Narrator: WILDLIFE EXPERT,
JEAN DU PLESSIS,
EXPLORES NEW HEIGHTS AS
HE CLIMBS AFRICA'S HIGHEST
MOUNTAIN, KILIMANJARO.
Du Plessis: OKAY, HERE WE GO.
Narrator: SCIENTISTS PREDICTED A
QUICK DEMISE FOR ITS FAMED
GLACIERS,
BUT TEN YEARS ON,
THEY ARE STILL THERE.
Du Plessis: THERE'S JUST BEEN
AN AVALANCHE UP THERE.
Narrator: NOW THE QUESTION IS,
FOR HOW MUCH LONGER.
Du Plessis: EVERY YEAR, IT'S
BECOMING SMALLER AND SMALLER.
Narrator: TO GET THERE, JEAN
WILL VENTURE INTO THIN AIR.
Du Plessis: THERE'S ALMOST
NOTHING SURVIVING UP AT
THESE ALTITUDES.
♪♪
Narrator: AT THE SOUTHERN END OF
THE SERENGETI LIES THE RUINS
OF A MASSIVE VOLCANO.
MORE THAN TWO MILLION YEARS
AGO, IN WHAT MUST HAVE BEEN A
SPECTACULAR EVENT, AN ERUPTION
EMPTIED THE VOLCANO'S MAGMA
CHAMBER CAUSING A CATASTROPHIC
COLLAPSE OF THE VOLCANO,
FORMING A MASSIVE CALDERA
AND BURYING
THE SURROUNDING AREA IN
A THICK LAYER OF ASH,
CREATING TANZANIA'S
LUSH SERENGETI PLAINS.
THREE HOURS DRIVE TO THE
WEST STANDS ANOTHER GIANT.
RISING NEARLY 20,000 FEET
OUT OF THE SAVANNAH,
KILIMANJARO IS THE HIGHEST
PEAK IN AFRICA AND THE LARGEST
FREESTANDING MOUNTAIN
IN THE WORLD.
KILIMANJARO IS A VOLCANO.
PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR ITS
BASE BELIEVED IT TO BE EXTINCT,
BUT SIGNS OF ACTIVITY AT
ITS SUMMIT CRATER ARE
PROVING OTHERWISE.
KILIMANJARO IS ONLY DORMANT,
QUIETLY BIDING ITS TIME UNTIL
ITS NEXT MAJOR ERUPTION.
WILDLIFE EXPERT AND SAFARI
GUIDE, JEAN DU PLESSIS,
HAS LIVED IN THE SHADOW OF
KILIMANJARO FOR 20 YEARS,
BUT HE HAS
NEVER CLIMBED IT.
THAT'S ABOUT TO CHANGE.
EVERY YEAR THOUSANDS OF TOURISTS
COME TO TANZANIA TO CLIMB
KILIMANJARO; NO DOUBT DRAWN
TO THE GLACIERS AT ITS PEAK,
THE FAMOUS SNOWS OF KILIMANJARO.
OVER A DECADE AGO, SCIENTISTS
PREDICTED GLOBAL WARMING WOULD
MELT THE GLACIERS, BUT
THEY'RE STILL THERE.
SO NOW, JEAN IS
CLIMBING IT WITH A MISSION.
HE'S HEADING TO THE SUMMIT TO
SEE FOR HIMSELF HOW CLIMATE
CHANGE IS
AFFECTING THE GLACIERS.
ONCE ON TOP, HE WILL ALSO LOOK
FOR EVIDENCE THAT THE VOLCANO'S
MAGMA CHAMBER IS ACTIVE.
JEAN'S GUIDE IS MOUNT
KILIMANJARO VETERAN,
EDWARD SETH.
HE WORKS FOR A COMMERCIAL TOUR
COMPANY CALLED
NATURE DISCOVERY TOURS TANZANIA.
Seth: I STARTED WORKING WITH
THIS COMPANY AS A PORTER BEFORE.
NOW, I AM A GUIDE, BUT STARTED
AS AN ASSISTANT GUIDE
AND NOW I AM THE HEAD GUIDE.
Du Plessis: HE'S BEEN WORKING
FOR NATURE DISCOVERY FOR
FIVE YEARS,
BEEN UP THE MOUNTAIN
OVER A HUNDRED TIMES.
Narrator: THERE ARE TEN
DIFFERENT ROUTES UP KILIMANJARO.
JEAN IS TAKING THE UMBWE ROUTE
WHICH IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE
TOUGHEST BECAUSE OF
ITS STEEP ASCENT,
RAPID CHANGE IN ALTITUDE
AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS.
THE ASCENT WILL TAKE FIVE DAYS.
THEY WILL ESTABLISH
FIVE CAMPS ALONG THE WAY,
INCLUDING ONE AT THE
SUMMIT CRATER AT 18,990 FEET.
Du Plessis: AND WHAT'S HAPPENING
NOW IS ALL THE PORTERS ARE
GETTING THEIR EQUIPMENT OFF THE
VEHICLE, SETTING EVERYTHING OUT
AND BEHIND ME IS A SCALE.
SO EVERY PIECE OF EQUIPMENT
WILL BE WEIGHED AND BY THAT,
IT WILL BE ESTABLISHED HOW MANY
PORTERS WE NEED TO TAKE WITH US
ON THE MOUNTAIN.
Narrator: THE PORTERS ARE
PACKING THE GEAR THAT
THEY'LL NEED OVER THE NEXT WEEK.
IT'S JEAN'S FIRST ALTITUDE CLIMB
AND HE'S SURPRISED AT THE EXTENT
OF THE EXPEDITION
FOR SUCH A SMALL TEAM.
AT THE MOMENT WE STAND AT 21
PORTERS. DO WE REALLY NEED
ALL OF THESE PEOPLE AND ALL
OF THIS STUFF? IT'S INCREDIBLE.
Seth: YES.
(Native language)
Du Plessis: THIS IS OBVIOUSLY
MUCH MORE THAN JUST A GENTLE
STROLL,
LOOKING AT EVERYTHING THAT'S
BEING TAKIEN ALONG FOR US.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A
FAR CRY FROM A PRIMITIVE STAY
ON THE MOUNTAIN.
THEY MAKE SOME FANCY MENUS.
WE ARE LIKE PROPER ORGANIC.
♪♪
NOW, WE JUST STARTED THE WALK,
JUST THE LEFT UMBWE GATE AND
APPARENTLY THE KEY TO
KILIMANJARO IS JUST TO TAKE YOUR
TIME TO GRADUALLY AND SLOWLY
ACCLIMATIZE TO THE
ALTITUDE CHANGE.
Narrator: THIS IS A
SUPPORTED CLIMB.
PORTERS CARRY ALL THE GEAR,
EVERYTHING THE EXPEDITION NEEDS
FOR A WEEK.
THIS FREES UP THE CLIENTS TO
GIVE THEM THE BEST CHANCE OF
ADAPTING TO ALTITUDE
AND REACHING THE SUMMIT.
BECAUSE OF THE SHEER VOLUME OF
EQUIPMENT AND THE CHALLENGES OF
THE CLIMB, THERE ARE PORTERS
WHOSE SOLE JOB IS TO SUPPORT
THE OTHER PORTERS.
