Our Kilimanjaro climbers have officially hit the trail! Today, the team left Moshi and, after a quick drive through the cultivation zone, which features lush highlands and roadside markets, they arrived at the Machame Gate (1,800m / 5,905ft), the starting point of their Kilimanjaro ascent.

After passing through the gates, the team will be greeted quickly by their second climate zone, the lush montane rainforest, where a cloak of emerald is alive with birdsong, flashes of monkeys leaping overhead, towering tree ferns, and ancient moss-draped trees.

Continuing upward above 3,000 meters, the team will end their day at the Machame Camp, perched in their third climate zone, the heather moorland. This camp is set on a plateau at the edge of the forest, with sweeping views through the mist and a stream nearby for fresh mountain water.

Here is a peek at Kilimanjaro’s different climate zones, plus an epic team shot from Star Guide Pega Sherpa.