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.

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

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.

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!

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.

 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!

September 18. Hello everyone! Jambo Ma-Rafiki! The 7 Summits Club group "Fura on the Left," after a delicious hearty breakfast, set out to assault the Barranco Wall, which at first glance seems like an impenetrable fortress... But anything goes, and we conquered it in two hours!

At the top, there was a pit stop for tea and then a trek through two lunar valleys with lava fields. We arrived at Karanga Camp, at 4,030 meters, by lunchtime. And for lunch, we had borscht—wasn't it borscht?

Now it's time to rest, tomorrow is the final ascent to the summit camp, and tonight, the ascent!

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

September 17. Hello everyone! Jambo Ma-Rafiki! The 7 Summits Club group "Fura on the Left" completed the most challenging day of the trek today – the ascent to Lava Tower (4,640m) and the descent to Barranco Camp (3,900m) at the foot of the famous Barranco Wall. The group accomplished the task brilliantly. The weather was favorable, once again without precipitation. The service, as always, was excellent!

Tomorrow we'll sleep an extra hour!

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

September 16. Hello everyone! Jambo Ma-Rafiki! The 7 Summits Club group "Fura on the Left" traversed the heather on the west side of Mount Kilimanjaro today and ascended the Shira Plateau. Camp 2 (Shira Camp) is at 3,800 meters. We continue acclimatizing in the open air!

Everything is fine, our appetites are normal. Good luck to everyone!

Everyone is feeling great; it's dinner now and a planning meeting for tomorrow.

Guide Evgeny Fedyunin.

And we began to prepare for the route - we checked the equipment. After which we could relax by the pool. Tomorrow we start on our favorite Machame route!

Guide Evgeny Fedyunin.

Group guides Evgeny Fedyunin and Dmitry Semenov.

And we congratulated our participant Andrey on his birthday! It is very symbolic to celebrate your personal New Year at such an altitude!

Guides of the group Evgeny Fedyunin and Dmitry Semenov.

Group guides Evgeny Fedyunin and Dmitry Semenov.

The group's guides are Evgeny Fedyunin and Dmitry Semenov.

Group guides Evgeny Fedyunin and Dmitry Semenov.

This moment is a time of pride, happiness and real team unity. We are very happy to share it with each of you. Our group, you are the real heroes of your path!

Guides Sergey Larin and Alexander Spirin.

A cold wind, height, rare air. Silence, in which you can only hear your own breathing and steps. We walked slowly, stubbornly, each in his own rhythm, but all together.

And here is the summit. The first rays of the sun, tears in the eyes, hugs and a feeling that cannot be described in words. This is a victory. Pure. Real.

We, the guides of the 7 Summits Club, are proud of each of you. Thank you for your trust, for your strength, for being a team until the very end.

Guides Sergey Larin, Alexander Spirin.

The morning began with pleasant surprises: the team presented the birthday girl with gifts from the 7 Summits Club. Aigul was touched to the depths of her soul (or to the depths of her height, depending on how you look at it). But that's not all! We managed to organize a whole bouquet for presentation on the slope of Kilimanjaro! And yes, her husband Artur was the main presenter. Remember: romance is possible at any altitude if you travel with us!

But acclimatization will not wait! After breakfast, we went to an altitude of 4000 meters to the famous Zebra Rocks. The name of the rocks is not accidental - their color really resembles the skin of a zebra. Yesterday we walked through heather groves, and today we were surrounded by harsh lava fields and fantasy-style landscapes. The perfect place for a photo shoot and ... a dress rehearsal with our flags! We assure you, we have quite a collection of flags, and we unfurled them with a special flourish.

Returning to the camp, we discovered that the surprises did not end there! A luxurious lunch awaited us, and for dinner - a real festive cake and (drum roll!) non-alcoholic champagne! Yes, you heard right.

Congratulations to our birthday girl Aigul and wish her an easy ascent to the very roof of Africa! Ahead is the key transition to the Kibo camp.

Keep your fingers crossed for us! Your team "Mitochondrial Rejuvenation" on Kilimanjaro!

Guides Sergey Larin and Alexander Spirin.

We left the kingdom of vines and found ourselves straight... in the heather tales of Scotland! No, really! The landscape changed dramatically: the lush green jungle was left behind, and its place was taken by mysterious heather wastelands with low-growing bushes. The contrast is so sharp that it seems as if overnight we were teleported to another part of the world.