THE CLIMB WILL TAKE A
TOTAL OF SEVEN DAYS;
FIVE DAYS UP, TWO
DAYS BACK DOWN.
THERE ARE NO REALLY EASY DAYS ON
A CLIMB THAT MOVES TO ALTITUDE
THIS QUICKLY.
TODAY'S FIRST HIKE WILL SEE A
GAIN OF NEARLY 4,000 FEET
IN ALTITUDE.
KILIMANJARO HAS
FIVE CLIMATIC ZONES;
THE MOST FOUND ANYWHERE IN
THE WORLD IN ONE SINGLE PLACE.
THEY START FROM THE
SAVANNAH AT ITS BASE,
THROUGH RAINFOREST,
AND GIANT HEATHER.
AT ABOUT 13,000 FEET, THE SYSTEM
CHANGES AGAIN INTO AN ALPINE
DESERT, AND THEN FINALLY
ARCTIC CONDITIONS AT THE SUMMIT.
JEAN'S FIRST DAY HAS BEEN SPENT
TREKKING THROUGH THE RAINFOREST
THAT COVERS THE LOWER SLOPES.
THIS RAINFOREST GETS UP TO
SIX FEET OF RAIN A YEAR.
THE RAINFOREST HAS AN
ABUNDANCE OF WILDLIFE,
BUT THE VEGETATION IS SO DENSE
THAT IT'S HARD TO SEE
WHAT'S THERE.
Du Plessis: JUST FOUND
SOME SYKES MONKEYS
OR BLUE MONKEYS UP
IN THE TREES HERE.
THERE IS ALSO A GROUP
OF COLOBUS WITH THEM.
THESE ARE TYPICAL MONKEYS
THAT YOU FIND IN THESE MOUNTAIN
FORESTS, ESPECIALLY IN
THESE AFRICAN VOLCANOES.
THEY MAINLY FEED OFF LEAVES AND
THEN BERRIES AND THINGS THAT YOU
GET HERE, BUT THEY'RE
GENERALLY LEAF EATERS.
CLASSIC TO THE COLOBUS MONKEYS,
THEY'VE ONLY GOT FOUR FINGERS TO
AID THEM IN MOVING
THROUGH THE TREES VERY QUICKLY,
WHERE THE SYKES MONKEYS ARE MORE
OF YOUR TYPICAL PRIMATES WITH
THEIR HALF OF
THEIR HANDS AS HUMANS.
SOMETHING THAT'S INTERESTING
ABOUT THESE COLOBUS MONKEYS ARE
THAT THEIR BABIES ARE COMPLETELY
WHITE AND THE THEORY BEHIND THAT
IS THEY ARE QUITE CLUMSY BECAUSE
THEY ARE MISSING A THUMB.
AND IT'S VERY EASY FOR
THEM TO DROP THE BABIES.
SO BY BEING WHITE, THEY TEND
TO SEE THEM MUCH EASIER AND OF
COURSE, WHEN THEY DO DROP THEM,
THEY CAN SEE THEM LYING DOWN IN
VERY DARK LEAF COVER.
YOU CAN SEE A SYKES MONKEY
THROUGH THERE.
THEY ARE SCATTERING AWAY.
YOU CAN HEAR SOME
VERY HIGH PITCHED,
ALMOST BIRD-LIKE WARNING CALLS.
TO THEM, WE ARE
OBVIOUSLY A PREDATOR.
I THINK THEIR REAL PREDATOR
IN HERE IS MORE THAN LIKELY
LEOPARDS,
BUT THEIR NUMBER ONE PREDATOR
WOULD BE CROWNED EAGLES.
Narrator: IT DOESN'T TAKE JEAN
LONG TO DISCOVER WHY
THIS UMBWE ROUTE IS CONSIDERED
KILIMANJARO'S MOST CHALLENGING.
Du Plessis: WE'RE JUST ABOUT TO
WALK INTO OUR FIRST CAMP.
SO APPARENTLY THIS WAS THE
TOUGHEST DAY OF THEM ALL,
VERY SERIOUS CLIMB, AT LEAST
SEVEN HOURS OF HIKING AND IT WAS
PRETTY STEEP, I SUPPOSE.
WE ARE GOING UP
KILIMANJARO, AREN'T WE?
SOME OF THE PORTERS
ARE ALREADY AHEAD,
SETTING OUT CAMP.
ACCORDING TO EDWARD, THIS IS
THEIR LEAST FAVORITE ROUTE AND
I CAN COMPLETELY
UNDERSTAND THAT,
CARRYING EVERYTHING
THEY ARE CARRYING.
WHAT JEAN DOES NOT KNOW IS
TODAY IS THE LONGEST DAY
AND NOT THE HARDEST.
EACH DAY WILL GET
PROGRESSIVELY HARDER.
AFTER SEVEN HOURS OF HIKING,
THEY'VE ARRIVED AT CAMP 1,
THEIR HOME FOR THE NIGHT.
Du Plessis: GOOD JOB.
WELCOME.
DAY 1, DONE AND DUSTED.
WE'VE COVERED A LOT OF
GROUND, AND UP IN A BEAUTIFUL
FOREST CAMP; MOSS AND LICHEN
HANGING OFF THE TREES.
JUST MOVED IN AND IT'S
ACTUALLY NOT SO COLD,
JUST REALLY STUNNING.
THE CREW AND THE PORTERS ARE
SETTING UP CAMP AT THE MOMENT
AND I AM READY FOR A
NICE, WARM CUP OF CHAI.
♪♪
Narrator: WILDLIFE EXPERT, JEAN
DU PLESSIS IS CLIMBING
AFRICA'S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN,
MOUNT KILIMANJARO.
RISING NEARLY 20,000 FEET
ABOVE THE SAVANNAH,
KILIMANJARO IS
AFRICA'S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN.
Du Plessis: VERY SERIOUS CLIMB,
WE ARE GOING UP KILIMANJARO,
AREN'T WE?
Narrator: THIS IS JEAN'S FIRST
TIME UP THE MOUNTAIN.
HE IS LED BY VETERAN
KILIMANJARO GUIDE,
EDWARD SETH, WHO WORKS
FOR NATURE DISCOVERY TOURS.
Du Plessis: ACCORDING TO
EDWARD, THIS IS THE PORTERS'
LEAST FAVORITE ROUTE.
Narrator: AS THE SUN RISES,
JEAN PREPARES FOR THE
CHALLENGING DAY AHEAD.
(Native language)
Du Plessis: THIS IS MORNING OF
DAY 2; IT'S A BEAUTIFUL MORNING.
THE SUN IS OUT.
THERE IS NO CLOUD.
IT'S GOING TO BE
A FANTASTIC HIKE.
THE CREW HERE BEHIND ME IS
PACKING UP
AND THEY WILL SET OFF SOON.
IT'S A SHORT BUT VERY INTENSE
DAY INTO BARRANCO CAMP,
ACCORDING TO EDWARD ABOUT FOUR
HOURS, BUT EXTREMELY STEEP.
Narrator: IT'S NOT JUST A STEEP
CLIMB, TODAY'S ROUTE IS ALSO
THE BEGINNING OF JEAN'S
BIGGEST CHALLENGE;
ACCLIMATIZING TO THE ALTITUDE.
