5th Update in Altitude and Expedition Medicine -
Arusha, Tanzania and Mt Kilimanjaro
Booked Out but see Group Two Link
24th June 2012 – 5th July 2012
In 2012 join MOTE for our 5th annual update in Altitude and Expedition Medicine, the academic content of which will be reinforced by our participation in one of the world’s greatest high altitude treks. We have decided to return to Mt Kilimanjaro due to overwhelming demand. We are initially planning a maximum of 29 delegates and anticipate that this trip will fill up very quickly so an early booking is recommended.
We have chosen to climb Kili by the 7B Shira route. This is a longer route involving 7 nights on the mountain. This will really give you a feel for the expedition environment as well as allow extra time for optimal acclimitisation so as to maximise your summit success. This route also keeps us somewhat out of synch with the more popular and shorter routes so as to avoid the “crowds”. To add to the magic we have picked a Full Moon night for our summit attempt. This is the same route we walked in 2008 and we believe it is probably the best route on the mountain.
2012 Kilimanjaro - Trip Outline
There are many organisations which provide the logistics and support to climb Kili. We have researched these extensively and were highly impressed with Africa Travel Resource ( ATR ) whom we worked with in 2008 which is why we have chosen them to partner with them again in 2012.
DATES: Ideally you will arrive in ARUSHA on the 24th June where we will meet as a group and remain together till the 4th July. From the 5th July you are then free to return home or travel on to even more adventures.
2012 Kilimanjaro - Program Outline
UPDATE IN ALTITUDE AND EXPEDITION MEDICINE MOUNT KILIMANJARO
PROGRAM OUTLINE: The following is the outline for the meeting:–
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24th June: |
Arrive ArushaWe will aim to arrive in Arusha today. This will give you the opportunity to settle into Moivaro Lodge for three nights. Get to meet the other delegates. You have the rest of the afternoon free to relax after your long journey. In the evening there will be a short introduction to the meeting and program. |
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25th June: |
Arusha - At the conference
First full day of the MOTE meeting (see course outline).
Today will be classroom based with the educational program running from 10:00 – 18:00.
Our local guide will also be on hand throughout your time in Arusha to provide any help or advice you may need. He can also make suggestions for any free time. |
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26th June: |
Arusha - At the conference
Second day of the MOTE meeting (see course outline). Today will be classroom based with the educational program running from 10:00 – 18:00.
Tonight there will be a pre-climb briefing
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27th June: |
Kili - Day One
Depart the Lodge at 08:00. Drive to the Shira trailhead at 2800 m. Walk between 4 – 5 hours. Ascend 800m to our campsite at 3550m. |
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28th June: |
Kili – Day Two
We will depart Simba 1 camp and make our
way to Shira Hut camp at 3,850 metres.
Today we will ascend 400 metres and
descend 100 metres with an average
walking time of 4-5 hours. Today there will
also be an option for a sidewalk for the
summit of Shira Cathedral.
This evening we will run a 2 hour educational session in our campsite (see course outline). |
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29th June: |
Kili – Day Three
Today we will leave Shira Hut camp and make our way to Moira Hut camp. This is located at 4,200 metres. We will ascend 500 metres and descend 150 metres. The average walking time will be 3-6 hours. Depending on time taken to progress, there we will be an opportunity for some side trips into the areas below the northern icefields with the potential to walk to the summit of the Lent Hills.
This evening we will run a 2 hour educational session in our campsite (see course outline ). |
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30th June: |
Kili – Day Four
Today we will leave Moira Hut and ascend to Lava Tower camp. This is located at 4,500 metres. We will ascend 400 metres and descend 50 meters with an average walking time of 3-6 hours. There is an optional steep, but spectacular afternoon walk to the ruins of the old hut at Arrow Glacier at 4,800 metres. This has assume views and can also assist with acclimatisation.
