Living under the shadow of one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, the majestic Table Mountain, it’s easy to understand how we’ve come to love mountains. They have a way of refreshing your spirit; they make you feel energised, drawing you back for more. Not sure how really, but they do. After a pretty exciting family brainstorming session one evening back in January, we came up with the idea to tackle the world’s highest free-standing mountain. As we thought through and discussed the dream together however, a deep sense of anxiety about whether it could be done seemed to swamp us. Bearing in mind that climbing any mountain is a personal journey that requires each individual to overcome their own physical and mental challenges, this was going to push the boundaries for us and there were serious risks to consider. Sure, getting to the top requires a level of team work, but at the end of the day it’s ultimately your own personality that will determine whether or not you reach your goal or turn your back on your dream.

Not many kids on this planet have reached the highest peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro. We’re a family and families do stuff together, right? If we were going to tackle Kili, we would need to plan to summit when Hannah was legally allowed to do so. Climbing above 3 000 m (9 842 ft) Above Mean Sea Level (AMSL) on Kili is discouraged by the Kilimanjaro National Parks and summiting at any age younger than 10 is illegal. Ok, so to do this thing right we had to aim at summiting on Hannah’s 10th birthday. We researched the idea and discovered that no one had ever actually done that. What would we do without Google? If Hannah was successful, she would become the youngest person to legally summit Africa’s highest peak. She would set a new world record. Game on!

As fortune would have it, we would be able to ‘head for the hills’ during the October school holidays. It did however mean two weeks off school, but hey, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to achieve something extraordinary. It’s quite amazing how things seem to come together when you have a goal and purpose, and you work together to pull out all the stops to make it happen. As we began to prepare we started to see the goal in our mind’s eye like we had already achieved it. Anxiety was soon replaced by the excitement of the adventure. What if we could achieve our goal of summiting Kilimanjaro? More to point; what couldn’t we achieve after that? Our minds started to wander about reaching other summits – the seven other highest continental peaks, perhaps? Scaling the highest peaks of each of the world’s seven continents was surely not out of reach. Ok, let’s keep this real… let’s start with Kili and see how we go.

Although most of the popular routes up Mt Kilimanjaro are not technical climbs that require special climbing gear like ropes, crampons and ice axes, it is the fourth highest peak of the ‘7 summits challenge’ at 5 895 m (19 341 ft) AMSL. The oxygen level at that altitude is less than half of what it is at sea level, where we live in Cape Town. Young lungs and little bodies need to be specially trained for the challenges and changes that take place over the 8 days of the trek. This was not so much a climb we would be preparing for, but a very tough trek up into the sky, that fewer than 30% of the people that attempt it complete, so we had a lot to do before October.

View Track a Climber on Kilimanjaro in a larger map

After nearly 9 months of careful planning and about 6 months of training, we’re finally in Tanzania to climb Mt Kilimanjaro. This adventure is the start of our quest to climb the world’s 7 highest continental peaks and is sure to be a life changing experience for us.

We left Cape Town on Thursday afternoon for the FEAT Talks in Johannesburg which we were super excited about. Nine speakers, most of whom are South African extreme adventurers, gave inspiring short talks about their recent adventures. Although we were already amped for our Kili trip, the Talks inspired us to believe that we really can do this. These adventurers are just ordinary people like you and I that have done extraordinary things. If you missed the live action and you’re keen to hear the Talks for yourself, check out FEAT (www.featsa.co.za). You’ll probably want to get up and start planning something adventurous! A fun adventure can happen close to home on a tight budget, so there really is no excuse. We only get one crack at life so make it happen friends.

Saturday morning started at 03:45am. Not at all a fun time of the day to get out of a comfy bed, all thanks to our good friends and hosts, the Marshalls, but it was time to get going. It was off to OR Tambo International Airport to check in our ‘mountain’ of kit. Luckily we’ve got a bunch of strong mountain men to help us carry our load up the mountain. After a scumptious Kauai breakfast we were finally on our way. The excitement really hit home as we settled into our seats high above the clouds towards East Africa.

It’s great to be able to take on this challenge as a family, and to be able to attempt to summit together is going to be a truly awesome experience. We’ll celebrate 2 birthdays on our climb; on the first day of our trek, mom, Lyzann, turns a very young 39. On summit day Hannah turns 10. If all goes according to plan and God willing, she’ll be the youngest person to receive an official Mt Kilimanjaro Uhuru Peak summit certificate. That dream is just 8 days away.