BARRANCO CAMP IS AT 12,700 FEET
THE PORTERS HAVE DONE THIS MANY
TIMES AND CAN MOVE AT A FASTER
PACE AND WILL GO AHEAD.
EDWARD WILL KEEP JEAN MOVING AT
A SLOWER PACE SO HE HAS TIME TO
ADJUST TO THE
LOWER OXYGEN LEVEL.
THE BONUS IS THAT JEAN WILL HAVE
TIME TO STOP AND EXPLORE THE
NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE
MOUNTAIN'S DIVERSE LANDSCAPES.
TODAY'S ROUTE WILL TAKE THEM OUT
OF THE RAINFOREST AND INTO THE
NEXT OF
KILIMANJARO'S FIVE ECOSYSTEMS,
THE MOORLANDS.
JEAN IS TRAVELING THROUGH THE
TAIL END OF THE RAINFOREST WHICH
OFFERS A LOT TO INVESTIGATE.
WITH UPWARDS OF SIX
FEET OF ANNUAL RAINFALL,
THIS RAINFOREST IS A DENSE AND
BIOLOGICALLY DIVERSE LANDSCAPE.
Du Plessis: WE HAVE SOME MOSS
AND LICHEN HANGING OFF THE TREES
EVERYWHERE AROUND US.
THAT IS ALSO COMMONLY
REFERRED TO AS OLD MAN'S BEARD.
THE TREES EVERYWHERE HERE
ARE COVERED WITH THIS AND IT'S
COMPLETELY RELIANT ON THE
MIST THAT COMES IN HERE.
IT CATCHES THE WATER DROPS AND
IT WOULD HOLD THAT AND SLOWLY
DURING THE DAY WOULD DRIP DOWN,
PROVIDING A CONSTANT SOURCE OF
WATER FOR THESE
PLANTS DURING THE DAY.
Narrator: BECAUSE OF THE STEEP
TERRAIN OF THIS ROUTE,
THE SURROUNDINGS CHANGE QUICKLY.
THE THICK RAINFOREST
CANOPY BEGINS TO THIN OUT,
ALLOWING MORE LIGHT TO
PENETRATE THE FLOOR.
AS THEY TRANSITION
INTO THE MOORLAND,
GIANT HEATHER RISES ABOVE
THE THICK CARPETS OF MOSS
THAT COVERS THE GROUND.
THE MOSS IS A PERFECT
HABITAT FOR SOME OF
THE MOUNTAIN'S
SMALLER CREATURES.
Du Plessis: SO I JUST CAME
ACROSS THIS CHAMELEON.
IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE A
YOUNG, FLAPPED NECKED CHAMELEON.
WHAT'S INTERESTING IS
THAT IT'S VERY DARK,
MUCH DARKER THAN CHAMELEONS YOU
WOULD FIND AT LOWER ALTITUDES
AND THAT'S CLEARLY TO
ABSORB MAXIMUM HEAT
IN THESE COLDER CLIMATES.
OF COURSE, ANOTHER REASON MIGHT
BE THAT IT'S DISPLAYING WARNING
COLORING BECAUSE I PICKED IT UP.
IT'S FLUCTUATING BETWEEN BLACK
AND YELLOW AND THE YELLOW IS
CLEARLY TO AID IN CAMOUFLAGE
BECAUSE IT'S LIVING ON THIS
HEATHER AND THAT WILL HELP
HIM TO BLEND IN MUCH EASIER.
HERE WE GO.
♪♪
Narrator: THE MAJORITY OF
CLIMBING ROUTES ON KILIMANJARO
RISE GRADUALLY
THROUGH THE RAINFOREST,
WHICH LETS CLIMBERS EASE
INTO THE HIGHER ALTITUDES.
BUT THE TOUGH UMBWE
ROUTE IS RELENTLESS.
IT HAS NO UNDULATION TO
GIVE RELIEF TO CLIMBERS,
BUT CONTINUES STRAIGHT UP.
Du Plessis: I SAID YESTERDAY
WAS THE HARDEST DAY.
THIS HAS BEEN VERY MUCH A
STRAIGHT UP CLIMB FROM CAMP
THIS MORNING AND
ACCORDING TO OUR GUIDE,
IT'S PRETTY MUCH LIKE THIS
ALL THE WAY INTO OUR CAMPSITE.
Narrator: SO FAR THE
THICK RAINFOREST CANOPY
HAS BLOCKED THE VIEW
OF THE SUMMIT.
BUT AS THE GROUP CLIMBS,
THE HEATHER STOPS ABRUPTLY
AND JEAN GETS HIS FIRST
GLIMPSE OF MOUNT KILIMANJARO.
♪♪
THEY ARE NOW OUT OF THE
RAINFOREST AND ARE ENTERING
KILIMANJARO'S THIRD
ECOSYSTEM, THE MOORLANDS.
JEAN, WHO KNOWS THE SERENGETI
AND ALL ITS WILDLIFE WELL,
IS SEEING THIS
LANDSCAPE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
Du Plessis: WE JUST WALKED
OUT OF THE FOREST AND
SUDDENLY STARTED TO GO INTO
THIS MOORLAND ZONE
AND IMMEDIATELY WALKED INTO THIS
GIANT GROUNDSEL FOREST.
IT'S INCREDIBLE.
IT'S MY FIRST TIME
TO SEE THESE PLANTS.
IT'S LIKE WALKING INTO
THE KIND OF AN ALIEN WORLD.
THIS IS A TYPE OF TREE THAT
ONE FINDS ON MOST OF THESE LARGE
AFRICAN VOLCANOES, SIMILAR
MOUNTAINS LIKE MOUNT KENYA,
THE RWENZORI, MOUNT MERU,
ALL AT THIS ALTITUDE
YOU'LL FIND THIS TREE.
THESE GROUNDSELS ARE EXTREMELY
WELL-ADAPTED FOR THESE COLD
CLIMATES.
YOU CAN SEE
THEY'VE GOT FURRY STEMS,
OBVIOUSLY INSULATING THEM A BIT.
BUT THE BEST INSULATION
IS DOWN HERE.
THESE GROUNDSELS HAVE ALL OF
THESE DEAD LEAVES TO INSULATE
THE INNER TREE, PROTECTING IT
AGAINST THIS EXTREME
COLD WEATHER.
ALSO ON THESE MOORLAND ZONES,
YOU FIND A LARGE VARIETY OF
SPECIFICALLY ADAPTED
FLOWERS AND GRASSES.
THERE IS A LOT OF THESE ALPINE
GRASSES AND THESE FLOWERS ARE
HARD AND PAPERY TO MAKE THEM
SURVIVE THESE EXTREME WINDY AND
COLD CONDITIONS THAT'S VERY
FREQUENT ON THESE SLOPES.
Narrator: THEY HAVE BEEN
CLIMBING FOR JUST OVER
FOUR HOURS
AND ARE NOW AT THE
BARRANCO VALLEY.
THIS IS WHERE THEY
WILL MAKE CAMP TONIGHT.
FROM HERE, THEY WILL HAVE A
CLEAR VIEW OF THE MAIN PEAK
OF KILIMANJARO.
