the day it begins

So this is the day we set off on our adventure. Having tried to travel throughout Africa whilst wokring full time for the last 2.5 years this is my biggest adventure to date.

I am eventually excited, or is it nerves.... i look forward to findsing a piece of myself on this trip. We get so caught up in the 9-5 we forget to connect with ourselves and the world.


All we have in mind having grasped regarding the trip to date is the literature we have hunted down, rapidly chased through and gulped down. Below is a review from a girl who completed the climb with our tour operator last year:
We have been back in the real world for just over a week now and although, for most of us, the experience still seems so unreal, we still stop in the passage and chat about it at every opportunity. One of the discussions was regarding all the Swahili words that the team learned. Someone asked why we did not know the word for “PLEASE”. This question came as quite a surprise but the reality was that it is because we never had to ask for anything, very little anyway. This was our experience from beginning to end with this project. We do however know the word “ASANTE” which is thank you – very well. So, asante to you and Crystal and everyone from Zara for all your help with arranging this trip. Your advice and volumes of information proved to be invaluable. Also, the arrangements for the trip, was absolutely flawless. The Zara staff were so friendly and made all us feel at home very quickly. Whenever anyone travels in Africa, it is always with an expectation that something will go wrong, well, very little did. The problem with the lost luggage was solved miraculously to the point that it had already reached Machame Hut before we even knew it had been found. Thank you for your assistance to the team with all the kit, and all the advice on how we should use it.

As for the guides, Mudi, Amishi, Lamick & Gerard, we all know that we would not have achieved this goal without them. Good leadership give people confidence to tackle the unknown and Mudi’s leadership was faultless. Everyday, it was easy to just get into line and start walking without worrying about the unknown because we knew with confidence that the person in the lead knew what he was doing. It was very clear that all 4 of them are passionate about Kilimanjaro and love working with people. They built relationships with each of us and were very willing to help us as we faced our individual challenges every day. Some of our team members did get very sick along the way and their understanding and ability to adjust the pace to accommodate this, was much appreciated. The team that Mudi put together was amazing – from the friendliness of the chefs when they brought us early morning coffee in our tents to the poor guy that had to clean the portable toilet. We were amazed by the quality of the food, right to the top of the mountain and appreciated the fact that we could sit at a table with flowers on (even if they were plastic) to enjoy our evening meal. Everyday we were amazed at all the porters that we saw, what they were carrying and their level of fitness.

Some comments from the team members:

Our trip was superbly organised through Thomas and his team. Thomas answered all our pre-trip questions and his advice regarding equipment and clothing was very valuable. Once in Tanzania, our guide, Mudy, and his assistant guides, Amishi and Lamick, together with Gerard were truly amazing. They looked after us so well from the moment we met them in Moshi. They guided us daily while we walked the trail and answered our myriad of questions about what to expect, what to wear, cell phone reception etc. They also took a genuine interest in us as people which was super. The porters were cheerful, kind and friendly and amazing to watch as they glided past us every day, at pace. The food was very good the entire time and the surprise porta-potty made the whole experience so much more pleasant. We owe our summit experience to all the guides, but especially to Lamick, who undertook on the very first day to get us to the top. We are truly very grateful that he was there supporting and encouraging us all the way. Once safely back in Moshi, Mudy very kindly accompanied us on a shopping trip to town and we really appreciated the fact that he was prepared to give up his time to show us around. (Rob & Justine)

Thomas: Very good information – he knows his stuff and if you follow what he advises, then you have a very good chance of making it to the top. I want to do Kili again next year and I would use him again.
Mudy: AWESOME guy. Friendly, gets to know a person very quickly and a good judge of character and person. Always up for a joke, but when ‘crunch’ time comes (night before final assent), then he is serious and gives proper and confident information. Has a great team around him. They all know what and how to do things. Speaking English for some of them can be a challenge sometimes, but I am sure this will improve over time. (Jonathan & Petrune’)

From Thomas, as a non-hiker, obtaining technical assistance as to gear required and training needed, it helped me to put my mind at ease and be able to prepare mentally for the adventure. Without Mudi, I don’t think I would have managed to summit. I was amazed at his patience and kind encouragement. As for the assistant guides, each one made me smile every day, each one helped me and encouraged me. I would recommend Maynardo & Zara Tours to anyone. Thinking back, it was a very positive & enjoyable experience with you. (Christina)

Thomas: A well organized trip, with very few hiccups. I definitely will be using Maynardo for any future adventures!
Mudy and the team: I am amazed at the patience of Mudy and his team. There were a few days (especially summit night) when I had little motivation to continue. But the faith and perseverance they demonstrated in me, made it impossible not to continue. The success of my journey squarely lies on their broad shoulders. Thanks! (Zaida)

All our lives have been changed to some extent, some have more questions now and some have answers for questions we had before we left. For all of us though, the change was and is positive and although no rand value can be put on the positivity brought into our lives through this experience, we know that, speaking in financial terms, there are not very many products on the market where the return on investment can compete with that of this experience.