One long weekend this spring Craig and I gathered up a few of my Swahili School friends and went hiking on Mt. Meru in Arusha National Park. Meru is much smaller and lesser know than Kilimanjaro, but the hikes were beautiful and our entire weekend was a lot of fun. This was the view of Kili at sunrise we enjoyed on our last day.
Our three-day hike began with a walk through fields full of cape buffalo and proceeded into a lush forest. It was incredibly picturesque.
Craig hiking through one of my favorite areas. The moss on the trees had an almost silver appearance in the late-afternoon light.
Our guide Bahati, which means luck in Kiswahili. We got to know Bahati a few weeks prior when we had come to Arusha to do a walking safari, so we were excited when he was leading our trip. Yes, the gun is for protection if the animals get too close. But no, he's never had to actually use it. We asked!
More hiking through the forests of Arusha National Park.
Sunset on the way down from Little Meru, the first peak we reached during our weekend trek.
Alex, Chris, Craig and I as we set out on summit day. It was a full moon that night and bright enough that we could hike without headlamps.
At Rhino Point during our trek to the summit.
The most stunning views during our climb were of Mt. Kilimanjaro at sunrise. As the dawn just began to break and clouds filled the valley between the two mountains, all you could see was Kili silhouetted by the early morning light. It was incredible!
The barrenness above the tree-line on Meru, combined with the clouds, gave some areas of the mountain an otherworldly appearance.
Hiking down from the top, with our guide in the distance. It was an incredible weekend!