Du Plessis: WE ARE JUST ABOUT TO
WALK IN TO OUR CAMP FOR TONIGHT.
THIS LAST STRETCH HAS BEEN
REALLY NICE AND EASY AND IT'S A
BEAUTIFUL DAY, SUNNY, BUT FIVE,
SIX HOURS ON THE TRAIL AND
A REALLY MUCH
DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT.
Narrator: PEOPLE COME FROM ALL
OVER THE WORLD TO SEE THE SNOWS
OF KILIMANJARO AT THE TOP
OF AFRICA'S TALLEST PEAK.
A DECADE AGO, SCIENTISTS
PREDICTED THAT THE GLACIERS
WOULD BE GONE BY NOW
BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE,
BUT KILIMANJARO'S FAMED
GLACIERS ARE STILL THERE.
WILDLIFE EXPERT,
JEAN DU PLESSIS,
AND NATURE DISCOVERY
GUIDE, EDWARD SETH,
ARE CLIMBING TO
KILIMANJARO'S SUMMIT.
Du Plessis: THIS HAS BEEN PRETTY
MUCH A STRAIGHT-UP CLIMB.
Narrator: A FIVE-DAY TREK
THAT WILL TAKE THEM TO SEE
JUST HOW FAR THE GLACIERS HAVE
RETREATED OVER THE PAST DECADE.
IT'S DAY 2 OF THIS WEEK LONG
TREK AND THEY HAVE JUST ARRIVED
AT THEIR CAMP IN THE
BARRANCO VALLEY WHERE
THEY FINALLY HAVE A CLEAR
VIEW OF KILIMANJARO'S PEAK.
Du Plessis: JUST ARRIVED
INTO THE CAMP FOR TODAY,
BARRANCO CAMP.
INCREDIBLE VIEWS UP
INTO ARROW GLACIER;
WE CAN EASILY SPOT OUR TRAIL
OF TOMORROW GOING UP HERE,
A BIT OF A...SEEMS LIKE IT'S
GOING TO BE A BIT OF A SCRAMBLE
FOR THE FIRST TWO HOURS.
(Thunderous sounds)
THERE HAS JUST BEEN
AN AVALANCHE UP THERE.
ALL OF THE WHITE WE SEE UP HERE
IS PRETTY MUCH ICE AND GLACIERS.
SO THIS IS THE HOTTEST TIME OF
THE DAY AND THESE GLACIERS START
TO MELT AND THERE'S A LOT OF
BUILT UP OF WATER IN IT AND
IT MUST HAVE BEEN JUST A
SUDDEN BREAK OF THAT.
THE ICE IS MELTING AND A LOT OF
WATER KEEPS ON GUSHING DOWN AND
IT MUST HAVE BEEN BROKEN DOWN.
THE BOTTOM PIECE OF THAT GLACIER
AND IT JUST CAME GUSHING DOWN
THE VALLEY THERE.
INITIALLY, I
THOUGHT IT WAS THUNDER,
BUT IT WAS JUST THIS
KIND OF DUST OF ICE.
Narrator: IT'S NOT CLEAR
WHETHER THIS GLACIAL BURST
IS A SIGN OF THEIR RETREAT.
JEAN HOPES HE'LL GET
A CLEAR PICTURE
WHEN HE REACHES THE SUMMIT.
AS THE CLIMB PROGRESSES,
JEAN REALIZES WHY THEY NEED
SO MANY PORTERS.
EVERYTHING DOWN TO THE KITCHEN
NEEDS TO BE CARRIED
UP THE MOUNTAIN.
Seth: HELLO!
WE ARE IN A KITCHEN, JUST
BE PREPARING THE DINNER HERE.
SO WHAT WE USE TO PREPARE IS,
WE USE THE GAS TANK TO COOK
A DINNER.
AS YOU KNOW THAT WITHIN THE
NATIONAL PARK NOWADAYS
LIKE KILIMANJARO,
WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE A
-- TO COOK BY USING FIREWOOD.
SO THE COOK HERE PREPARING
THE DINNER AS YOU SEE THERE,
SO THEY ARE PREPARING BEEF
STIR FRIED AND THEN PEANUT STEW,
AND IT'S PEANUT SAUCE.
AND THEN THERE YOU CAN
SPINACH SOUP AND RICE SOUP.
SO IT'S REALLY, THEY ARE VERY
DELICIOUS FOOD THAT YOU ENJOY.
♪♪
WELL, I GET -- I HAD
A VERY GOOD NIGHT.
I SLEPT WELL AND THEN JEAN IS
DOING FINE TOO AND HE IS VERY
STRONG TODAY AND I HOPE YOU
ARE GOING TO MAKE TO THE SUMMIT.
I CAN'T PROMISE
ABOUT THE ALTITUDE,
BUT I HOPE YOU'LL BE FINE.
Du Plessis: IT'S
MORNING OF DAY THREE,
AND THE CREW IS STARTING
TO PACK UP CAMP.
IT'S HEATING UP VERY QUICKLY; IT
WAS FREEZING COLD THIS MORNING.
TODAY'S WALK STARTS WITH
A REALLY INTENSE CLIMB
UP THE BARRANCO WALL.
IT'S ABOUT TWO HOURS AND AS I AM
LOOKING OUT INTO THE DISTANCE,
I CAN SEE THIS TRAIL
OF CLIMBERS GOING UP.
SO WE'LL BE COMING IN BEHIND
MOST OF THE PORTERS OF SOME OF
THE OTHER CAMPS.
Narrator:THE UMBWE ROUTE IS
PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING
FOR THE PORTERS.
SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE CLIMB
ARE TECHNICAL SECTIONS THAT MAKE
CARRYING LOADS DIFFICULT.
TODAY'S CHALLENGE IS
THE BARRANCO WALL,
A STEEP, NEARLY VERTICAL
SECTION UP THE SIDE OF
ONE OF KILIMANJARO'S LAVA FLOWS.
AT BARRANCO, THE UMBWE ROUTE
MERGES WITH ONE OF THE MORE
COMMERCIAL CLIMBING ROUTES.
Du Plessis: IT'S A BIT OF
A TRAFFIC JAM HERE.
NO IDEA HOW THESE GUYS GET THESE
LOADS UP THROUGH THESE TINY
LITTLE VALLEYS AND CRACKS.
IT'S QUITE HUMBLING.
THERE'S ONE WAY TO DO
IT -- ITS A BIT OF MUSIC.
Narrator: THE CLIMBERS HAVE TO
SCRAMBLE ACROSS NARROW LEDGES
AND UP STEEP CRAGS.
THE PORTERS HAVE TO DO
THIS WHILE CARRYING THEIR
PACKS OF EQUIPMENT.
EACH HAND AND FOOT
PLACEMENT REQUIRES PRECISION.
THERE IS NO ROOM FOR ERROR.
A MISS WILL SEND CLIMBERS
DOWN A SHEER DROP
INTO THE BARRANCO VALLEY.
Du Plessis: HEALTH AND
SAFETY WILL APPROVE.
BUT IT'S A NICE CLIMB.
♪♪
Narrator: THIS IS JEAN'S
FIRST KILIMANJARO CLIMB
AND HE'S DOING WELL.
