The Gopal Family Kilimanjaro Climb and Safari Dispatch

August 15, 2012 – The Gopal Family Arrived at High Camp: Part II

This is Gopal family on Kilimanjaro again, continuation of the last dispatch… The Lava Tower Camp was absolutely freezing. We had a long walk which was about 8 hours. It was a really interesting walk but very strenuous down hills, up hills, down hills, up hills, all of the way to the Karanga Valley camp which is the last place I think we’ve got running water from a stream.

So we spent the night at Karanga Valley, which is down a little bit because Lava Tower Camp is about 15,500 feet and Karanga Camp is about 13,500 feet, and now we are on our way up. We Just passed Camp Barafu after about 3 hours of walking, had lunch, and on our way to Camp Kosovo.

Tomorrow we will start at 5:00 in the morning, and if all things go well we will have the opportunity to make it to the summit. It will be a long day but we are all very excited and looking forward to it.

It has been a great trip so far, the guys are fantastic, the porters are great and they are taking good care of us. We are all doing well, all happy, and all excited. My next dispatch will be after we have summited Kilimanjaro!

Listen to audio of Gopal family's call

Karanga Valley Camp is a perfect rest as we are lower than last night.

We are getting closer to the top of Africa. On our way to high camp, Kosovo Camp.

Lunch stop at Barafu

View of Barafu from our Camp Kosovo