Mawenzi Tarn Camp, Kilimanjaro

Leaving New Pofu Camp, the trail led me to the Upper 3rd Caves Camp, intersecting with several other trails, such as the Rongai, Kibo Hut and School Hut Trails.

The camp was in a somewhat desolate grey-looking environment devoid of colour, with only some shrubs and tufts of small grasses. Although it could’ve been perceived as aesthetically displeasing, this alpine desert environment was still fascinating to experience its raw and barren wide open space. You’d almost think you were on Mars if the terrain was rusty red. 

With Mawenzi Tarn Camp as my next destination, the most direct route would have been to take the Rongai Trail. With this approach, I would remain at the same elevation since I began the Northern Circuit and descended into Mawenzi Tarn Camp at the end. However, I chose to take a lower route by first descending approximately 1640ft (500m). I swung my way around the eastern side of the mountain to Kikelawa Camp and the Kikelawa Caves. The camp is in a large meadow of tussock grasses and giant dendrosenecio plants. White-necked ravens were waiting around the campsite for scraps or unattended food.

The nearby cave was one of many on the flanks of Kili, which in the past were used as overnight shelters but have now been superseded by designated camp spots with nearby water supplies.

With under two miles (3km) left, the trail ascended steadily, reaching a lake at the foot of the rising steep ridges of Mawenzi, the second-highest volcano southeast of Kibo. Mawenzi, along with Kibo, began erupting about a million years ago. The two peaks were separated by the Saddle Plateau. From the western side, Mawenzi looked like a single jagged rock jutting from the saddle, vastly different from Kibo’s gentler-looking and trekkable slopes. This western side of Mawenzi was the highest point, reaching 16,893 ft (5,149 m). It was named Hans Meyer Peak after the first person to summit Kili. 

However, Mawenzi was a horseshoe shape with three steep ridges and two deep gorges between them. With such steep ridges, Mawenzi can’t hold any glaciers, leaving no permanent snow, unlike Kibo, with its permanent glaciers and year-round snow

Although Hans Meyer attempted to climb the Mawenzi peak in 1889 after he summitted Kibo, he did not succeed due to illness. The first successful summit was made by two German climbers in 1912. Because Mawenzi is a technical and hazardous climb, the peak was closed to climbers for more than a decade. Although reopened in 2017, climbers and guides must be experienced rock climbers and can only proceed two at a time.

Leaving the peaks of Mawenzi to the experts, I will gladly admire its jagged appearance from the lakeside camp. With a hot cuppa in hand and a load off my feet, I reflected on my journey and what was yet to come.