Du Plessis: WE ARE ABOUT
THREE QUARTERS OF THE WAY
UP THE BARRANCO WALL
AT 13,200 FEET;
AMAZING CLIMB THIS MORNING,
COMING ALMOST
STRAIGHT UP THIS WALL.
CERTAINLY SOME OF THE STEEPEST
PARTS OF THIS ROUTE SO FAR,
I HAD TO USE HANDS AND
FEET, NOT QUITE TECHNICAL,
BUT CLOSE TO.
BEHIND ME, INCREDIBLE VALLEY,
THIS BARRANCO VALLEY WHICH IS A
GLACIER VALLEY.
ABOUT 100 YEARS AGO, THIS MUST
HAVE BEEN FILLED WITH ICE ABOUT
100 FEET DEEP, WHERE
TODAY THE ICE ONLY STARTS,
STILL A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
Narrator: AT ONE TIME, THE
EDGES OF THE GLACIERS WERE
BELOW 14,000 FEET.
NOW, IT'S NOT CLEAR WHETHER
THE RETREAT OF THE GLACIERS IS
A NATURAL PHENOMENON OR WHETHER
IT'S CAUSED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY
AND CLIMATE CHANGE.
TODAY'S CLIMB IS NOT
ABOUT GAINING ELEVATION;
IT'S ABOUT ACCLIMATIZING
TO THE ALTITUDE.
AT KILIMANJARO'S SUMMIT, THE
HUMAN BODY HAS ONLY 50% OF THE
OXYGEN IT HAS AT SEA LEVEL.
SO IT HAS TO WORK TWICE AS HARD.
AS IT ADAPTS TO THE THIN AIR,
THE BODY STARTS PRODUCING MORE
WHITE BLOOD CELLS, INCREASING
THE AMOUNT OF OXYGEN IN
THE BLOOD SUPPLY.
NOW THEY ARE HEADING INTO THE
KARANGA VALLEY WHERE THEY FACE
THEIR NEXT CHALLENGE
BEFORE HEADING INTO CAMP THREE.
Du Plessis: THIS IS THE KARANGA
VALLEY AND THIS IS
OUR LAST OBSTACLE BEFORE
WE GET INTO KARANGA CAMP.
IT'S A VERY STEEP
CLIMB UP INTO CAMP,
BUT IT'S THE END OF THE DAY
WHERE WE CAN KIND OF START THE
ACCLIMATIZATION PROCESS BECAUSE
TOMORROW NIGHT IS AT THE SAME
ALTITUDE AGAIN TO GET READY
BEFORE WE GO ON TO CRATER CAMP.
♪♪
Narrator: AS AN EXPERIENCED
WALKING GUIDE, IT'S A POINT
OF PRIDE FOR JEAN
TO STAY WITHIN STRIKING
DISTANCE OF THE PORTERS.
BUT IN SPITE OF HIS
BEST EFFORTS TODAY,
THE CHALLENGES OF BEING AT
ALTITUDE ARE SLOWING HIM DOWN.
THE PORTERS HAVE
ALREADY SET UP CAMP.
WILDLIFE EXPERT,
JEAN DU PLESSIS,
HAS LIVED IN THE SHADOW OF
MOUNT KILIMANJARO FOR MORE THAN
TWENTY YEARS, AND IS CLIMBING
IT FOR THE FIRST TIME.
ALONG WITH NATURE DISCOVERY
GUIDE, EDWARD SETH,
JEAN WANTS TO LOOK AT
THE EFFECTS THAT CLIMATE
CHANGE IS HAVING ON THE
MOUNTAIN'S FAMOUS GLACIERS.
IT'S DAY FOUR OF THIS
CHALLENGING HIKE.
JEAN IS WITHIN 24
HOURS OF THE SUMMIT.
NOW, WITH EACH
GAIN IN ELEVATION,
THE RISK OF ALTITUDE
SICKNESS INCREASES.
THE PHYSICAL DEMANDS ON THE
MOUNTAIN ARE CHALLENGING ENOUGH
SO THAT MOST CLIMBERS HIRE
AN EXPERIENCED GUIDE AND
PROFESSIONAL PORTERS TO
DO THE HEAVY LIFTING.
Du Plessis: EDWARD IS AN
AMAZING YOUNG GUY,
DOING THESE CLIMBS
BACK-TO-BACK, YOU KNOW;
DOING AN EIGHT-DAY CLIMB,
COME BACK, REPACK, GO UP AGAIN.
YOU MUST BE VERY STRONG, STABLE
HUMAN BEING TO GO UP AND ALWAYS
TAKE FAIRLY LARGE GROUPS OF
GUESTS ON TO HIGH MOUNTAINS IN
EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS WHERE
EVERYONE IS GOING TO FEEL BAD.
SO BESIDES BEING VERY FIT
AND ABLE PERSON TO DO IT,
HE ALSO IS YOUR PSYCHOLOGIST UP
THERE AND HE IS YOUR FRIEND
AND HE IS YOUR MOTIVATOR.
IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE HOW THESE
TANZANIAN MOUNTAIN GUIDES CAN BE
ALL OF THAT AND ALMOST PUT THEIR
OWN NEEDS ASIDE AND CHANNEL ALL
OF THEIR ENERGY INTO THEIR
GUESTS AND MAKING SURE THAT
THEY HAVE NOT ONLY
REACHED THE SUMMIT,
BUT THEY HAVE A GREAT
TIME DOING THAT.
AND EDWARD IS A PRIME EXAMPLE
OF ONE OF THESE GUYS
JUST OF ALL OF
THOSE QUALITIES.
Narrator: PORTERS CARRY LOADS
OF SUPPLIES UP THE MOUNTAIN,
SET UP THE CAMPS,
AND COOK THE MEALS;
A DEMANDING JOB IN AN
INCREDIBLY TOUGH ENVIRONMENT.
Seth: WE ARE GOING TO TAKE IT,
AND THEN MEASURE IT...
20 ON THE DOT.
Du Plessis: YEAH.
SO YEAH, 20 KILOGRAMS, IT'S
INCREDIBLE LOAD TO LUG UP
KILIMANJARO BESIDES TO GOING
UP AND DOWN IN THE PHYSICAL
TERRAIN, YOU ARE ALSO OPERATING
AT THE REALLY HIGH ALTITUDE.
FOR ME, IT'S HARD SIMPLY
JUST WALKING UP THESE HILLS.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE
FOR THE PORTERS TO BE CARRYING
20 KILOGRAMS ON THEIR
HEADS AND ON THEIR NECKS,
INCLUDING THEIR
PERSONAL GEAR AS WELL.
SO JUST IN ORDER FOR ME TO
UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT BETTER,
I'M GOING TO TRY AND
CARRY THIS FOR A WHILE.
SO LET'S GIVE IT A SHOT.
Seth: TWENTY -- OK, YOU READY?
Du Plessis: OK -- OFF WE GO.
Narrator: EACH PORTER WILL DO
BETWEEN ONE AND THREE TRIPS
A MONTH.
WORKING AS A PORTER IS THE
FIRST STEP TO BECOMING
A MOUNTAIN GUIDE LIKE EDWARD.
