2.1.2017: A walk on Mukuru Peak.
For today, we have planned a tour on the Mukuru Peak. Two girls from Austria join in.
I get up early at sunrise to enjoy this magical moment.
Kilimandscharo
Mount Meru ...
... in first sunlight.
Restaurant and fire place
The landscape is shaped by numerous volcanic hills - seemingly all huge lava bombs having fallen down here.
Neighbour´s hut.
Morning panorama looking from the Maasai Lodge to Mount Kilimandscharo. Click here or into the picture for a larger display..
What a morning!
Huts of the Maasai Lodge
Mount Meru
One of the "Watchmen" - watching the whole area.
The office of the Maasai Lodge and a watchmen´s hut.
Watchmen´s hut
The pool of the Maasai Lodge in the morning light
The pool of the Maasai Lodge in the morning light
Maasai village and Mount Meru
The huts around the Pool
The huts around the Pool, from outside
After a rich breakfast we start, on rugged earth roads as usual. Here a deep ravine, this time with a good and high bridge.
Once more I ask myself, what these animals find to eat here.
Mount Meru. The landscape is very scraggy, because it rains only very little bit on this side of the mountain.
The team is ready for the start.
The summit looks not so far - but this is misleading. An hour of walking it is at least.
Mount Meru
Mount Meru
A small and narrow, but deep ravine - when its raining, it rains heavily.
Rosa, Julia and Bonifaz, our driver and guide.
Succulents and other dry-resistent plants such as acacia are shaping the landscape.
Kilimandscharo - the summit in clouds as is so often.
Mount Meru
Rosa, Julia and Bonifaz.
The last tree before the summit is used for a short rest. The hole far left is from an anteater.
The right summit is the higher one.
Two Tawny eagles (Aquila rapax) near the summit.
Soon we will be up ...
The slope is really steep here.
Arrived on Mukuru summit, according to google earth at an altitude of about 2.060 m. Bonifaz is walking with sandals, ...
... which need a repair just now.
Tyres with bands and pearls - ready
Panoramic view from the summit of Mukuru. Kilimandscharo in clouds to the left Mount Meru to the right. Click here or into the picture for a larger display.
Panoramic view from the summit of Mukuru. Mount Meru to the left, Kilimandscharo in clouds to the right. Click here or into the picture for a larger display.
Bonifaz, the proud "color seargant"
Western summit panorama from Mukuru. Mount Meru to the left. Click here or into the picture for a larger display.
Sandals made from car tyres and a smartphone. You cannot expect to find this combination in Europe.
Bonifaz, Julia and Rosa.
Now Julia took my camera.
Mount Meru
A last panoramic picture from Mukuru summit. Click here or into the picture for a larger display.
The descent is on the other, the western side.
Up here there is a little bit of grass growing.
This acacia (Vachellia drepanolobium) has bumps at the base of the spikes. These are a offer to ants, which will find nectar inside. These ants will attack herbivore animals trying to eat the leaves.
Acacia in flower
Acacia flowers
Succulent
This field beneath the Mukuru is completely fallow at this dry season. Seeding can only begin in one or two months at the beginning of the rain season.
Tomato pickers cropping. I take the picture from the moving car; they would get very angry if they saw me taking pictures and would demand money.
A shot detour to the gas station in Ngare Nanjuki.
This small area is watered intensely ...
Back at the Maasai Lodge, I pack everything and leave my hut. A few pictures.
All walls are built in traditional style by filling a wooden meshwork with a mixture of claim and cowshit.(= fibre enhanced filler). For better durability the inner side is varnished. No bad smell, and the living quality is excellent.
A surprise at my departure: a song for my farewell.
Late afternoon; we meet a truck with tomatoes slowly struggling with the bad road.
The first leg to their houses the pickers take the truck.
Back at the guest houses - a last evening view to Kilimandscharo, still (or once more?) covered with new snow..
