Long overdue Kilimanjaro update...

You know that saying about "the best-laid plans..."

Some months ago, I was all set to climb Kilimanjaro with Destination Tanzania Safaris. They were incredibly informative with all of their timely communications and they had outstanding references. I had planned to climb with a couple from the US on a route that takes longer than other routes and has a camp at 18,500 ft the night before the summit attempt. Unfortunately, the couple canceled and Destination Tanzania Safaris could not offer the trip to just one client. To be cost effective, we needed at least one other person to join me. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful.

I began looking for other companies following a similar route with a group I could join, but it seemed nearly impossible to find treks so early in the season. This is the tail end of the rainy season, and also the tail end of the academic year. Never the less, this is a full moon week. Surely someone wants to go.

I didn't have the time to begin a full search all over again, but I certainly tried. After talking to several Sierra Club friends, I was finally getting comfortable with just winging it. I was going to show up in Moshi, and shop around for a group to join. I'd end up paying a fraction of the prices I as being quoted here in the US, and I'd get up that mountain one way or another.

Late one evening I found an incredible set of Kilimanjaro videos on Youtube. Check out this fantastic website with links to a documentary style account of the Lemosho route: http://www.grundlefly.com/mount_kilimanjaro

I began bouncing around from related video to related video, watching the porters sing the Kilimanjaro song to trekkers on the last day. That's when I got the idea to contact one of the Youtube posters to ask which company they booked with and if they were interested in giving a recommendation.

I only had to contact one to make my decision. Kristy and her boyfriend did the trek in February with Godfrey as their guide. Here is their Kilimanjaro song video that prompted me to contact them:

They were so impressed with the trip and level of care they received. They ended up offering their web design expertise free of charge to develop a website for Godfrey and his company. You can visit it here: www.kilimanjarosunrise.com

Godfrey has one booking assistant in San Diego, and she was very helpful. She even arranged for me to pay for the trip via Paypal which was greatly appreciated because wiring money to a Tanzanian bank account was beyond my comfort level.

The best part: Booking directly (or mostly directly) with the guide has saved me about a grand. Everything is arranged, and I head for Moshi on June 2nd!