After a productive day, we safely reached the Horombo camp (3780 m), where the long-awaited comfort awaited us! We stayed in cozy wooden houses - there was room to turn around!

And in the evening there was a real holiday: a hearty dinner (the chef of the 7 Summits Club on Kilimanjaro is a magician!) and most importantly - a unique creative evening from our legendary guide, Sergey shared incredible stories of storming Everest and chilling tales from polar expeditions. You sit, drink hot tea, and they tell you how to survive at -50 °. Goosebumps and delight!

But the final chord of this day was ... the sky. Have you ever seen the Milky Way so bright that it seems you can touch it? Here, at an altitude of almost 4000 meters, far from any civilization, the starry sky is a mesmerizing, silent show. Huge, endless and incredibly beautiful. Ahead is a day of acclimatization and new heights! Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Guides Sergey Larin and Alexander Spirin.

But the surprises did not end there - fiery Maasai dances awaited us. The real spirit of Africa! In the evening, over dinner, we talked a lot, joked and even came up with a name for our team. Now we are MHO: Mitochondriacal Rejuvenation!

The adventures begin!

Guides Sergey Larin and assistant Alexander Spirin.

The landscape in front of us changed every hour, and the riot of colors and flowers caused incredible delight. Returning to the hotel, we washed off the volcanic dust of sleeping Kilimanjaro and gathered for dinner. We awarded our climbers with medals and certificates so that they could be proud of their achievements!

Soon, we will fly off to different countries, and the memory of climbing the highest point of Africa will remain in our hearts ...

Your super-guide Kristina Putintseva from the slopes of Kilimanjaro.

Today we had an endlessly long day, which began at midnight. We left the Kosovo camp under cover of night. The sky was strewn with stars. And the full moon illuminated the path so much that we didn’t want to turn on the flashlights at all.

As soon as we reached the crater, we had no chance to rest or drink hot tea, as an incredibly cold and strong wind began to blow us away.

We wandered to the summit, quickly took pictures, and in order not to freeze, immediately began the descent. We warmed up only in the camp, where we were greeted with songs, dances and delicious hot food. After a short rest, we continued the descent and reached the Millennium camp, at an altitude of 4000 m. Here we were congratulated again, with champagne and cake.

We are all happy and are still comprehending our achievement, which was not easy at all.

 The guide of the 7 Summits Club Kristina Putintseva from the slopes of Kilimanjaro.

Our day began with overcoming the Barranco wall. There were steep sections in places, but they added emotions to us: it became an exciting adventure, and we realized that we were ready for more serious walls.

At the very top, tea and a hearty snack were already waiting for us. Then, we went down, and did not cease to be amazed at the diversity and beauty of the landscape. Lava stone formations pleased, various flowers and herbs added to our joy.

We reached the Karanga camp, where we were met with a delicious lunch.

After, we rested a little, walked and had dinner with real borscht!

Everyone feels well, sends greetings and congratulations on the International Mountaineering Day!

Guide Kristina Putintseva from the slopes of Kilimanjaro.

Today we had a very long and eventful day. In the morning, we did exercises, had breakfast, and went out on the trail. Having passed through lava collapses, we reached Lawa Tower - this is a real lava tower, at the foot of which they prepared a delicious lunch for us. We stayed a little for acclimatization at an altitude of 4600 m, and slowly went on, descending down. A real green oasis awaited us ahead: endemic plants of unusual shapes, of various sizes, which surprised and delighted us very much.

Exactly for dinner, we went down to the Barranco camp, while the famous wall itself Barranco was covered by clouds for us today...

Tomorrow we have a very interesting day ahead, but for now, we need to restore our strength with a sound sleep.

 Your guide Kristina Putintseva from the slopes of Kilimanjaro.

We were very happy with the delicious dinner, as we were very hungry during the day. Tomorrow we have an equally busy day, so today we hope to get a good night's sleep.

Your Guide Kristina Putintseva from the slopes of Kilimanjaro.

In the morning we sorted out our things, checked our gear, hunted rabbits (to take cute photos).

In the evening, we set a festive table, the chef himself cooked for us over an open fire. During warm conversations around the campfire, we chose the name - "Akuna Matata". Now, this is both our name and our motto for the coming week.

Your Guide Kristina Putintseva from the foot of Kilimanjaro.

