Africa

Today, January 10th, the 7 Summits Club team "From 5th to 12th"—12 members (all members who reached the assault camp)—climbed Kilimanjaro, the highest volcano and highest peak in Africa! The first group, two people, summited at 6:00 AM, the second group, five people, summited at 6:30 AM, and the third group, five people, summited at 7:15 AM. A remarkable achievement. At 10:00 AM, they began their descent from Kosovo Camp to Millennium Camp. Three members departed by helicopter.

 The 7 Summits Club Guide Sergey Larin reports from Tanzania:

January 7th, trek to Baranko Camp, 4000m, via Lava Tower, 4600m. Rain in the afternoon, as usual.

8:01 on Baranko, clear in the morning. We've had some changes in our team. Our youngest member got sick (not altitude sickness) and decided to go back down. It was probably the right decision; turning back at the right time isn't easy. The group, accompanied by a guide with oxygen and porters, headed down from Karanga Camp directly to Millennium Camp. Alexey is now at Millennium, and all is well. The rest of the team ascended to Barafu Camp (4,600m). I can't help but mention our porters and tent pitchers. It just so happens this time that they've been constantly pitching tents in the rain, and today, in sleet. Anyone who's ever done this in such weather will understand. The tents aren't just personal; we have eight of them. There's also a large dining tent and kitchen. Tomorrow is basically a rest day, just a short hike to Kosovo Camp at 4,800m, and preparation for the climb.

The 7 Summits Club guide Sergey Larin reports from Tanzania:
Today we reached Shira Camp (3,800 m). Our group of 13 is supported by a team of 73! Upon arrival at the camp, we met the local team. And today we have another celebration. Victoria is celebrating her birthday. Another cake!

The 7 Summits Club guide Sergey Larin reports from Tanzania:

On the first trek to 2800 meters, Kilimanjaro decided to give us a bath before the summit. We walked for over two hours in heavy rain. The trail turned into a stream. That evening, we celebrated the birthday of a member named Platon with a cake!

The 7 Summits Club guide Sergey Larin reports from Tanzania:
Hello everyone! Our new Kilimanjaro team has adopted the name "From 5th to 12th E." The group has arrived in Tanzania and, with 12 members, has begun its ascent along the Machame route. The average age of the participants is 36, which, in my opinion, is ideal for high-altitude climbing. I will report average weight and height later. Today, as you may recall, we will trek to Machame Camp at 3,000 meters.

The summit of Kilimanjaro! Happy New Year! May new heights be reached!! A fiery greeting from the roof of Africa – majestic Kilimanjaro! The mountain has welcomed us and released us. Our super family stood at the summit of Kilimanjaro in full force on December 28, 2025.

After wild sunrises, euphoria, fiery dances, and passionate greetings from the summit, the team began its descent and is now outside the Kilimanjaro National Park. It's a little (or even a lot) sad that it's all behind us, and a little envious of the lucky ones who still have so much ahead of them!

But there are still many summits in the world! It's time to take stock of the year and make new plans! Happy New Year to everyone, and warm greetings from Tanzania!

Group guide Sergey Larin.

The 7 Summits Club guide Sergey Larin reports from Tanzania:
Today at 9:00 a.m., the entire 7 Summits Club "Super Family" team reached the summit of Kilimanjaro. We are now descending to Camp Kosovo. Details later, and congratulations later. All is well. By!

The 7 Summits Club  Guide Sergey Larin reports from Tanzania:
December 26. Everything is going according to plan. We leave Baranko Camp at 8:15 AM, over the so-called wall. The slope is actually about 30 degrees. As usual at this time of year, the weather was fine in the morning. The forecast called for rain after lunch until evening. It started as we sat down to lunch in the tent at Karanga Camp. After lunch, the rain stopped! On the way to Barafu Camp (4,600 m), a rain front from below constantly threatened us, but a high-pressure system over Kili kept it at bay. A light rain began as we climbed into our tents at Barafu Camp at 6:00 PM. I won't comment further to avoid jinxing the situation. We have two days of significant precipitation ahead of us.
I forgot to add: the "Super Family" group is on the VIP program. For five people, we have 37 "staff," or service personnel. That includes everyone: guides, cooks, and porters.

