Via the Faïja Plateau, and with stops in Marrakech, Aït Benhaddou, and Todra Gorge. Our Sahara trek takes us through the fascinating and vibrant Sahara desert with its myriad of colourful dunes. Along the way we’ll camp at oases, watch spectacular sunsets, see gazelle, wild camels and birds of all sizes. We’ll drink tea with …
How to climb Ras Dashen – Ethiopia’s highest peak
The climb to Ras Dashen is perhaps one of the most anticlimactic climbs I’ve had on African peaks. The final day’s climb is on goat and animal tracks. Sticky mud when wet. Ending abruptly on a flat, rocky, uninspiring outcrop. A single concrete block on top marks the highest point in Ethiopia. And the views …
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The delicate matter of peeing and pooping on the trail
The whole subject of peeing and pooping on the trail remains a… shall we say, ‘delicate matter’? Pun totally intended, by the way. And the delicate subject of the how and where of peeing and pooping on the trail is one that pops up regularly. Someone even wrote a whole book about it – I …
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Africa’s highest mountains
Africa. Home to the Namib and Sahara deserts, deep impenetrable jungles, acacia-covered plains and sand-covered beaches. Home to some of the world’s most iconic animal and bird species. Birthplace of Lucy, our oldest ancestor. And home to some of the most fascinating mountains on earth! Mountains so diverse that Africa’s highest mountains could easily be …
Climb Kilimanjaro – Africa’s highest peak
Kilimanjaro. Africa’s highest mountain. The roof of Africa. Surrounded by African plains, the 5,895-meter-high Mount Kilimanjaro consists of three volcanic cones: Shira, Mawenzi and Kibo. To get to the summit of Kilimanjaro, you have to climb to the top of Uhuru peak, which is situated on the crater rim of Kibo, the highest of the …
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From Platberg to Kilimanjaro – via Africa’s highest peaks
During the past few months, I’ve been working super hard at finishing my book “From Platberg to Kilimanjaro”. And publishing it! Neglecting the blog. This doesn’t mean we’ve neglected our weekend outings. Apart from the odd day when we had to do other things, we’ve been nearly as busy as usual. Even as winter sets …
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4×500 Gola Goroppu (Goroppu Gorge)
Our second day’s hiking took us into the belly of the 500 m deep Gola Goroppu. Only four metres wide at its narrowest point, local people hype it up as the biggest gorge in Europe. And why not? After all, how do you measure the biggest gorge? By depth? By length? By volume? And at what …
Cala Goloritzé via Punta Salinas (466m)
A few years ago I visited Cala Goloritzé with the intention of climbing the very exciting looking Guglia di Goloritzé or Aguglia as it is commonly known. One look at the narrow obelisk, and my climbing partner got cold feet… that was 15 years ago. So, instead of climbing I spent a few undisturbed hours …
Into the fascinating world of the Oberaletsch Glacier
Our visit to the Oberaletsch Glacier (also Upper Aletsch Glacier), the smaller sibling of the Alps’ biggest glacier, the Aletschgletscher (aka ‘Grosse Aletschgletscher’ – Greater Aletsch Glacier), I can only describe as: Fascinating! Amazing! Wow! I’ve always had a fascination with glaciers. These beautiful living masses of ice. And a lot of respect for the …
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Sardonahütte – unexpected adventure
One of the few SAC huts to have re-opened post lockdown. Sardonahütte is also the starting point for ascending Piz Sardona, a peak that we’ve eyed for some time. Conditions aren’t nearly ready for a summit attempt, but it’s a perfect opportunity to scout out the terrain and look at the path to the top… …