Our last morning on Kilimanjaro dawned bright and clear, and the now far-off summit loomed large as ever through a clearing in the forest canopy by our camp. Time for one last ritualistic tent-tea, one last community meal in the big blue dining tent, and one last departure from camp, down the wide, smooth trail. We spent the few hours of the trek out recalling yesterday’s summit adventure, what an incredible experience it was, and what it meant to each of us. From there, talk turned to how nice it would be to get back to civilization, a soft bed, a good meal, and of course, beer! Colobus monkeys could be seen lurking in the trees as we approached the Mweka gate and the formal end to the trek.

Someone had asked our guides if we’d have something to eat when we got down to the Gate, and we were told that there’d be something waiting for us. Well, ‘something’ turned out to be a gourmet buffet lunch, complete with cold beverages (plenty of beer, of course), a comfy setup in a small grassy park and a beautiful hand-painted banner congratulating us on our trip, complete with the dates. Once again, we were all blown away, having expected maybe a basket of PB&J sandwiches, or something along those lines.

We lounged for probably an hour or more, enjoying the food and sharing congrats all around. One enterprising porter was taking people’s boots to be cleaned while we ate. He’d take ‘em right off our feet and they’d reappear 10 minutes later, brushed and washed and smelling fresh (the guy made a fortune in tips, I think). We all had the chance to buy a few souvenirs (it’s all about the t-shirts!), and to top it all off, our porter crew all gathered around and performed a traditional song about Kilimanjaro (so I gathered). It was quite a spectacle, the last in a long chain of amazing sights and sounds that I know I will never forget.

Finally, it was time to board our waiting safari vehicles and head back to civilization. Farewells were said, hugs and handshakes went between tourists and porters, and we all settled in for the ride back to Arusha and a comfortable hotel room (and to my waiting wife!). And the experience wasn’t over, as tomorrow we would begin the a different kind of adventure and start a 4-day safari through some of the most famous game preserves in the world!