Christmas news from the slopes of Kilimanjaro. Greetings to everyone and sincere Christmas greetings from the "Super Family" team and guide Sergey Larin! We wish everyone renewed light and clarity on the path! Our guys enjoyed the start of the high-altitude trek, loved the service, everyone is happy and satisfied! We wish the same for you!

The team spent the night at 3,800 meters, at Shira Camp, and today the guys will trek through Lava Tower to one of the most beautiful camps on the mountain, through a picturesque valley with scattered rocks and senecias – Barranco (3,900 meters). There they will spend the night with views of the savannah and the glowing night sky of Moshi.

With you, guide Sergey Larin and the Super Family team.

Sergey Larin, 7 Summits Club super guide, reports from Tanzania:
Greetings from Tanzania! This time we started from Arusha, not the usual village of Machame. Therefore, the transfer to the national park gates took a couple of hours longer. After completing all the formalities, we weren't able to set out until 12:00 PM.
At the entrance, local rangers decided to thoroughly inspect everything. According to Kilimanjaro National Park regulations, drones, plastic bottles, and alcohol are prohibited. This time, they paid more attention to plastic bottles. For water on Kilimanjaro, we usually use reusable flasks or a hydration system in our backpack.
Our team arrived at Machame Camp at 2,800 meters around 6:00 PM, right on schedule. The weather has been favorable so far; despite brief showers and a muddy road, we walked comfortably. During the rainy season, it's best to wear trekking boots for trekking and the approaches to the assault camp. While sneakers are easier to walk in, you can scoop up water in them. The temperature was comfortable for trekking (around 22 degrees Celsius), with a complete lack of wind and soft sunlight, diffused through the heather.
The team is cheerful and in fighting spirit! Ready for further adventures!
To be continued...

Kilimanjaro News, Tanzania. Summit Climb Day. The day began quite early, as internet access was nonexistent due to the country's elections. Everyone went to bed early and woke up early. We had breakfast at 7 a.m., and by 8 a.m., our group had already set out for Kibo Camp.

It's truly amazing how well the national park has managed to provide all the amenities along the route, right down to comfortable restrooms and tables. You instantly lose the feeling that you're far from civilization.

 After about four hours of gradual ascent, crossing desert terrain that sometimes feels like a walk on Mars, you reach Kibo Camp at 4,700 meters. There, cozy cabins and the thoughtful faces of climbers await you, anticipating the night of the summit. And also the carefree faces of the local guys, for whom this has long been a routine and part of their lives.

We set off for lunch, dinner, and rest at 10:00 PM. Soon, it's time to get up and make final preparations. Breakfast, which often requires forcing yourself to eat. The realization that you literally have to force yourself to eat. A final check of gear and clothing, and then "off you go!" The hardest day of our tour lies ahead. Just eight hours of climbing up a switchback road in the night over dusty, loose earth. After six hours, you reach the first point, called Gilmans Point. This is the first long rest stop, and dawn is already breaking.

 Nighttime shots of Kilimanjaro's crater in the light of the full moon, tea, and your favorite songs to help you fight off the drowsiness that rolls in like waves. And then, off you go again. Two more hours of work lie ahead, now at altitude. An hour and a half later, as soon as you pass Stella Point, the magic of sunrise begins. And you see with your own eyes how the valleys of golden Africa are bathed in the rays of the sun. This is something that can't be described in words, videos, or photos; you have to see it with your own eyes!

After the shock therapy, another half-hour of walking in the sun's rays, and there in the distance is the coveted sign for Uhuru Peak 5895.

And you say, "Hakuna Matata poli poli tutafika" (No problem! Quietly, quietly, we'll get there soon).

Guides: Alexander Dorojukov, Leuan Atabiyev.

Days 3 and 4. Greetings from sunny Tanzania! Yes, the weather was great, and the sun shone above us, even though early November is the transitional season and the sky is usually covered by clouds at this time! We moved on to the next camp, Horombo, at 3,800 meters, gaining another kilometer of vertical climb. We left the forest and were greeted by views of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mawenzi. The weather was fine. The sunsets and views of the savannah at night were stunning. This alone is worth the trip to Kilimanjaro.

The group is in good condition. We are working according to plan. After spending the night in Horombo, we hiked to the Zebra Rocks to acclimatize, and the next day we are preparing to move on to the Kibo summit camp at 4,600 meters. Guides: Alexander Dorozhukov and Leuan Atabiev.

