The Africa Series - Choosing Africa as Our Destination
Choosing Africa & Kilimanjaro As Our Destination
Hello Explorers,
A couple of years ago, my husband was about to turn 30 years old. I had thought of the perfect gift to give him a long time ago when we were still dating very early on. He is such an avid hiker, adventurer, and explorer. I knew this about him very early on. He also loves to be surrounded by nature, going on nature hikes, and seeing beautiful sites that most people don't get to see every day. I thought that the most epic gift that I could give him for his 30th birthday would be an expedition of epic proportions. So I did my research many years back and discovered that a big bucket list item is to climb Kilimanjaro, the rooftop of Africa.
What Is So Special About Kilimanjaro?
Kilimanjaro is one of the seven highest peaks in the world, ranking at number three right behind Everest and K2. Among these very difficult hikes, Kilimanjaro is more accessible and less technical than the others. It also has an 85% success rate of summiting (depending on your route). Although the temperatures and weather conditions on Kilimanjaro can vary depending on the season, it is still not as dangerous as the other two mentioned peaks.
Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa, it is also 19,341 feet above sea level. It is composed of three distinct volcanic cones, and it is also part of the Tanzania National Parks Authority. As a major climbing destination, part of its appeal is hiking through five ecosystems as you ascend to the top. the ecosystems and climate zones are:
Bushland / Lower Slope: (2,600 ft - 5,900 ft)
Rainforest Zone: (5,900 ft - 9,200 ft)
Heather / Moorland: (9,200 ft - 13,100 ft)
Alpine Desert Zone: (13,100 ft - 16,400 ft)
Arctic Zone: (16,400 ft - 19,300 ft)
To prepare for this trip we really have to pack a variety of clothing, as well as gear for climbing. We have to be ready for the humid temperatures in the Rainforest, to the freezing temperatures in the Arctic. In the Arctic Zone at the very top of the mountain, there are still glaciers. These Glaciers are said to disappear in the next 15 years. I find it extremely bittersweet knowing that we will still be able to see these glaciers ( if we make it to the top), but our children will not. it is within our lifetime that the geography of this mountain will change drastically due to climate change.
Why Africa?
Generally speaking, Africa has always been a continent that has always been intimidating to me. Not only is it quite vast, but I always pictured the landscape to be extremely hot and dry (those of you who know me, know how terrible I am with heat). I have preconceived notions of what it will look like, feel like, sound like, and my experience there. I knew very little about Africa in general, compared to other continents and countries. However, I am excited to venture into the unknown. I hope that all my preconceived notions will be shattered, and instead my experiences there will shape my new thoughts of what Africa actually, truly is.
A lot of people have asked me about the danger aspect. Most people do seem nervous about us going. There is so much that goes around in the news and the media in regards to the people, health risks, and the danger level in general. Worries regarding our ascent, altitude sickness, diseases, food poisoning, malnutrition, crime, animals, language barriers, and people have been asked as part of our preparation to go. However, something I have discovered through all the travels that my husband and I have been apart of is that any major city in any country is the same as any major city in any other country. Meaning, that no matter where we go there will always be certain parallels that follow.
I can't tell you how many times people have refrained from going to Latin America because of the news that they heard in the media. This truly saddens me. Suddenly, it's as if one story will predetermine what your stay will be like in said place. I always try to reassure people by letting them know that as long as they take the proper precautions, usually, their trip will be danger-free. Also, the more we listen to stories that are reported in the media, the more ideas are subconsciously fed into our brains that will establish us with negative preconceived notions.
What the movie Coco did for Latin America, Black Panther did for Africa. There has been so much interest in traveling there from the masses, ever since the movie came out. It shines a light on the most beautiful parts of a Nation. It also highlights the cultural aspect, which I am thrilled to experience. I am excited to see where the movie drew its inspiration from. Although I know that the continent of Africa is made out of so many countries, I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to visit several of those during this trip.
Planning A Surprise
Back to the actual surprise…I knew that if we were going to make this happen, we needed to have at least two years to prepare for it. I surprised him back in 2017. Although visiting Africa and climbing Kilimanjaro was initially meant as a 30th birthday surprise for my husband, he decided to combine his birthday surprise with our belated honeymoon. Since it was going to be an epic trip, why not celebrate both? There's quite a lot of people that choose Africa as a honeymoon destination. I was pleasantly surprised to see that since I thought that it was more of an expedition destination more than anything. I am excited to see what it has in store for us, especially because my husband, has many little surprises in store waiting for me when I get there.
There are many things that I am looking forward to seeing and doing in Africa. Some of those things include: going on a safari, seeing the Serengeti National Park, interacting with wild animals while being in their environment, seeing natural landscapes, interacting with the locals, learning more about African culture, and last but not least, hiking Kilimanjaro ( which is something we have been preparing for quite some time). Not many people get to go to Africa in their lifetime, much less visiting several countries while being there. I am sure it will be an experience I will never forget.
In The Africa Series, we will be discussing the training we have done so far, the countries that we will visit, the activities that we will partake in, and lastly, the extensive packing list that we have thought of, formulated, and prepared as advice for anyone thinking of heading to Africa and doing the same. The packing list will be available as a printable sheet, or a PDF file to be downloaded for free.
We hope that this inspires you to visit the incredible continent of Africa. Make sure to keep updated on upcoming posts regarding the Africa series by subscribing to apearlife.com by clicking here, or going to our contact page. You will be updated on the upcoming posts as soon as they are published.
Goodbye Explorers!