia, nature, beauty, Canon EOS Rebel

Penguins in Otway, on the way to Puerto Natales from Punta Arenas

In TdF, Ushuaia would have been the thing I wanted to see the most. A few travelers told me that it was way more beautiful than Punta Arenas and I can imagine that it would be as Punta Arenas as a town was not necessarily scenic nor quaint for the most part.

While I got to navigate a fjord near Puerto Natales and saw plenty of lakes and a couple of glaciers, I would have liked to go further west and north of the area navigating fjords up the Chilean coast. THAT would be a dream. Going to TdF would be about checking it off. Going to Ushuaia would be special. But spending time up and down all those fjords… well, that would be like something.

Puerto Natales, Patagonia, Chile, fjords, lakes, mountains, nature, beauty, Canon EOS Rebel

View of the waterfront in Puerto Natales

And, while at it, a cruise through the southern/eastern side of the Straits of Magellan all the way down to Cabo de Hornos would have been a cool thing to do – but taking some dramamine along as I hear the waters can be quite choppy (and that may be soft-pedaling the water conditions from the stories other travelers told me…). Lowest in my priorities for this return trip but worth noting.

Finally, I would go back to the nice hotel in between Puerto Natales and Cerro Castillo called Hotel Posada 3 Pasos (http://www.hotel3pasos.cl check it out but don’t DARE tell folks about it!!) and spend a few days in the quiet and the beauty that now I understand to be the essence of Patagonia. This would be my TOP priority if I go back…

View from the grounds of Hotel 3 Pasos

Filed Under: Chile, Patagonia, South America Tagged With: Chile, Patagonia, Punta Arenas, Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia

Beginning the Journey into Patagonia: Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales

25 December 2010 by Raul 13 Comments

While Punta Arenas was my entry point to Patagonia (see map for a good visual!), I wasn’t going to spend too much time there – I had places to go in Patagonia! Punta Arenas is known for being very windy but much to my joy, the landing was very smooth.

Final approach before landing in Punta Arenas, Chile

Final approach before finally landing in Punta Arenas!

After a quick lunch at La Luna near the new costanera (“coastal”) avenue (chupe de centolla – a delicious king crab dish) and a failed attempt at using a coffee shop’s wi-fi on Ave. Pedro Montt after buying a coffee (the wi-fi “didn’t” work, something that seems to affect most places in this part of the country who claim to have one…), I walked around town for a couple of hours before I finally left town to head north into the heart of the Chilean Patagonia.

Chupe de centolla (crab dish) in Punta Arenas, Chile

Chupe de centolla. Yum!

Along the waterfront

Cormoranes on the waterfront of Punta Arenas

I made a stop at the penguin colony in Otway (I didn’t know I was going to see penguins right off the waterfront in Punta Arenas!). It was fascinating to walk among all the penguin nests on the shores of this body of water (more enclosed than a bay, but not a lake) – you stay on a slightly elevated walkway to avoid mis-stepping onto a penguin nest.

Penguins in Otway, north of Punta Arenas, Chile

On the way to see the penguins with dark skies in the distance

I was beginning to feel the wind and also be slightly disoriented in terms of direction. In Punta Arenas the water was to the east of the town yet somehow my brain thought it would be south and my many months in Chile would make me expect water to the west of land. Going to Otway, the water was to the west again. But my brain had a hard time processing this as I had not studied a map yet. My driver told me everyone from Chile goes through the same disorientation so I felt better.

Heading to the beach

“I’m sexy and I know it”

At the beach!

Younger penguin testing his strut

From Otway, we went back east to the main road again and headed north the remaining 2.5 hrs or so until we got to Puerto Natales, a small town of perhaps 20k inhabitants that tends to serve as the main launching point to explore the Chilean Patagonia. I am assuming El Calafate may serve a slightly similar purpose on the Argentine Patagonia. Puerto Natales does not have necessarily tons of charm but going to the coastal avenue does provide a 180 degree (plus) view of mountains and water that is very nice.

I stayed at a nice hotel called Aquaterra whose staff was very friendly and helpful even if the rooms were somewhat spartan. The best eating experience in Puerto Natales had to be the highly recommended La Picada de Carlitos. I was expecting to eat meat but the waiter recommended the chupe de centolla and, boy, he was right! It was phenomenal and easily beat the one I had at La Luna in Punta Arenas. Here is what it looked like:

Other than this, the only other thing to call out about Puerto Natales that I saw was some of the architecture and some bright coloring of house facades. I found the town to be charming and a great platform to launch into the rest of Patagonia. The views from its waterfront were beautiful.

Yours truly loving life!

From here I would begin my visit to Torres del Paine, glaciers and fjords… Majestic!!

Filed Under: Chile, Good Eats and Drinks, Patagonia, South America Tagged With: Chile, chupe de centolla, Otway, Patagonia, penguins, Puerto Natales, Punta Arenas, waterfront

Flying onto and Hiking a Glacier in New Zealand!

22 June 2009 by Raul 5 Comments

The village of Franz Josef on the west coast of the southern island of New Zealand (whew, that’s a long “address” to give for a village) exists to share the Franz Josef glacier with those who want to see it. This glacier and neighboring Fox glacier are 2 out of 3 glaciers in the world that end in a rainforest and miss getting directly to the ocean by not much!

Now, there are numerous ways to explore the glacier: short walks, half-day or full day hikes, heli-hikes, flyovers and perhaps more that I do not know about. I decided that due to sore knees from earlier hikes that I should not do the full day hike. But then the helicopter ride tempted me as we would start further up the glacier plus we would do all the hiking on the glacier instead of part of it being on normal ground to get to the glacier. I am always up for such a shortcut when the tradeoff is like this!