Greetings from Tanzania! We continue publishing our Kilimanjaro expedition diary.
Day 2. We arrived at the gate, completed all the paperwork, ate, and set out on a trek through the beautiful jungle. Today was one of the most beautiful treks on the entire route, although each day was unique, beautiful in its own way.
The trail ran through equatorial forest with giant trees, vines, lichens, and tree ferns for almost the entire day. Closer to camp, the forest gave way to thickets of giant heather. Along the way, we were accompanied by monkeys, bridges, and waterfalls.
We rose above the clouds. We arrived at Mandara Camp at 2800 meters, at the upper tree line. We settled in, discussed our plans for the next day, and settled in for a well-deserved rest.
7 Summits Club guides Alexander Dorojukov and Leuan Atabiyev.

 Greetings from the slopes of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania! Everything is on schedule; our group is descending to the gates of the national park and should be back at the hotel today for a celebratory dinner and party celebrating the end of the program.

While we wait for details and photos from the group, we are publishing the travel diary of Sergey Sedov, who reached the summit of Kilimanjaro in three days.

 Sergey Sedov:

Arriving a day late, I decided to catch up with the group immediately. The expedition organizers were understanding and provided me with a local guide, porter, and transportation, for which I am eternally grateful. My physical condition allows me to undertake long treks upward, and in the end, Francis and I ran from the entrance to the national park to Horombo Hut in one day—or more precisely, six hours—covering 19 km and gaining 2,300 meters in altitude (from 1,450 to 3,750 meters).

 Having met the group there, the guides and expedition organizers and I discussed the option of continuing the climb separately at our own pace. Francis supported my idea of going to Base Camp the next day and immediately attempting the summit. This was his first attempt, but he was confident in both himself and me. I had arrived on Kilimanjaro after the Nepalese mountains and was well acclimatized with plenty of altitude to spare.

 The next day, when the group set out on an acclimatization radial hike, we continued our trek and reached Kibo Base Camp in three and a half hours. There we had lunch, held a briefing, and headed off to prepare for the summit push.

 We set out for the summit push at precisely midnight. We walked at a steady, confident, and steady pace, taking our time. We took our first short break at 3:00 AM, rested at 4:00 AM at Gilmansa Point, and then leisurely trudged to the summit, reaching it precisely at 6:00 AM. A blistering gust of wind awaited us there, so after quickly snapping a couple of photos, we descended at 6:15 AM. We had plenty of energy, the sun was warm, and our legs ran naturally down. In the end, the descent took only 1:40.

 At Base Camp, we changed clothes, packed our things, and set about executing another daring plan: to descend to the very entrance of the national park not just in one day, but before 5:00 PM.

 On the way back, we met our guys and wished them a successful summit push. In Horombo, we took a quick lunch break, in Mandara we treated ourselves to another half-hour rest, and by 4:40 PM, Francis and I were hugging at the entrance to the national park.

 I won't lie, the last few kilometers were incredibly difficult. By this point, everything was aching, but we persevered, kept up the pace, and continued down. It's no joke, we covered 40 km that day, including the summit push.

 In total, the entire program took us just three days. In short:

44 hours from start to summit.

4,450 m – elevation gain during this time.

34 km – ascent.

40 km covered on summit push day.

Total time: 54 hours 40 minutes.

Total distance: 68 km.

 Also on the descent, halfway between Horombo and Mandara, we met a legend of our mountaineering, Uncle Vitya, whom we had recently seen in Namche Bazaar and Kathmandu.

 In conclusion, I want to say that I didn't initially plan to set any records or chase time. It just happened that way. Appetite comes with eating. I want to thank the 7 Summits Club team for their flexibility and prompt problem-solving. I especially appreciate the exceptional level of organization—I had access to exactly the same facilities as the rest of the group the entire time.

And Francis and I became very close during this time. It even felt like we spent much more time with him than just three days.

 To be continued!

Photos and videos by the author - Sergey Sedov

Hello everyone! Recently, there were reports online of unrest in Tanzania related to the presidential elections and the usual disgruntled opposition and unrest related to it.