NOW IT'S NOT CLEAR WHETHER THE
RETREAT OF THE GLACIERS IS A
NATURAL PHENOMENON.
Du Plessis: NOW, THAT
WAS NO JOKE.
IT'S EXTREMELY HARD
CARRYING SOMETHING LIKE THAT,
FIRST OF ALL, IN AN
UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION,
EITHER ON YOUR
HEAD OR ON YOUR NECK,
GOING UP THIS
HILL WITH NO OXYGEN.
ONE NEEDS TO BE HUGELY
RESPECTFUL TO THESE PORTERS,
CARRYING THESE
MASSIVE LOADS UP HERE.
THE GUIDES ON THE MOUNTAINS
ALL STARTED AS PORTERS AND THAT
SEEMS TO BE LIKE THAT LITTLE
INITIATION THAT ANYONE THAT
WANTS TO GO SOMEWHERE ON THE
MOUNTAIN NEEDS TO GO THROUGH.
♪ (Porters sing) ♪
♪♪
THIS IS WHERE AN
EXPERIENCED GUIDE IS ESSENTIAL.
THIS IS JEAN'S FIRST CLIMB, HIS
FIRST TIME AT THIS ALTITUDE AND
EDWARD IS KEEPING A
CLOSE EYE ON HIM,
WATCHING FOR ANY SIGNS
OF ALTITUDE SICKNESS.
ALTITUDE SICKNESS IS A SERIOUS
CONDITION THAT CAN AFFECT
CLIMBERS REGARDLESS OF
THEIR FITNESS LEVEL.
IT CAN CAUSE FLUID TO BUILD IN
THE CLIMBER'S LUNGS OR SWELLING
IN THE BRAIN; BOTH
CONDITIONS CAN BE FATAL.
EARLY SIGNS RANGE FROM
NAUSEA TO MENTAL CONFUSION.
IF JEAN STARTS TO SHOW
ANY OF THESE WARNING SIGNS,
HIS CLIMB WILL BE OVER.
THE ONLY CURE IS A RAPID
DESCENT TO A LOWER ALTITUDE.
Du Plessis: JUST ARRIVING
IN OUR FINAL CAMP
BEFORE THE SUMMIT ATTEMPT
TOMORROW MORNING.
THIS CAMP IS SITTING AT 15,200
FEET AND I'M CLEARLY A LITTLE
BIT OUT OF BREATH.
IT WAS A STEEP CLIMB INTO CAMP.
THERE'S NOT MUCH IN
TERMS OF VEGETATION AROUND.
I DON'T THINK ANYTHING GROWS.
SO WE'LL SPEND THE AFTERNOON
HERE JUST TO ACCLIMATIZE AND
GET READY FOR TOMORROW.
Narrator: IT'S AT THIS ALTITUDE
THAT THE EXPERIENCE
OF THE OUTFITTING
COMPANY IS IMPORTANT.
ONE OF THE PORTERS HAS BEEN
CARRYING A PACK THAT HAS A
STATE OF THE ART
EMERGENCY MEDICAL KIT.
Seth: SO WE HAVE
HYPERBARIC CHAMBER HERE.
IT WORKS SAME AS OXYGEN.
YOU CAN USE THIS OXYGEN
OR HYPERBARIC CHAMBER.
WHY?
IN CASE IF SOMEONE IS SUFFERING
WITH HIGH ALTITUDE SICKNESS
LIKE PULMONARY EDEMA
OR CEREBRAL EDEMA.
Du Plessis: DO YOU
CARRY THEM IN THIS?
Seth: YEAH, WE CARRY THEM.
Du Plessis: WE ARE AT 15,200
FEET RIGHT NOW AND TOMORROW
MORNING, WE ARE GOING UP
TO JUST UNDER 20,000 FEET,
THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE CLIMB, I
MEAN IT'S A HUGE MISCONCEPTION
THAT KILIMANJARO IS NOT
A DANGEROUS MOUNTAIN.
IT'S MASSIVELY DANGEROUS AND
THE DANGEROUS DAY IS TOMORROW.
ALTITUDE SICKNESS CAN HIT YOU,
IRRELEVANT OF HOW FIT YOU ARE.
IT CAN HIT ANYONE IRRESPECTIVE
AND I'VE GOT NO IDEA HOW I WILL
REACT AT THOSE HIGH
ALTITUDES TOMORROW.
SO JUST AS WELL WE
HAVE THIS BAG WITH US.
Narrator: ABOVE 16,000 FEET,
WE ARE NOW IN KILIMANJARO'S
ALPINE ZONE.
IT'S A STARK CONTRAST TO THE
VERDANT RAINFOREST
THAT STARTED OUT THE TREK.
EVEN IN THIS BARREN WASTELAND
THAT IS DIFFICULT FOR HUMANS,
THERE IS WILDLIFE.
Du Plessis: BY FAR, THE MOST
COMMON BIRD SPECIES FOUND IN
THESE HIGH-ALTITUDE CAMPS ARE
THESE WHITE-NECKED RAVENS.
THEY ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE AND
IT'S NOT COMMON TO FIND THESE
RAVENS IN HUGE CONGREGATIONS.
GENERALLY ONE WOULD FIND THEM
JUST IN A BREEDING PAIR AND THEY
WOULD LIVE IN THAT MONOGAMOUS
BREEDING PAIR THROUGHOUT THE
BREEDING SEASON.
THESE STRAIGHT CLIFFS AND HARSH
ENVIRONMENTS IS AN IDEAL PLACE
FOR THESE RAVENS TO NEST.
ONE WOULD GENERALLY FIND THAT A
PAIR WOULD LOOK FOR A LEDGE.
THERE THEY WILL FIND SOME STICKS
AND GRASS AND FURRY THINGS AND
MAKE A SOFT BED INSIDE WHERE
THEY WILL LAY THEIR EGGS.
PRETTY MUCH THE MAIN REASON
THESE RAVENS ARE IN THESE
CAMPSITES ARE BECAUSE THAT
THEY ARE SCAVENGERS AND BESIDES
EATING SMALL LIZARDS AND MICE,
THEY WILL EVEN SCAVENGE OFF
DEAD CARCASSES.
THEIR MAIN FOOD SOURCE IN
THESE STARK ENVIRONMENTS MUST
CERTAINLY BE LEFTOVER
FOOD FROM THESE HIKERS.
Narrator: THEY ARE NOW WITHIN
A DAY'S WALK OF THE SUMMIT
OF MOUNT KILIMANJARO. AS WELL,
JEAN IS HOPING TO TAKE A DETOUR
AND HIKE TO THE VOLCANIC CRATER
TO LOOK FOR FUMAROLES.
FUMAROLES ARE HEAT AND VOLCANIC
GAS OUTLETS IN THE GROUND THAT
INDICATE THE MOUNTAIN STILL
CONTAINS AN ACTIVE MAGMA CHAMBER
JUST BELOW THE SUMMIT.
JEAN'S ASCENT HAS BEEN
RAPID, JUST FOUR DAYS,
AND SO THE EFFECTS OF THE
ALTITUDE ARE REALLY PRONOUNCED.
NOW THE CLIMB
BECOMES A MENTAL GAME.