Morning news from Tanzania. The Bang Brothers team climbed to the top of Kilimanjaro this morning at dawn, at 6:30. We have now descended to the assault camp in Kosovo. While we are still full of strength, we will rest a little, have some refreshment and continue our descent.

 Hello to everyone from the Karanga camp (4050m)! Yesterday we calmly got here from the Barranco camp in 4 hours. The task was - not to get tired, ahead of us there was only an ascent. We coped with the task. No one complains about the condition, the readings of the devices confirm it. Today we move to the assault camp Kosovo* (4850). (*Kosovo is Serbia). From where we set out at night to the summit of Kilimanjaro, Uhuru Peak.

Hello 7 Summits! The slope of Kilimanjaro is in charge. Yesterday, the plan was almost completely fulfilled. It's a pity that now they don't let us climb the Lawa Tower itself, we would have climbed there for a better view. Now we are finishing our morning coffee and looking at the Barranco Wall. In an hour, we will storm it on the way to the next camp. The devices show that the condition of all our participants is satisfactory, which is confirmed by the whole team. We are walking moderately smoothly, in a friendly manner, we are coping with the height.

Greetings from Shira Camp on the slopes of Kilimanjaro! Yesterday we climbed here in great weather, to an altitude of 3800 meters. Now we are thawing out in the sun after a cool night. The plan for today is to reach an altitude of 4600 m, a place called Lava Tower. Spend a couple of hours there, have a snack, and continue on to Barranco Camp.

Hello, 7 Summits! The Bang Brothers team safely climbed to Machame Camp at an altitude of 3000 m yesterday. We were lucky with the weather, the rain accompanied us only halfway. And then we came out of the cloud, so we arrived at the camp dry. We ate well, slept well. We will soon continue our way up, right after a delicious breakfast.

Rainy greetings from Africa! The 7 Summits Club “Bang Brothers” group is ready to start for climb the Machame route on the "Climbing Kilimanjaro" program.

Hello to everyone from Tanzania from the "Padel Team" group! By the way, "padel" is not something related to a paddle, as someone might think, seeing the incorrect spelling of the team's name in English letters. It is a type of tennis that is gaining popularity all over the world.

So, yesterday our brave team quickly made the way from the last camp through the beautiful jungle to the gates of the national park.

Finally, the weather smiled on us. It was warm, very beautiful and there was no rain. On the way, we admired the unusual trees and saw unique monkeys - black and white colobus.

And in the evening, there was a farewell dinner and the awarding of the participants with well-deserved awards.

Greetings to everyone from Tanzania from the Padel Team! Today, in difficult weather conditions, making our way through strong winds and icy cold, we climbed to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

A lot of groups turned back due to weather conditions. But we coped. And found ourselves alone at the summit!

By evening, we had already descended to the Millennium camp, where a celebratory cake and rain awaited us. Everything is fine!

Hello to everyone from the Padel Team! Today we moved from the Karanga camp to the Kosovo camp at an altitude of 4870 meters, from where we will go to the summit at night. Finally, the weather pleased us. A frost hit at night, in the morning the camp was completely covered in ice. But then the sun came out, it became very warm, and we did the whole way in the sun.

Everyone feels great. Now we will rest a little and at night we will go to the summit of Kilimanjaro.

 Hello to everyone from Tanzania from the Padel Team! The fourth day of our trip to Kilimanjaro. This morning we climbed the legendary Barranco wall. Everyone really enjoyed the climb. It was fun and beautiful.

And after the wall, a trail with unearthly landscapes awaited us. The way was slightly overshadowed by low clouds and the absence of sun. But in any case, we were lucky. Because when we arrived at the camp at 4000, it started to rain, in places turning into hail. And it poured until the evening. So much for the dry season!

 However, this rain was no longer scary for us. Although, to be honest, we wanted at least a little sun to warm up and dry our damp things.

Hello to everyone from Tanzania! From the group that has been trying to come up with a name for itself for the second day. And the second day we started our journey in the rain. So believe it or not, July is the dry season. True, in the afternoon, when we gained an altitude of more than 3500, we rose above the clouds, and the rain stopped.

Today, all the way we had incredible views and a lot of flowers and beautiful trees.

Unforgettable. Our camp today is at an altitude of 3800. Therefore, having arrived at the camp, we went even higher for acclimatization. And then there was a traditional ceremony of acquaintance with the local team serving us.

