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We all like challenges, right?

Well, what if you were given a unique challenge - something you might never normally do. The chance to climb the World’s tallest freestanding mountain, the tallest mountain in Africa, and one of the seven summits?

Would you do it? Well, I did, and so did 15 of my friends.

Welcome to Mount Kilimanjaro. 

After two days of flying, we arrived in Moshi, a small village at the base of the Mountain - but still large enough to host an International Airport. Our guide Abdul picked us up and prepared us for the climb, he is an expert on the mountain and has climbed hundreds of times.

We hit the mountain early the next day, we’re headed up the Marangu Route (also known as the Coca Cola Route, because yes, even Coca Cola can make it to the top).

From the moment you step foot on the mountain you are hiking through a rainforest, the first of five climatic zones that you experience. It’s about 5-7 hours of hiking each day from camp to camp, but it goes fast - especially when you take time to talk with your guides, who all have incredible stories to share. For a group of 16 of us, we had 40 crew members and 10 guides on our team - and they all had incredible stories to share.

You arrive at camp each day before sunset, settle in, and count down the minutes to dinner - trust me, you’re starving.

The food on the mountain is superb, warm soups, diverse vegetables, plenty of carbs, and even some meat (although most of your protein you will get from beans).

Every morning you wake up to hot tea, warm wash basins, a delicious breakfast, and a choir. To help climbers reach the top, the entire crew sings songs of encouragement before you set off each day. It’s incredible.

Day 2 and 3 are similar to the first, except you are hiking through completely different landscapes, Heather, Moorland, and Alpine Desert. As you get higher and higher up it becomes harder and harder to breathe, as the oxygen in the air gets thinner. It’s easy to let this distract you, but don’t - keep your eye out for the small things - like the Chameleons that are all along the route.

When you arrive at Base Camp (Kibo Huts) that’s when the altitude really kicks in. Acute Mountain Sickness (or AMS) is a real thing, hope for the best but prepare for the worst. It’s normal to feel tired, have a slight headache, and even lose your appetite. 

The Summit Day is brutal, but worth it.

You wake up at midnight to traverse up the side of the volcano in time for sunrise at Gilman’s peak (a 6-hour climb). I took the climb literally one step at a time, and in between each step was a much-needed gasp for air.

The entire climb the crew is right there by your side cheering you on, encouraging you, and doing everything they can do to help you reach the top. And surprisingly, most people do.

There are three summits at the top, Gilmans, Stellas, and Uhuru - and despite all the hiccups along the way, all of us made it to the top, and 15 made it all the way to Uhuru.

Kilimanjaro is no easy climb, you face extreme tiredness, nausea, pounding headaches, and more… but when you reach the top and see the smiles on the faces of the people around you - it’s worth it.

The Mountain doesn’t change you, the people do.

Grab your backpack, let’s go explore.

Join me on my next climb up Mount Kilimanjaro, and summit the world’s largest freestanding mountain for yourself!