To quell the unrest, the internet was shut down throughout the country, and our guides sent short updates on the expedition's progress only via text messages. The situation is now improving, and communication is being restored.

 Our group is fine, everything is according to plan. The team is currently summiting and descending.

 But first things first.

 Expedition Diary

 Day 1. Our guides arrived in Tanzania and are fully prepared to welcome the group. Our team was unable to depart as scheduled the following day due to flight cancellations and delays due to the situation in Tanzania. But we managed to overcome the situation, and the entire group assembled in Moshi, the meeting point before heading into the mountains.

 Only one member arrived a day later than the group and was catching up individually. Looking ahead, I'll say that, due to his excellent physical condition and acclimatization in the Himalayas, our Sergey caught up with the group in one day instead of the planned two. He gained such momentum and got into the swing of things that he couldn't stop, overtook the group, and climbed Kilimanjaro in three days instead of the planned six. Sergey is now back at the hotel with a new summit on his list of accomplishments and is waiting for the rest of the guys at the hotel tomorrow.

You can't imagine how much joy it was to see and meet everyone at Kilimanjaro Airport. After all, difficulties bring a team together and unite.

 All the formalities have been completed, the equipment has been selected and checked, the introduction stage has been completed, the first batch of photos for Instagram and Stories have been taken. Note: Friendship won the high jump competition with the Maasai. The Maasai have a tradition that the strongest man is the one who can jump the highest.

Guides: Alexander Dorojukov and Leuan Atabiev.

The 7 Summits Club super guide Alexey Lonchinsky reports from Kenya:

News from September 25-26. On September 25, our "Improvisation" team woke up in a great hotel, in good spirits, located in Nanyuki. We had an early breakfast, after which we went on safari to the nearby National Park.

We saw zebras, various antelopes, rhinos, bulls, various monkeys, and lions!!! It was truly amazing to see animals in the wild. We then stopped for lunch at a trout farm. Then we returned to Nairobi, where we began our journey!

We had an unforgettable dinner at the Carnivore Restaurant. It's essentially a buffet, but you don't help yourself; the staff serves you. The only thing we didn't get to try was the crocodile; all the other meats were brought to us.

How do we like Kenya? We highly recommend a trip there. Well, if, of course, you're interested in new flora and fauna, beautiful views, and new experiences!

Guide Evgeny Fedyunin reports from Tanzania:

September 21. Hello everyone! Jambo Ma-Rafiki! The 7 Summits Club "Fura on the left" group successfully lost two kilometers of vertical drop and returned to civilization! Beer and champagne at the gate – the best way to restore the salt-alkaline balance!!! Everyone was happy. In the evening, diplomas and medals were awarded, and new plans for the mountains were discussed.

Take care! See you in the mountains! Best of luck and good weather to everyone!

The 7 Summits Club guide Alexey Lonchinsky reports from Kenya:

 Good morning! Our group completed a cultural program in Nairobi the day before. We visited the Giraffe Park and fed the Rothschild giraffes, which have been preserved at the center for almost 100 years. Then we moved on to the colonial museum of Danish writer Karen Blixen. It was a very cool, cozy house with period furnishings. We were horrified and then amazed by the severed elephant foot, which was used as a coffee table. We had lunch nearby, in an estate converted into a restaurant. Everything was great; we instantly adjusted to the city's 1,700-meter altitude! The cuisine in Kenya is excellent...

Pavel, Alexandra, and 7 Summits Club guide Alexey.

Best regards!

Guide Evgeny Fedyunin reports from Tanzania:

September 20. Hello everyone! Jambo Ma-Rafiki! Hooray, the summit! Today, the 7 Summits Club group "Fura on the Left" successfully summited Uhuru Peak, the main peak of the Kilimanjaro massif at 5,895 meters! As with all the days of the climb, it was sunny, but quite cold at altitude. It's winter in Tanzania, after all. We're now warming up in our camp on the edge of the jungle.

Tomorrow, we descend to civilization.

Guide ща the 7 Summits Club Evgeny Fedyunin reports from Tanzania:

 September 19. Hello everyone! Jambo Ma-Rafiki! Today, the 7 Summits Club group "Fura sleva" reached Kosovo Camp at 4800m. The weather is great again. We're getting ready for the push! We leave just after midnight. Keep your fingers crossed for us!