The helicopter flight up took less than 10 mins. I could not tell you how long it took as I was to busy looking out and snapping pictures. He did fly us to the top before coming back down a bit to drop us off. In that last segment, the pilot did a nice maneuver where we were almost on our side. Nice surprise…

Franz Josef, glacier hike, New Zealand, blue ice, crampons, adventure, outdoors

Approaching the glacier on the helicopter – a thrill!

glacier hike, blue ice, outdoors, adventure, helicopter

With our transport after arriving at the glacier

The amount of ice is unbelievable and we didn’t really get to see the top field of the glacier which must be quite expansive (and deep!). We landed – it seems – like 2/3 of the way up the face of the glacier. A guide had been dropped off earlier to scout the terrain that day (since the glacier moves, etc. they cannot just assume the same area will work from one day to the next) and set up the landing spot for the copter. Once we landed, he quickly explained a few things to us (like how to use the crampons on our boots to better get a grip on the ice as we walked). We quickly got the groove of it and began exploring. The guide would check out the area he wanted to take us through and then we would follow.

glacier hike, blue ice, outdoors, adventure

About to enter a cave

Fun place!

Like this, we explored crevasses, mini-caves and open spaces. The most exhilarating thing was getting deep into a crevasse or mini-cave and be surrounded by beautiful blue ice. Of course, you always had to be mindful of the floor of crevasses and mini-caves as they could be at any moment just a thin layer of ice and your foot would just go right through to freezing water underneath! That happened to a couple of folks in the group.

Oh, oh, how do I get out of this??

Focused…

Another solo traveler and I quickly clued in that it would be best if we traded cameras during the hike to snap pix of each other instead of constantly having to ask each other or others “can you take my picture?” He did a great job of snapping pix away of me with my camera so I have a nice set of pix of me in all sorts of tight spots, etc.!

glacier hike, blue ice, adventure, outdoors, Franz Josef, New Zealand

The guide leading the pack

About to enter a very small “cave” at the glacier

Going through one of the most vertically challenged “caves” that we went through

After 2 hours, the helicopter came back for us and took a more direct route down than he took up. A fellow traveler and I went to grab lunch and celebrate with a beer. Later that evening, New Zealand was going to be playing a match of rubgy against France so we met up again at one of the few pubs/restaurants in the village to watch with the rest of the visitors. The place was The Landing and we enjoyed the setup and the friendliness of the wait staff.

I was told that during summer, during peak tourist season, the village can get up to 3,000 visitors in one day. In winter, the numbers are much lower but I was surprised still at the amount of visitors. I think that the place is likely just as beautiful in the winter (though colder). It was not really terribly cold, in fact, we had lunch outdoors that day with no heaters (but still wearing our jackets). In the evening, it definitely got cold!

The group

There are lots of options when visiting this glacier, or Fox glacier, on what to do. Cost can be a key factor in choosing the activity but, if you can afford it, by all means do the heli-hike! You will not regret this way of experiencing nature and the beauty of glacier country in New Zealand!

Filed Under: Australia & NZ, Hiking, New Zealand - Southern Island Tagged With: adventure, blue ice, Franz Josef, glacier hike, helicopter, New Zealand, outdoors

30 Days on El Camino de Santiago

24 January 2009 by Raul 2 Comments

Camino icon

Guest post by my friend and fellow traveler, Chris Sanders.

I first learned of the Camino de Santiago by watching an interview of Shirley MacClain on CNN’s Larry King show some years ago. I wasn’t even sure I knew who she was to be honest, but I listened with interest as she described a long distance hike – a pilgrimage – she had just completed across Spain – a hike she did alone but in the company of thousands of others on the same route. The experience sounded appealing to me and so I filed the idea away in my mind –to be resurrected sometime in the future…sometime when I had free time…lots of free time….like a month or so off of work!

Well, long story short – within a few months of watching the interview on CNN, I found myself in Spain on the Camino de Santiago, compliments of a leave of absence from my company. I started in the small town of St Jean Pied de Port, France and walked 500 miles to the city of Santiago de Compostela in 30 days flat. Oh, did I mention that I had never been to Spain, I didn’t speak Spanish…nor had I ever really hiked…except for perhaps the half-day hike up Mt. Blood in North Georgia???

Ok, by now you probably want to know more about the Camino de Santiago…so here are the basic facts:

What is the Camino de Santiago? – The Camino de Santiago (or “Way of St. James” in English) is a medieval pilgrimage to the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela. The cathedral in Santiago is the burial place of St. James – one of the 12 Disciples of Christ in the Christian religion. Though once a strictly religious pilgrimage, the Camino today attracts people of all beliefs.

Where do I start and how long is the Camino? – There are many popular Camino routes…the most popular is the 500 mile stretch called the Camino Frances. The Camino Frances starts in the small town of St. Jean Pied de Port (on the French side of the Pyrenees) and continues across Northern Spain – through cities such as Pamplona, Burgos, and Leon.

How many people do the Camino each year and who are they? – Believe it or not, thousands of people walk all or a portion of the Camino each year. According to statistics reported by the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, more than 114,000 people arrived in Santiago in 2007.

Where do I sleep? – The Camino passes through endless cities, towns and small hamlets. The choice of where to sleep is a personal one – most people choose to stay in refugios, which are dormitory style accommodations often housed in monasteries and other old buildings. If you are into more luxurious accommodations, there are plenty of small hotels, Inns, and boarding houses along the way.

To get a glimpse of my Camino experience, check out my video on You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EppyMumKRHU

I could go on and on writing about the Camino de Santiago…its one of my favorite subjects! But we’d rather hear your thoughts and questions. Have you walked the Camino? If so, tell us about your experience. If you are interested in learning more about the Camino or have questions, ask away!