wilderness first responder certification

100% of Thomson Guides Successfully Renewed Wilderness First Responder Course certification

  We’re pleased to announce that all Thomson guides renewed their Wilderness First Responders (WFR) certification during their recent WFR training course! This course is offered by the internationally recognized Sentinel Outdoor Institute. It’s the highest level of safety training available on Kilimanjaro–and for Thomson head and assistant guides, it’s standard policy. Thomson is one…

hiking near kilimanjaro summit

Why Safety Matters on Kilimanjaro

  Climbing Kilimanjaro may be the toughest thing you ever do. Extreme altitude, tough weather and taxing physical demands create a trifecta of challenges that can pose serious health risks to the unprepared. But with smart planning and adequate safety precautions, you can minimize those risks and join the thousands of trekkers who experience the…

lisa and joe at the summit of kilimanjaro

What made Lisa Garruzzo’s Kili Trek so Transformative?

Lisa and her husband Joe at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro Life-changing treks can have a powerful effect on our everyday lives. Thomson trekker Lisa Garruzzo of Go. Own It ®discovered this for herself when she set out to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro in late 2021; she found that the journey to Uhuru Peak became an immutable…

thomson tent on mount kilimanjaro

Things That Won’t Change About Your Kilimanjaro Trek

We can’t wait to welcome you back to Tanzania. Although some things have been adjusted (see our new Standard Operating Procedures), there are some things about trekking Kilimanjaro that won’t change…   How Impressed You are with the Porters Carrying 33 pounds is no easy task to begin with – never mind doing it at…

climbing kilimanjaro with my grandfather

Our New Oldest Summiteer: ‘I’ve been back a week, and I’d go again!’

John with his son and grandsons at the start of the trek   John Thelen is an 82-year-old Southern California native who likes golfing and relaxing with his family. It just so happens he can also summit Africa’s tallest mountain with no problem. “I didn’t seem to have trouble going up!” John told us when…

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