A joint team from Brunei and Malaysia plans to conquer the highest free-standing mountain in the world, Mount Kilimanjaro, 5,895 metres (m) from sea level in Africa.
The two hikers, Pengiran Sulaiman bin Pengiran Haji Metali and Noordin Aboo Talib, left for Kuala Lumpur on Friday to join seven persons from Malaysia before heading to Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
The expedition is led by Ravichandran (Mr Everest Man) from Global Expedition Malaysia, who climbed Mount Everest four times. The journey begins today from Marangu Gate at 1,860m to Mandara Hut at an elevation of 2,720m. The hike will take around four hours and a distance of seven kilometres (km).
On the second day, the team will trek through heather and grassy moorland for about six hours, covering a distance of 11km to Horombo Hut at an elevation of 3,720m.
On the third day, ascending will pass the last water point towards Kibo Hut at 4,700m as the base camp. The hiking will take place for around seven hours and 12km in thin air conditions due to the high altitude. Around midnight, the team will ascend for the summit attack to Gilman’s point at 5,681m. It is expected to be the tougher hike before heading to the summit of Uhuru Peak at 5,895m. This is the highest point of Mount Kilimanjaro.
The team will return to Camp 2 at Horombo Hut, with an expected trekking time of around 16 hours.
The final day of descent back to Marangu gate will take around seven hours before heading to the hotel at Arusha.
