AFRICA:
CONTINENT OF HIGH MOUNTAINS AND WILDLIFE COVERED PLAINS
Two words are synonymous with Africa: (KILIMANJARO –
the highest mountain), and (SERENGETI – world’s
greatest wildlife region). We invite you to visit both with
East Africa’s oldest and leading adventure travel
company – Tropical Ice. Hike to the summit of Kilimanjaro
up its remote untraveled northern slopes. Cross the plains
of the MAASAI MARA in northern Serengeti for unparalleled
wildlife viewing.
TROPICAL ICE has been guiding groups up
Kilimanjaro since 1978 - our summit success rate is over
95%.
Which route do we climb? Approximately 20,000 people attempt Kilimanjaro
every year. 15,000 do it by way of the tourist route from
Marangu, Tanzania, and most of the remainder attempt it
from Machame, Tanzania. TROPICAL ICE finds these routes
way too congested, and instead we traverse the mountain
up the remote northern slopes from Kenya, over the summit,
and descend into Tanzania.
What's so special about our route? It is not as steep as either the Machame Route
or the Shira Plateau Route. Our trail crosses some of
Kilimanjaro's most beautiful country and takes us
beneath the spectacular "forgotten" peak of
Kilimanjaro - Mawenzi (16,899 feet); our third camp is
situated directly beneath it's dramatic north face.
Few people....the chances are high that the first time
you will see another tourist on the mountain will be on
the 5th day, when our trail converges with other routes
just below the summit.
Acclimatisation: A subject TROPICAL
ICE regards as very, very important. Our route allows
for an extra acclimatisation day at 13,600 feet (our camp
below Mawenzi).
What don't we do on Kilimanjaro? We don't sleep in huts. We prefer to be in
clean, healthy tents.
We don't camp in Kilimanjaro's crater. TROPICAL
ICE feels this is a dangerous and unnecessary thing to
do. To sleep over 18,000 feet after being on the mountain
for a week or less is breaking every rule of acclimatisation.
The Kilimanjaro Wildlife safari combines our extensive mountaineering
experience and 28 years of adventure wildlife safaris. The
result: a comprehensive African safari.
AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK
Framed by the silhouette of Kilimanjaro, Amboseli National
Park provides a classical opportunity to view African wildlife.
Amboseli’s abundant bird life frequent the swamps
fed by the melting mountain snows, and groups of elephant
go there to drink, bathe, and apply a new layer of the grey
Amboseli dust. Throughout the past 30 years Cynthia Moss
and Joyce Poole have been studying these wonderful animals,
revealing their intelligence and sensitivity, their complexity
and grandeur. Our understanding of elephant behavior, social
structure and communication comes as a direct result of
these studies.
The Amboseli ecosystem is also traditional grazing pasture
for the Maasai cattle. The successful cooperation of the
Maasai people and the Kenya Wildlife Service has allowed
these traditional people to coexist with the rich wildlife
of the area. It is this Maasai land that we have chosen
as the site for our seasonal camp. Far from the reaches
of the tourist minibuses, we enjoy unobstructed views of
the mountain, cool evening breezes and silver morning light.
KILIMANJARO
Africa’s highest peak, and the worlds tallest free-standing
mountain, Kilimanjaro dominates the sky at a height of 19,340
feet. The glaciers and snows of Kilimanjaro perplexed the
European scientific community in the late nineteenth century.
Johann Rebman, a German missionary who was the first European
to lay eyes upon it in 1848 wrote on 11th of May “
This morning, at ten o’clock, we obtained a clearer
view of the mountains of Jagga (Chagga), the summit of one
of which was covered by what looked like a beautiful white
cloud.” It was only when Baron Von der Decken
reached the altitude of 14,000 feet in his 1862 attempt
on the mountain that indisputable evidence satisfied the
indignant scientists. The first successful ascent of Kilimanjaro
by Dr. Hans Meyer in 1889 brought to a close the enduring
struggle for this prized peak of East Africa.
Kilimanjaro is comprised of three volcanic centers: Kibo
(19,340 feet), Mawenzi (16,893 feet) and Shira (13,143 feet).
The Chagga people living at the foot of this mountain tell
many legends of its more active volcanic days. Today it
lies dormant, casting its shadow over the plains below,
its melting snows quenching the thirst of Amboseli’s
wildlife. Scientists predict that the glaciers of Kilimanjaro
will disappear within the next twenty years, unfortunately
this time they are probably correct.
MAASAI MARA
One of Africa's leading wildlife photographers, Jonathan
Scott, remarked that if he only had twenty-four hours to
spend on the African continent it would be in the Maasai
Mara. We see no reason to doubt him. The Mara, which is
the northern extension of the Serengeti, is home to the
great herds of Africa. Characterized by rolling grasslands
as far as one can see, these plains are roamed by huge numbers
of wildebeest, zebra, eland and Thomson’s gazelle.
When the wildebeest are migrating, and they have crossed
the Mara River, it is not uncommon to see as many as half
a million animals grazing this country. As one would expect
from the presence of so many animals, the attendant predators
are numerous, and lions particularly can be easily seen.
Cheetah and leopard prey on unsuspecting gazelle and impala,
while hyena search for anything.
The Maasai Mara is truly the greatest wildlife show on earth.
Tropical Ice's private camp is located in a secluded
forest grove surrounded by these wildlife infested grassy
plains, and we don't have to travel far to experience
it. In fact, wildlife frequently comes to us! From our camp
we game-drive the entire region of the Maasai Mara, and
frequently get out on foot too. The evening campfire and
the sounds of the night will remain in your memory for the
rest of your life.
AFRICA:
CONTINENT OF HIGH MOUNTAINS AND WILDLIFE COVERED PLAINS