JEAN KNOWS THAT TOMORROW EACH
STEP WILL BE A GAIN IN ALTITUDE
AND THE CLIMB WILL GET HARDER.
Du Plessis: IT IS VERY HIGH AND
I'VE NEVER BEEN THAT HIGH.
Seth: OKAY.
Narrator: HE'S BEEN HANDLING IT
WELL SO FAR, BUT THAT'S NO
PREDICTION THAT HE WILL CONTINUE
TO HANDLE THE THIN AIR WELL.
Seth: LET'S CHECK OXYGEN
SITUATION AND THE HEART RATE,
OKAY.
OXYGEN IS 80,
HEART RATE IS 80.
YEAH, IT'S FAIR AND GOOD.
Du Plessis: 79, IT KEEPS UP TO
80, OKAY, 80 IS GOOD.
Narrator: THE COLD IS ANOTHER
PHYSICAL STRESS FOR JEAN.
AS A SOUTH AFRICAN, HE IS NOT
USED TO FRIGID TEMPERATURES AS
LOW AS -20.
Du Plessis: WE'LL HEAD OUT OF
CAMP AROUND SIX O'CLOCK
AND INCREDIBLE SUNSET WE
JUST HAD, KIND OF GOING DOWN
BEHIND KILIMANJARO WITH
THIS MIST COMING AND GOING,
JUST REALLY, REALLY SCENIC VIEW.
WE THOUGHT FOR MOST OF THE DAY
THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO SEE THE
MOUNTAIN WAS VERY MISTY SINCE
ABOUT 11 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING,
BUT YEAH, STUNNING.
AND I'M REALLY SITTING HERE,
JUST CONTEMPLATING MY DOOM
FOR TOMORROW.
Narrator: MOUNT KILIMANJARO
IS 19,341 FEET.
IT'S AFRICA'S HIGHEST PEAK.
WILDLIFE EXPERT
AND SAFARI GUIDE,
JEAN DU PLESSIS, HAS NEARLY
COMPLETED HIS FIRST CLIMB.
HE'S COME TO SEE FOR HIMSELF HOW
GLOBAL WARMING IS AFFECTING THE
FAMOUS GLACIERS AT
THE TOP OF KILIMANJARO,
AND HE'S HOPING TO MAKE AN EXTRA
TRIP TO THE VOLCANIC CRATER,
TO LOOK FOR EVIDENCE THAT PROVES
THAT KILIMANJARO HAS AN ACTIVE
MAGMA CHAMBER.
JEAN IS CLIMBING
WITH VETERAN GUIDE,
EDWARD SETH.
IN THIS THIN AIR, SETH IS
WATCHING CAREFULLY TO MAKE SURE
THAT JEAN IS NOT SUFFERING
FROM THE BEGINNINGS OF ALTITUDE
SICKNESS WHICH CAN BE FATAL.
♪♪
Du Plessis: SO EVERYONE IS
UP, IT'S VERY COLD,
AND THE SUN IS
JUST ABOUT TO RISE.
WE ARE GOING TO
START TO TREK NOW.
WE EXPECT ABOUT THREE TO
FOUR HOURS UP TO THE SUMMIT.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL UP THERE.
YOU CAN REALLY SEE THE SUN
CATCHING THE SUMMIT THERE.
YEAH, IT'S GOING
TO BE A GREAT DAY;
I CAN'T WAIT.
Narrator: DAY FIVE OF THE CLIMB
AND CONDITIONS ARE BEAUTIFUL;
COLD, BUT CLEAR.
THERE'S A LOT TO
ACCOMPLISH ON THE SUMMIT.
SO THEY PUSH A STEADY PACE.
THE PLAN HAS BEEN TO MAKE A
DETOUR AT THIS POINT TO THE
SUMMIT CRATER TO SEARCH
FOR VOLCANIC FUMAROLES.
THAT ROUND TRIP WILL ADD
FOUR HOURS TO THEIR DAY,
SO THEY NEED TO KEEP MOVING.
Du Plessis: SO THIS WHOLE
MORNING WE'VE BEEN WALKING
ON AN ANCIENT LAVA FLOW.
IT'S INTERESTING WALKING UP THIS
MOUNTAIN WHERE YOU CAN SEE HOW
THESE DIFFERENT LAVA FLOWS
OVER THE CENTURIES BUILT THIS
ENORMOUS VOLCANO AND IT'S ALWAYS
STAGGERING TO ME THAT THIS WAS
REALLY AT SOME POINT DOWN
AT GROUND LEVEL AND OVER THE
MILLENNIA THAT THESE VARIOUS
ERUPTIONS IN THESE MILLIONS OF
TONS OF LAVA THAT BUILT THE
STRATOVOLCANO TO BE THE SIZE
WHAT KILIMANJARO IS NOW.
♪♪
SO WE MUST BE
REALLY AT LEAST HALFWAY,
BUT APPARENTLY, WE ARE
NEAR QUARTER OF THE WAY.
SO THAT'S GOING
AT A STEADY PACE,
FEELING GOOD, YEAH.
Narrator: AFTER FOUR HOURS
OF CLIMBING,
JEAN IS APPROACHING
THE CRATER RIM.
IT'S NOT THE SUMMIT, BUT IT ENDS
THE TOUGHEST PART OF THE CLIMB.
FROM HERE, THE SUMMIT
IS JUST 45 MINUTES AWAY.
IF THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE THEIR
TRIP TO THE VOLCANIC CRATER,
THIS IS WHERE
THEY'LL MAKE THAT TRIP.
Du Plessis: ARRIVAL UP AT
STELLA POINT WAS QUITE EPIC.
IT'S VERY STEEP HIKE THAT
LAST DAY AND STELLA POINT IS THE
FIRST TIME AS YOU COME THE SIDE
OF KILIMANJARO AND KIND OF REACH
THE RIM AND YOU ARE NOW
LOOKING INTO THE CRATER.
AND IT'S A HARD HIKE,
ESPECIALLY AT THOSE ALTITUDES.
WE HAD FAIRLY GOOD WEATHER ALL
THE WAY UP AND WE NEVER REALLY
SAW SNOW OR ICE UP UNTIL ABOUT
AN HOUR BEFORE WE REACHED STELLA
POINT AND THAT I THOUGHT THAT
WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL TO SEE THESE
ICE LAYERS COMING DOWN.
LOOKING INTO THE CRATER
WITH THOSE GLACIERS THERE,
IT WAS A REALLY
NICE, BEAUTIFUL SIGHT.
Narrator: THE TOP OF
KILIMANJARO IS NOT A
TRADITIONAL MOUNTAIN PEAK.
IT'S ACTUALLY A BROAD CRATER,
WITH A LARGE INNER
CRATER AT ITS CENTER.
FOR A LONG TIME, THE
CONVENTIONAL WISDOM WAS THAT
KILIMANJARO WAS EXTINCT,
BUT RECENT EXPLORATIONS HAVE
REVEALED THAT KILIMANJARO HAS
ACTIVE FUMAROLES
NEAR THE SUMMIT CRATER.
