Why Alpinistas Collective is Going to Tanzania with an All-female Team of Guides and Participants to Hike to the Top of Kilimanjaro.
Kilimanjaro is on plenty of bucket lists - it combines the excitement of traveling to a unique culture and landscape with the accomplishment of ticking off one of the “7 Summits” and spending a beautiful week on the slopes of a mountain. It’s certainly been on OUR lists for quite awhile.
Tanzania was, oddly enough, the first country I ever visited outside the United States. In college, we had the opportunity to spend each January studying abroad. I wanted to go to the wildest, most unique, and exciting place I could find. Tanzania met the criteria.
From the minute you land, you’ll notice that the air just feels different. You’ve arrived at the equator, in a country with such diverse ecosystems as the saharan drylands and high alpine mountains. The tropical climate typical of Tanzania may feel mild when you land in Arusha, set at 4,593 feet above sea level. This is where your journey begins, on the foothills of Kilimanjaro.
One of the first things that will strike you is the red of the soil set against the bright green of the tropical foliage. This really is a land of contrasts in every regard - the equatorial sun may be heating you from the inside out one moment, and within a few more minutes the clouds may roll in for a tropical storm.
You’ll also immediately notice how friendly the locals are. During my month in Tanzania, everyone that I met was incredibly warm and welcoming, eager to meet and learn about a new person from a distant country. Families opened their homes and shared their food with me without hesitation, and I appreciated the generous hospitality.
But, let’s get back on topic - why are we going back to Tanzania with an all-female team of guides and participants to hike to the top of Kilimanjaro?
Kilimanjaro is a presence from the time you land in Arusha. It dominates the skyline for many miles around, not only because it stands at an impressive 19,341 feet, but also because it’s the largest free standing mountain rise in the world. Hiking up its slopes will take you through a variety of ecosystems, and give you the opportunity to trek up a mountain in the style of an expedition. While this hike is no easy feat, it’s a great first big mountain for those looking to get experience at altitude and with expedition-style travel.
Because of my love of Tanzania’s vibrant landscapes and culture, I felt that it was a perfect place for an Alpinistas Collective expedition. But - one of our core values is to empower women. I didn’t want to just have a trip with women clients and male guides.
That’s when I found Glory. After some intensive Google searching, I found an Alpinist Magazine article from 2018 talking about her and her guiding organization, Tanzanian Women Guides Foundation. I continued my research, and found that Glory has not only summited Kilimanjaro over 200 times, but that she educates and trains the next generation of female guides, and works hard to hire as many female porters as possible to break down the barriers for women in Tanzania who want to make a living in the mountains. I contacted her right away, excited for our potential partnership. As it turns out, Glory and her team were excited to hear from us and work with us as well.
Our mission at the Alpinistas Collective is to educate and empower women in outdoor spaces. Getting into outdoor sports can seem intimidating - and it can feel discouraging to only learn under the tutelage of male guides. Our all-female Kilimanjaro climb is an opportunity to climb with and learn from highly knowledgeable female guides, and experience the wonderful camaraderie of climbing with women partners.
When you sign up for the Alpinistas Collective Kilimanjaro Climb, you get a lot more than just a trip. On every trip we provide a USA-based trip host that will accompany you on the entire adventure. For the months leading up to the climb, you’ll get access to an online community to meet your climbing partners and your trip host. We’ll hold online Q&A sessions, give you packing lists, and help you with all of your travel logistics. We’ll also give you access to great gear discounts at the Alpinistas store, in case you need any gear for your trip. We really support you from the moment you book your adventure!
We are offering our Women’s Kilimanjaro Climb at a discounted rate until September 1 (coming up soon!). This is the opportunity of a lifetime to visit an incredible country, climb a bucket-list peak, and do it all with an amazing group of women.
Interested in going to Kilimanjaro? Head over to the Kili page or Contact us for details!