Exceptional in Every Way
When scaling one of the Seven Summits, your safety hinges on the expertise of your Kilimanjaro guide. Thomson guides hold the highest certification on the mountain: Wilderness First Responder (WFR) accreditation through the internationally recognized Sentinel Outdoor Institute. This elite training, combined with 100–200+ summits each, fluency in English and Swahili, and proficiency in using advanced emergency equipment, ensures you’re trekking with the mountain’s most capable team.
Meet Our Guides
Alex John Laizer
Alex John Laizer
About Alex: Alex has been leading guests up Kilimanjaro for more than 15 years and has summited more than 350 times. He holds a certificate in Wildlife Management and Tourism and a diploma in Wilderness First Aid and CPR from the Alvdalen Education Centre in Sweden. He is the current President of the Kilimanjaro Guides Association.
Fun Fact: While in Sweden, Alex also achieved a gold medal in Moving Target Shooting at the Alvdalen Hunting Club.
Alex says: “As a professional guide, I love and care for all animals, but I think the giraffe is my favorite animal. Their loping walk and the way they gallop, their behavior in general, and the fact they spend most of their life standing, even sleeping and giving birth like that.”
Edward Seth
Edward Seth
About Edward: Edward joined our team in 2002 as a mountain porter. He worked his way up, becoming a guide in 2006, and has summited Kilimanjaro more than 150 times.
Favorite Bird/Animal: The white-necked raven; they are very intelligent and completely black except for the beautiful white feather around their neck. “I have to warn guests to be careful, as ravens have been known to take things when you’re not watching!”
Edward says: “Most people think climbing Kili is easy because you walk to the summit, but the mountain requires a lot of determination, motivation, and mental strength. I find there is always something new to learn about Kilimanjaro as to me the beauty and biodiversity are different every time.”
James Upanga
James Upanga
About James: Originally from southern Tanzania, James earned his degree in Wildlife Tourism in 2011. James worked his way up the ranks on our team, beginning as a mountain porter, then evolving to personal porter, assistant guide, and, eventually, head guide.
Fun Fact: James once acted as a priest at the summit when a couple wanted to exchange vows. James joined their hands and pronounced them husband and wife and felt it was a privilege and honor to perform such a holy ceremony for his clients.
James says: “My favorite thing about climbing the mountain is meeting different people from around the world and learning about new cultures.”
Msafiri Munna
Msafiri Munna
About Msafiri: Msafiri, affectionately known as MC, joined our team in 1998 as a mountain porter. He worked his way up, becoming an assistant guide in 2003 and a head guide in 2007. He is a certified Rope Guide (to lead the Western Breach route) and has summited Kilimanjaro more than 250 times.
Fun Fact: Msafiri enjoys climbing other mountains in addition to Kilimanjaro. He has climbed Mt. Meru, Mt. Hanang, and Ol Donyo Lengai in Tanzania and has summited Aconcagua in Argentina.
Msafiri says: “I love to continue learning languages. This is why I love to speak with my mountain guests! I learn from them about the world, economics, and politics.”
Gabriel Rassy
Gabriel Rassy
About Gabriel: Gabriel was born and raised in Arusha. He started as a mountain porter and became an assistant guide in 2003. He received his diploma in Wildlife Management in 2007 and is a certified CAWM and MWEKA guide.
Favorite Bird/Animal: Hartlaub’s Turaco, which is a real conservator on the mountain as it drops big seeds all over the forests. The malachite sunbird is another favorite, since the males’ variable plumage make them so unique.
Gabriel says: “I enjoy staying fit and healthy and although it’s a job, all the outdoors and climbing as much as possible. I never tire of the beautiful mountain scenery and love all the different weather one experiences.”
Bernard Shirima
Bernard Shirima
About Bernard: A native Tanzanian, Bernard was born and raised in the southeastern foothills of Kilimanjaro. He joined our team in 1997 and quickly worked his way up to become an assistant guide, and then a head guide in 1998. As a head guide, Bernard has summited Kilimanjaro more than 250 times.
Fun Fact: One of Bernard’s greatest joys is when clients get their first close-up view of Kilimanjaro and respond with a huge WOW!
Bernard says: “The sound of a tropical boubou always alerts me and makes me realize I am in a unique place, as does the sound of a tree hyrax in the middle of nowhere!”
Polite Mboma
Polite Mboma
About Polite: Polite joined our team as a porter in 2007 and worked his way up to assistant guide and head guide, summiting more than 180 times. He has received a degree in Wildlife Management and in 2017 was a finalist for Guide of the Year awards by the Tanzanian Tourist Board and Kilimanjaro Guides Association.
Fun Fact: During his free time, Polite loves reading American and British novels since he considers it the best way of constantly improving his knowledge of English.
Polite says: “[Guests’ questions] motivate me to keep learning. I want to be able to answer any question they have. I like to shape their experience here and if I am able to provide them with a lot of information then I take pride in that.”
Sam Makala
Sam Makala
About Sam: Sam initially became a mountain porter in 1995 before working with the KINAPA rescue department until 2002. He joined our team as an assistant guide in 2014 and was promoted to head guide in 2017. He is trained in Technical Emergency Action and has summited Kilimanjaro more than 130 times.
Favorite Bird/Animal: Hartlaub’s Turaco, which is very colorful and has a loud but gruff call. Sometimes its call can be mistaken with that of the black and white colobus monkey!
Sam says: “I see places very few get to see and that always encourages me to take photos and makes me think of protecting the environment. Perhaps it’s more of a spiritual than physical experience.”
Pendaeli Lauwo
Pendaeli Lauwo
About Pendaeli: After years working as a porter, then an assistant Kilimanjaro guide, Pendaeli now carries on his family’s tradition as a head guide for Thomson.
Fun Fact: Guiding is more than a career for Pendaeli—it’s in his blood! Pendaeli’s grandfather, Yohana, guided the first successful Kilimanjaro climb in 1889!
Respicius Baitwa
Respicius Baitwa
About Respicius: Respicius has been a guide since 2007 and has led more than 3,500 guests to the summit. He has also served as the President of the Kilimanjaro Guides Association.
Fun Fact: His goal is to be the first Tanzanian to conquer the seven summits. He has already climbed Kilimanjaro (of course!), Elbrus, Aconcagua, Kosciuziko, and Denali. In 2014, he climbed Kilimanjaro with his 9-year-old daughter, making her the youngest African female climber to summit Kilimanjaro.
Respicius says: “From the time of not knowing anything about the mountain, I went to visit my brother who was working on Kilimanjaro and instantly fell in love. I now admire all mountaineers and wish to be one of the true ones.”
William Bwenje
William Bwenje
About William: William is from Southern Tanzania and moved to Arusha in 1998 to become a mountain porter. He joined our team in 2005 as an assistant guide and became a head guide in 2012. William has summited Kilimanjaro more than 200 times and has received a certification in Mountain Guiding.
Favorite Bird/Animal: The eagle. It is a fearless hunter, is tenacious, and has fantastic focus on objects in the distance. It flies high with very little noise and nurtures its young.
William says: “My favorite thing about the mountain is the view, which I never get bored of.”
Godlove Kiwelu
Godlove Kiwelu
About Godlove: Born in Kilimanjaro’s foothills, Godlove has more than 100 professional summits. He lives with his family in Arusha.
Fun Fact: Godlove spent time studying in the United States before returning to Tanzania to be a head guide on Kilimanjaro.