Ascent to Hanang-Idara ya Mkuu wa Wilaya on 2017-04-04| Date: | Tuesday, April 4, 2017 | | Ascent Type: | Unsuccessful - Turned Back | | Motorized Transport to Trailhead: | Bus | | Point Reached: | Hanang - Idara ya Mkuu wa Wilaya | | Location: | Tanzania | | Elevation: | 6234 ft / 1900 m | | Remaining Elevation: | 4977 ft / 1517 m (94% left to go) |
Ascent Trip ReportTook a bus from Arusha to Katesh (TSH.11,000, pay on the bus, not to any middlemen in the bus station). We left Arusha at 6:40am & it took about 4 hours to reach Katesh.
I got out of bus station quickly & crossed the road to avoid anyone approaching me & offering to be my guide, then headed up the hill towards the large antennae, which are near to the "Idara ya Mkuu wa Wilaya", or municipal hall, where I needed to register & pay the Forest Reserve fee of $30. I had to ask for directions a couple of times but eventually found it.
Here I was directed to an office (not the empty no. 15 mentioned elsewhere online), where I declared my intention to hike up, camp for the night near the top, then summit & descend the following day.
I signed the register & was about to pay the reserve fee when the official changed his mind & began calling one of his friends, who was a guide. He now insisted it was not possible to climb the mountain guideless - "too dangerous".
I explained to him that I had experience hiking much higher mountains, but to no avail. My only option was to pay him the fee, get a hotel in Katesh for the night, then hike with his friend the guide the next day. I tried reasoning with him further, but finally gave up & stormed out of the office, walked down to the main road & flagged down a bus back to Arusha.
I have very mixed feelings about Tanzania, it is undoubtedly a beautiful country full of lovely friendly people, but the fees charged for activities in National Parks are extortionate & out of all proportion.
Maybe I should have spent a night in Katesh & done the day hike the next day, I'm sure it would have been a great hike, but that would have cost me a further day from my (short) trip, I might have summited in a cloud & I would have spent more than I paid for e.g. on Pico de Orizaba in Mexico to climb the 4th highest mountain in Tanzania. |
| Summary Total Data | | Total Elevation Gain: | 328 ft / 99 m | | Route: | Jorodom | | Trailhead: | 5906 ft / 1800 m |
This page has been served 412 times since 2005-01-15.
|
