NAME: Beth Ely

EVENT DATE: 10th July – 25th July 2018 Tanzania

I have the wonderful opportunity to travel to Tanzania and be part of an incredible adventure to help out at local school in the Arusha/Usa River region and volunteer in the community, I believe to build walls - a trip of a life time and I'd love it if you could help me raise funds for them. All funds raised will go directly to the project in Arusha and not to fund my expenses.

My sponsorship would be trek up Mount Meru. It’s a three day, two night trek and I am asking if you would like to sponsor me for the trek or per thousand feet to trek up little Meru with the possibility of going on up Big Meru (weather and team dependent). Mount Meru is the fifth highest mountain on the African continent and the second highest in Tanzania and dominates the Arusha National Park with its huge cliffs. Mount Meru is 4562 m high, and is an active (dormant) volcano. Thank you

July 15th - The day will be spent on vehicle safari at Tarangire National Park. Pick up at 06:30. Tarangire is Tanzania’s third largest national park and home to an unusually large elephant population. Animals concentrate along the Tarangire River which provides the only permanent supply of water in the area. There is great diversity in the park including lion, leopard, cheetah and up to 6,000 elephants.

Friday 20th July - The team will be transferred to the Momella Gate for the start of the Mount Meru Trek.

Day 1 Arusha - Momella Gate (1500m) - Miriakamba Hut (2500m). The trek starts with open grassland where you can view buffalo, warthogs and elephants. Continue a steady climb through Montane Forest. Lunch will be taken at the famous Fig Tree. After lunch continue through less dense forest where you can see monkeys and birds. By mid-afternoon you will have closer views of Meru’s cliffs and Ash Cone. The Miriakamba Huts are situations in an idyllic grassy glade. From here you can see the views over Meru and Kilimanjaro. The team will be staying in huts on the Mt Meru trek.

Day 2 Miriakamba Hut (2500m) - Saddle Hut (3550m). The walk from the hut to the saddle below Little Meru is a long steady climb, through lush montane forest to giant heather and moorland vegetation. Reach Saddle Hut in the afternoon. That night the team will start the climb to nearby summit of Little Meru for some incredible views.

Day 3 Saddle Hut - Socialist Peak (4562m) - Miriakamba Hut (2500m) – Momella Gate (1500m) Summit day. The team will be start at 1am and climb steadily to Rhino Point. Depending on the conditions the team may stop here or can continue to Cobra Point. From both points if the weather is fine you will see the sunrise behind Mt Kilimanjaro. Trek back to Momella Gate. At the gate, you will say farewell to your hiking crew and your driver will take you back to Arusha.