Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

For the last six months Kilimanjaro has been something of a tease in the backdrop of the Arusha skyline. As she is closer to the two-hour away town of Moshi, Kili, as we call her only shows herself at certain times and when she does it is often just her snow capped peaks – at least from Arusha. Most of the time her 5,895 meters – making her the largest freestanding mountain in the world – is completely covered in cloud for days and even weeks at a time. The locals tell us she is shy. In the rare times she reveals herself, her presence is something like an oil painting – nature’s greatest work of art and true source of pride for the Tanzanian people.

I have never felt compelled to climb a mountain in my life. However, since living in Tanzania the allure of Kili has captured me and a few days ago I made it to her summit.

The experience is something I’m having trouble to put into words. It was breathtaking and truly something to behold. The mountain has several different zones that we traversed through over the seven day Machame route. Scenery varied from lush vegetation of ferns and pines to barren deserts that resembled some post-apocalyptic world, and fields of glaciers and icicles.

It was an experience that allowed you to connect with the earth with every step and to appreciate every breath – particularly in the higher altitudes where air was thin. You got dirty, dusty and become somewhat of a shagalabagla (Swahili for quite simply a mess) but felt revitalised and renewed. It gave you an appreciation for the endurance of the human body that can run on empty and sheer positivity even with an 11pm up hill, high altitude summit hike in the pitch black for a 6.30am sunrise at the peak.

In addition to the simple awe of Mother Nature, the experience was truly made by the people. I was grateful to have Emma, my best friend from high school and Amy, my new friend from my time in Africa to share this experience with. We were joined by another three wonderful team mates and were supported by the most caring, energetic and knowledgeable crew of guides and porters from Gladys Adventures, a female-run local business. Gladys Adventures is also a member of KPAP, the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project which ensures fair treatment and wages for porters who spend weeks or months sometimes back to back going up and down the mountain.

It was also a true privilege to climb in the name of Inherit Your Rights, a women’s empowerment agency I have been working with for the last six months and to take the plight of women’s rights to the roof of Africa.

A day by day break down of the experience is to come but the thrill of the mountain still has me and I just had to share this now.

Tanzania, you never cease to amaze me.