Hurray! By nightfall, the team came up with a name: "Padel Team"...

A new group of the 7 Summits Club arrived in Tanzania and set out on the Machame route. And although this period is considered the dry season, it has been raining here for two weeks without a break. Today, on the first day of the hike, we also walked in the rain all day and are sitting in the camp in the rain. But we are not discouraged. We hope that the weather will be better in the future.

Today the 7 Summits Club Team "7+7" reached Kibo Hut, a refuge at an altitude of 4700 meters. At night we set out to climb the summit of Kilimanjaro. We got here without rain. But now a thunderstorm has started and it has started snowing again. What can we do...

As for the hunger climb - it continues. It is going well. At night we are going to climb and then descend. I think we will ascend and take off. I looked at the progress of things. I decided that I will fast for 10 days.

Today the "7+7" team (7 boys and 7 girls) spent half a day resting in the Horombo camp. We walked in the rain to Zebra Rocks. In general, the weather is rainy. But they promise an improvement for the ascent.

 About the hunger climb. Everything is great. Lots of strength. Several guys have already decided to fast with me today. So others will get more food.

The 7 Summits Club team "7+7" today reached the Horombo camp at an altitude of 3800 meters. This is the Marangu route on Kilimanjaro. It is raining, but we are not giving up.

 About the hunger climb. I have not eaten for two days. And it is okay. I do not feel like eating. My head is working. I have a lot of strength. It seems that people do not need to eat at all. It is just a bad habit ....

Today, the 7 Summits Club team on Kilimanjaro called "7+7", in the rain, but cheerfully, climbed to the Mandara Hut camp, at an altitude of 2800 meters. This morning, representatives of the Maasai tribe came to congratulate our girls on March 8. They gave them flowers and jewelry. And then there was dancing. And they even showed how they can make a fire.

Alex Abramov decided to conduct an experiment while climbing Kilimanjaro. To climb hungry, without eating for all 7 days. Follow the experiment. I will only drink water and tea. Place your bets. Will I be able to climb.

There was a celebratory cake in the evening!

Today a new team of the 7 Summits Club arrived on Kilimanjaro. The group of 13 participants was met at the airport by guide Alexander Abramov. The main goal of the team is to celebrate March 8 and then climb Kilimanjaro. Includes 7 girls and 7 boys. Ideal for the "Seven Summits" program. Let's hope that the mountain and the weather will help us.

02/25. Jambo Ma-Rafiki"! The 7 Summits Club "Ma-Rafiki" group successfully dropped 2 kilometers vertically and returned to civilization! Beer and champagne at the meeting at the gate (the gate of the national park) - the best restoration of the salt-alkaline balance!!! All happy!

And in the evening there was an awards ceremony and new plans for the mountains were already being made. Tomorrow another asset awaits us: a safari with lions and leopards!

Good luck to everyone!

02.24. Jambo Ma-Rafiki! Hooray, the summit! Today the "Ma-Rafiki", group of the 7 Summits Club, successfully climbed Uhuru Peak 5895m in the Kilimanjaro massif. The ascent took place in unusual weather for the Mountain! With a temperature of -10/12 and a headwind of 12-15 m/s, there was no desire to stand and rest. Therefore, we walked very quickly and at dawn we were already at the top! The whole group worked harmoniously. Now we are already warming ourselves on the border with the jungle. Tomorrow we descend to civilization.

Good luck to everyone!

23.02. Jambo Ma-Rafiki! Today the 7 Summits Club group "Ma-Rafiki" from the Karanga camp climbed to the assault camp of Kosovo at an altitude of 4800 meters. Now we are preparing for the night start to assault Kilimanjaro!

Keep your fingers crossed for us! Good luck to everyone!

02/22. Jambo Ma-Rafiki! The "Ma-Rafiki" group of the 7 Summits Club, after morning exercises and a hearty breakfast, set out to storm the Baranco Wall! Everything is the same, "pole-pole" style, in 1.5 hours they overcame the wall, leisurely passed two valleys and arrived at the Karanga camp at an altitude of 4,030 meters by lunch. Kili opened up in all its majestic beauty!

We had lunch, walked, again tea with buns - this is real mountaineering! And dinner is still ahead! Now it's time to rest, tomorrow is the final march to the assault camp and the ascent!

Good luck to everyone!