This evening we will run a 2 hour educational session in our campsite (see course outline). |
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1st July |
Kili – Day Five
We leave Lava Tower camp and travel to Karanga Valley. We start the day at 4,550 metres and our campsite tonight will be at 4,000 metres. We will ascend 300 metres and descend 850 metres. The average walking time will be 5-7 hours. Today we will include a descent into the Great Barranco Valley and then an ascent of the Barranco Wall. As you will note, today we camp lower than the previous day which should have great benefits in improving our acclimatisation on the mountain.
This evening we will run the last 2 hour educational session in our campsite (see course outline). |
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2nd July: |
Kili - Day Six
Today we travel from Karanga Valley to Barafu Hut, commencing the day at 4,000 metres and finishing at 4,600 metres. Over 600 metres of descent with an average walking time of 6-8 hours. This is the last point at which we can obtain water and all supplies are carried from hereon in by our porters. Our intention is to arrive at our campsite relatively early and rest ourselves as much as possible for the summit day that lies ahead. We will repack our daypacks and change into our summit day gear before going to bed. We will be breaking camp at sometime between 2300 and 0100 that night. How much of a sleep in we get will depend on our guides’ assessment of the speed of the group.
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3rd July: |
Kili - Day Seven
We will leave Barafu Hut with the intent of reaching the summit. Our initial ascent will of course be by torch light with the aim to arrive at Stella Point at 5,735 metres on the crater rim in time to watch the sunrise. This section will involve approximately 5 hours of climbing up some generally well graded zigzags towards to the top of the mountain. If you reach Stella Point the Park Authorities will grant you a certificate but it should be noted that it is not the true summit. We will try and have a short rest here before proceeding onto the summit. The summit at Uhuru is at 5,896 metres and it is approximately a 2-hour round trip from Stella Point to the true summit. This should be one of the most spectacular parts of the entire walk. Once we summit we will begin our descent. We will return initially to Barafu where we will be able to have a short rest and some further refreshment. We will also probably wait here for all members of our group to arrive as it is likely that we will summit at different times in order to allow people to walk adequately at their own pace. We will then descend to Millennium Camp at an altitude of 3,800 metres. So today will involve an ascent of 1,296 metres and a descent of 2,796 metres – a long day indeed! We estimate that this will take an average of 12 hours.
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4th July: |
Kili - Day Eight
We start our day at Millennium Camp with a ritual ceremony to thank our guides and porters. Following this we will begin a gradual descent to Mweka Gate at 1,650 metres where we will be picked up by a private vehicle to return us to Moivaro Lodge. Our total descent today is 2,070 metres and should take approximately 5 hours.
We will spend tonight in Moivara Lodge |
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5th July: |
Arusha - Goodbyes
The trip is now over from the point of view of the climb. You are free to leave in whatever direction you see fit. |
2012 Kilimanjaro - Registration Cost & Details
REGISTRATION COST: AU$5,495 per person twin share
There is no GST as the entire activity is conducted off shore.
INCLUSIONS
Ground transport Kilimanjaro airstrip to Moivaro Lodge
3 nights accommodation Moivaro Lodge pre climb
All Kilimanjaro National Park Fees – park entry fee, rescue fee, staff park fees and camping fees
All guiding, porterage and cooking fees
All non personal equipment eg tents
All meals whilst on the mountain
Ground transport back to Moivaro Lodge on descent
1 night's accommodation Moivaro Lodge post climb
Ground transport Moivaro Lodge to Kilimanjaro airstrip
Attendance at all conference sessions both in Arusha at Moivaro Lodge and on the mountain at the evening campsite workshops.
THE FOLLOWING COSTS ARE NOT INCLUDED:-
Flights to/from your home
Travel Insurance
Meals when not on the mountain other than those listed in the inclusions above.
Visa costs
Personal equipment
Tips for porters
If you are travelling alone we will try and match you with another same gender delegate to share accommodation. A single supplement will apply if you prefer not to share – contact us for details.
About Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro is the highest free standing mountain in the world and the highest mountain in Africa. It is located in Tanzania close to the Kenyan border. The summit is at 5896 m above sea level. The route we are taking is non-technical and so is essentially a walk at high altitude. However, you should not underestimate the difficulties of walking at these altitudes. Many people fail to make the summit each year. Climbing Kilimanjaro also takes you through many different climatic and ecological zones. We begin on the lower slopes climbing through forest into a semi-alpine zone of heath and moorland. From here we climb up into the highland desert and finally into an arctic zone where the available oxygen will be half that you are used to at sea level.
2012 Kilmanjaro - How Fit Do You Need To Be?
The following is an extract from Africa Travel Resources (ATR) advice regarding fitness. Please note that ATR will be providing us with our mountain guides and porters.
When people speak of this degree of difficulty, they are mainly referring to one single part of the climb, which is the six to eight hour section up to the summit. This part really is tough, mainly due to the extreme altitude.For the most part, the days that precede this ascent are not too physically demanding for anyone with a reasonable degree of fitness. That is not to say that even this easy. A combination of adverse factors such as bad weather, altitude sickness and general tiredness arising from being out on the mountain can make even the easiest walking days very tough indeed. Climbing Kilimanjaro is therefore as much about perseverance and will to succeed as it is about sheer physical fitness.
That is not to say that you should take this as an excuse not to get yourself into good physical shape before the climb. Any reasonable exercise is good, but especially walking. You should be able to walk for several hours on consecutive days without too much problem. Add to this some more aerobic activities such as cycling or running and you should be getting towards the kinds of fitness levels that you will need for a serious attempt on the mountain. There is more detailed information on this subject in the later section which deals with preparing for the climb.
2012 Kilimanjaro - Other Information
OUR ROUTE:
There are many different routes to ascend Kilimanjaro. We have chosen the Shira route over 7 days. Most importantly here is the 7 nights we have allocated. This allows for a greater degree of acclimatisation so as to maximise the chances of reaching the summit. The Shira route is considered by many to be the best non-technical route on the mountain and traverses a diverse range of scenery. The first part of the walk is relatively isolated but the last four days will be crowded as most of the non technical routes converge onto a common approach to the summit meeting up with the Machame Trail.
OUR GUIDES:
There are over 200 licensed guide operators on Kilimanjaro. Independent climbing is not permitted. We have chosen to use Africa Travel Resources (ATR) and their partners, The Africa Walking Company, as our preferred guides. We have been impressed by their communication, professionalism and approach to safety. Also, and this we believe is paramount, they appear to have a great sense of responsibility for the welfare of their porters. We should not forget that climbing Kilimanjaro is a major source of revenue for those employed as porters and cooks. For every 20 climbers in our team we are likely to have a support team of about 50 people climbing with us.
Speakers
Associate Professor Geoff Ramin
Geoff is Director of Emergency Medicine for the John Flynn Hospital. Up until March 2010 he was the Network Director of Emergency Medicine for The Tweed and Murwillumbah District Hospitals. He is a VMO in Intensive Care at the Tweed Hospital. He has extensive experience in pre-hospital care and medical retrieval. He is the Senior Specialist - Aeormedical and Critical Care Services for the Royal Flying Doctor Service in the Queensland sector. He is a Regional Consultant for the Queensland Ambulance Service and a Medical Consultant to Mondial Assistance. He is the Medical Director of International Medical Systems. His passion for adventures includes mountaineering, scuba diving, hiking in the wilderness and generally getting lost. He recently returned from summiting Mont Blanc the highest peak in Western Europe.
Dr Chip Gresham
Dr. Chip Gresham is a US trained emergency medicine physician and a medical toxicologist working at Middlemore hospital in Auckland New Zealand where he serves as the co-director of education for the department of emergency medicine. He completed his emergency medicine training at the University of Massachusetts followed by a 2 year medical toxicology/toxinolgy fellowship at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Centre in Phoenix, Arizona. While his bench research is in organophosphate poisoning and toxicity, focusing on new antidotes, it is his love and expertise of toxinology and environmental medicine that has allowed him to travel and teach around the world. When not at work, Chip can be found somewhere outdoors, pursuing his passions which include rock climbing, ice climbing, exploring places he has not been yet and suffering from an incurable case of wanderlust.
