Adventure to Kilimanjaro & the Serengeti

The group of four students was led by alumna Sabrina Ackerman Bluestone '82 (parent of Harrison '15 and Liesje '16) and faculty member Tom Brown. Carrying backpacks loaded with camping gear, warm clothing and food, they began their assent up the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak and the tallest free-standing mountain in the world, on June 9th. The ascent took five and a half days. They climbed from a tropical rainforest, through alpine deserts and glaciers. The climbing guides held true to the local motto of “pole pole,” meaning “slowly slowly,” to help prevent any group members from getting altitude sickness on the way up. On Friday, June 14th, the entire group made their final ascent to Uhuru Peak, the summit of the mountain. The descent took a mere one and a half days and cut a full day off of the expected hiking time.

The five day safari, from June 17th to June 21st, was a nice change of pace from the mountain climb. The group spent much of their time in a jeep with an open roof as they navigated the Ngorongoro Park and the Sergengeti. They relaxed in the evenings in public campsites, sleeping in tents and eating food prepared by the same cooks who accompanied the climbers on Kilimanjaro. They saw all of the animals one might hope to see on the savanna including the African big five: lion, elephant, water buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros. Some of these other highlights included giraffes, cheetahs, hippopotamuses, crocodiles, antelope, hyenas, flamingos, and jackals. The trip ended by visiting a local school where they donated a load of supplies and played soccer with the students.

Visit our online photo gallery for some selected photos from this trip.