“Pole, pole” is something you’ll hear often on Mt. Kilimanjaro. It’s Swahili for “slowly, slowly,” and it’s a reminder to slow down, trek carefully and rely on smaller steps as you ascend to Uhuru Peak, all the way up at 19,341’. One way to deliberately trek “pole, pole” is to use the rest step, also…
When you’re trying to pack Kilimanjaro gear that keeps your duffle bag under the required 33-pound limit, do you really need gaiters? Nasal decongestant? A nail brush? Everything you see on our expert-curated Kilimanjaro packing list is there for a specific reason. Don’t just take our word for it! We asked our trekking guests on…
Love was in the air (19,341’ in the air, that is) for Thomson trekkers Leigh and Tommy, who recently got engaged at Mt. Kilimanjaro’s Uhuru Peak! Calling the moment “surreal,” Leigh said it was the perfect culmination of a week of trekking: she had a ring, a fiancé, and views of the Tanzanian plains stretching…
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…
Sweet, juicy and a little bit boozy, this Pineapple Romanoff is an easy and luscious dessert that comes from the Thomson kitchens on Mt. Kilimanjaro. The dish is defined by presentation: pineapple served out of pineapple provides a fun, tropical feeling wherever you’re eating it–whether that’s your living room or at camp, just after…
When it came to food on Mt. Kilimanjaro, Elda Martinez had high expectations. She runs the food blog Elda Eats and trekked Mt. Kilimanjaro on Thomson’s Western Approach in July. We caught up with her to talk all things food on Kili–variety, calories, drinks and more. The following interview has been edited for concision and…
August, 2021 Dear Travelers, When one million vaccine doses arrived in Tanzania in early August, we literally wept tears of joy – and Thomson guides and staff got in line immediately. It’s inspiring to see these front-line workers doing their part for their health, the safety of their communities and the well-being of visitors like…
After a life-saving liver transplant in 2017, Peter Matthews set a lofty recovery goal: trek Mt. Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest free-standing mountain. It took years of training and fortitude, but he finally set out to achieve this in 2021, when his trek to Kili’s Uhuru Peak began. Here is Peter’s incredible story of recovery, growth…
Fundamental, humble and powerful: the aerobic step is an essential and oft overlooked tool when you’re training for Kilimanjaro. It helps you build your endurance muscles in preparation for the thousands and thousands of steps you’ll take in your quest for Uhuru Peak. Our partners at Fit For Trips help us explain why this move…
Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro was a lifelong goal for Marine veteran and Las Vegas police officer Andy Williams – and what better way to celebrate his retirement than by reaching that lofty peak? After 26 years in his career, Andy took the first step towards Uhuru Peak in February 2021. For him, it was an emotional,…
