Nomads of the Serengeti (2015): Season 1, Episode 4 - Snows of Kilimanjaro - full transcript

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.



NOMADS OF THE SERENGETI - SEASON 1
EP - 4 - Snows of Kilimanjaro

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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.

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??

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) ?

? (Porters sing) ?

? (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.