THE PAIR HAD PLANNED TO TAKE A
DETOUR TO KILIMANJARO'S VOLCANIC
CRATER, TO SEE WHETHER THERE IS
EVIDENCE OF ACTIVITY BUT THIS
FAR ABOVE SEA LEVEL, THE HUMAN
BODY HAS TO WORK TWICE AS HARD
TO DO MOST NORMAL THINGS
AND JEAN HAS REALIZED HIS
LIMITATIONS.
HE DOESN'T THINK HE CAN MAKE
THE FOUR-HOUR ROUND TRIP TO THE
CRATER AND MAKE THE SUMMIT.
AFTER ALMOST A WEEK OF
CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN,
JEAN HAS TO MAKE A CHOICE.
Du Plessis: WHEN I REACHED
STELLA POINT, THERE WAS A
DECISION TO BE MADE
AND I DECIDED TO RATHER WAIT
AND CONSERVE MY ENERGY FOR THE
SUMMIT ATTEMPT.
Narrator: JEAN WILL STAY
WITH THE ASSISTANT GUIDE,
WHILE EDWARD, WHO IS
MUCH BETTER ACCLIMATIZED,
WILL EXPLORE THE
CRATER ON HIS OWN.
UP UNTIL NOW, THEY'VE
HAD FANTASTIC WEATHER,
BUT WITHIN A HALF AN HOUR, A
BLINDING ICE STORM MOVES IN
AND EDWARD GETS CAUGHT
IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
STORMS ON KILIMANJARO CAN
END AS QUICKLY AS THEY START,
SO EDWARD CONTINUES
ON TO THE CRATER.
Seth: THAT'S A VERY, VERY BAD
STORM THAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO
SEE DOWN TO THIS RIM, BUT WE
ARE ON THE TOP OF THE RIM NOW.
BUT AS YOU SEE THE
WEATHER, IT'S REALLY,
REALLY AMAZING, VERY BAD.
DUE TO THIS REALLY
BAD WEATHER STORM,
WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO
STELLA POINT TO SEE JEAN THERE.
Du Plessis: YEAH, IT'S KIND OF
GOOD THAT I DIDN'T GO TO THE
CRATER
BECAUSE EDWARD WAS CAUGHT IN
A MASSIVE ICE STORM UP THERE
AND HE COULDN'T SEE MORE THAN A
FEW FEET IN FRONT OF HIM.
SO HE DIDN'T GET TO SEE
MUCH OF THE CRATER EITHER.
ALSO SHOWS YOU THE EXTREME
CLIMATE OF THIS MOUNTAIN,
I MEAN BEING THE HIGHEST
FREE-STANDING MOUNTAIN IN THE
WORLD, IT'S SO EXPOSED TO
THE ELEMENTS AND THERE'S NO
MOUNTAIN RANGES ON THE SIDES OF
IT THAT BLOCKS THE WIND ALL AWAY
FROM THE INDIAN OCEAN.
YOU HAVE GOT THESE WINDS
BATTERING THIS MOUNTAIN AND IT
CHANGE LITERALLY IN MINUTES,
AND IT'S SUCH BUCKETS OF INTENSE
WEATHER WHERE I COULD SIT,
ALMOST LESS THAN A KILOMETER
AWAY FROM THEM AND THEY COULD
BE IN THE WORST POSSIBLE WEATHER
CONDITIONS AND I
WAS FAIRLY SHELTERED.
Narrator: IT'S DAY 5 ON MOUNT
KILIMANJARO AND HEAD MOUNTAIN
GUIDE,
EDWARD SETH, HAS ABANDONED HIS
EFFORT TO EXPLORE THE VOLCANO
SUMMIT CRATER AFTER A
FREAK ICE STORM BLEW IN.
HE IS NOW BACK WITH JEAN
AND THE WEATHER HAS CLEARED.
THE SMALL GROUP WILL INVESTIGATE
KILIMANJARO'S GLACIERS BEFORE
PUSHING ON TO THE SUMMIT.
Du Plessis: I AM RIGHT ON THE
RIM NOW, MAKING MY WAY ROUND
TO UHURU PEAK AND HERE
BEHIND ME IS PART OF
THE FAMOUS SNOWS OF KILIMANJARO.
THESE ARE THE GLACIERS THAT
UNFORTUNATELY EVERY YEAR IS
BECOMING SMALLER AND SMALLER.
EVEN EDWARD HERE IS SAYING,
LAST YEAR THE SNOW AND THE ICE
EXTENDED WAY LOWER DOWN
THE SLOPES OF KILIMANJARO.
NOW TODAY WHEN WE
WALKED UP EARLY,
JUST AFTER REACHING STELLA POINT
THAT WE START TO WALK IN BETWEEN
THE ICE.
Narrator: TODAY THEY ARE MORE
THAN 500 YARDS AWAY,
AND GETTING NOTICEABLY
FURTHER AWAY EACH YEAR.
WITH THE REDUCED SNOW PACK, THE
GLACIER WILL SHRINK AT AN EVEN
GREATER RATE.
INSIDE THE CRATER, THE
GLACIERS HAVE ALMOST ENTIRELY
DISAPPEARED.
IN 10 TO 20 YEARS, THEY
WILL BE COMPLETELY GONE.
ALTHOUGH SCIENTISTS WHO
PREDICTED THEIR DEMISE WERE OFF
BY 10 TO 20 YEARS, IT IS
EVIDENT THAT FAMED SNOWS OF
KILIMANJARO'S DAYS ARE NUMBERED.
JEAN AND EDWARD PUSH
ON TOWARDS THE SUMMIT.
Du Plessis: HERE WE GO, LAST FEW
STEPS TO THE ROOF OF AFRICA.
(CHEERING)
Narrator: AFTER JUST FIVE
DAYS OF CLIMBING,
JEAN STANDS ON
TOP OF KILIMANJARO.
LOOKING DOWN FROM THE PEAK OF
KILIMANJARO GIVES THEM A GREATER
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE
SERENGETI MUST HAVE LOOKED LIKE
TWO MILLION YEARS AGO.
THE PLAINS WERE BUILT ON THE
ASHES OF NGORONGORO AFTER A
MASSIVE ERUPTION
THAT DESTROYED IT,
BUT CREATED THE LANDSCAPE
THAT HAS NURTURED LIFE FOR TWO
MILLION YEARS, AND IT
IS POSSIBLE THAT ONE DAY
KILIMANJARO WILL ROAR TO LIFE
AGAIN IN A MAJOR ERUPTION THAT
WILL DESTROY ITSELF, CREATING A
NEW CRATER LIKE NGORONGORO AND
BUILDING A RICH NEW ECOSYSTEM.
Du Plessis: KILIMANJARO FOR ME
WAS A REALLY NICE EXPERIENCE
AFTER LIVING
IN TANZANIA FOR SO MANY YEARS,
DOING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME.
IT WAS SCENICALLY JUST
SO INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL,
GOING UP THROUGH THOSE FOREST
AND SEE HOW THE VEGETATION
CHANGE THROUGH THE ALTITUDES AND
BEING NEXT TO THOSE GLACIERS AND
JUST SEEING HOW
MAGNIFICENT THEY ARE.
THAT WAS A REALLY NICE
THING FOR ME TO DO CERTAINLY.
♪ (Porters sing in
native language) ♪