Our flights took us first to the beautiful island paradise of Zanzibar, off the Tanzanian coast. We’re so grateful to our sponsors, 1Time Airline (www.1Time.aero), who made the trip possible for us. Zanzibar looked absolutely awesome from the air but we didn’t get to stick around for long; we’ll have to wait until the 19th, after our climb, before we can return to start our 3 day island mini-vacation; the just reward for, what will undoubtedly be, a very tough 8 day trek that lies ahead.

From Zanzibar it was off to Dar Es Salaam where we checked through again for our last flight of the day to Kilimanjaro International Airport and the last time Lyzann would have to take her shoes off to get through the metal detectors. On the way home it’s flip flops…

As we approached a dusky Kilimanjaro Airport we got our first glimpse of the mammoth snow capped Kilimanjaro poking out ABOVE the clouds. You could feel the excitement as people hurridly snapped away at the mountain through the tiny aircraft windows before we dropped down into the cloud to land. It is a picture we will never forget.

Our driver, Mwingira, was there to pick us up and whisk us off to our hotel in Arusha, an hour’s drive away. What a stunning drive with the evening silhouette of another big mountain, Mt Meru, in the distance. We checked into our room, grabbed a bite to eat that seemed to take forever to get to our table and it was off to bed for a very weary Team Sole Sisters. The fun and excitement of it all have caught up with us.

We’ll spend the next 2 days based at the Outpost Lodge trying to recover from today’s whipping of our rugger team by the Wallabies, sorting out climb paperwork, exploring the markets of Arusha and just chilling.

We’ll be sharing our Kili experience over the coming weeks. We’d really love to hear from you if you’ve got any questions or comments or just want to say ‘hi’. You’ll need to register on our blog to get chatting.

The trek begins at Londorossi Gate, located in the western base of the mountain, within its lush, fertile rainforest. The route heads across the Shira Plateau, before circling along the southern circuit halfway around the mountain, exposing the climber to great views from all angles. The approach to the summit is made from the north via School Hut, and the descent follows the Mweka trail.

The following gives you a good idea of what’s in store for us each day.

DAY 1 (11th October)

• ›    Londorossi Gate to Forest Camp
• ›    Elevation: 7 800 ft to 9 500 ft (2 377 m to 2 895 m)
• ›    Distance: 6 km
• ›    Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
• ›    Habitat: Rain Forest

We depart Arusha for Londorossi Gate, which takes about 4 hours, where we will complete entry formalities. Then drive to the Lemosho trailhead (another hour to reach the trailhead). Upon arrival at trailhead, we eat lunch, then commence through undisturbed forest which winds to the first camp site.

DAY 2 (12th October)

• ›    Forest Camp to Shira Camp 1
• ›    Elevation: 9 500 ft to 11 500 ft (2 895 m to 3 505 m)
• ›    Distance: 8 km
• ›    Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
• ›    Habitat: Moorland

We continue on the trail leading out of the forest and into a savannah of tall grasses, heather, and volcanic rock draped with lichen beards. As we ascend through the lush rolling hills and cross several streams, we reach the Shira Ridge before dropping gently down to Shira 1 camp. The view of Kibo from across the plateau is amazing.

DAY 3 (13th October)

• ›    Shira Camp 1 to Shira Camp 2
• ›    Elevation: 11 500 ft to 12 500 ft (3 500 m to 3 810 m)
• ›    Distance: 10 km
• ›    Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
• ›    Habitat: Moorland

We explore the Shira plateau for a full day. It is a gentle walk east toward Kibo’s glaciered peak, across the plateau which leads to Shira 2 camp on moorland meadows by a stream. A variety of walks are available on the Plateau making this an excellent acclimatization day. There is the option to visit the ancient collapsed Shira cone, the oldest of Kilimanjaro’s three volcanoes. Shira is one of the highest plateaus on earth.

DAY 4 (14th October)

• ›    Shira Camp 2 to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp
• ›    Elevation: 12 500 ft to 13 000 ft (3 810 m to 3 962 m)
• ›    Distance: 15 km
• ›    Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
• ›    Habitat: Semi Desert

From the Shira Plateau, we continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue, our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower, called the “Shark’s Tooth.” Shortly after the tower, we come to the second junction which brings us up to the Arrow Glacier at an altitude of 16,000ft. We now continue down to the Barranco Hut at an altitude of 13,000ft. Here we rest, enjoy dinner, and overnight. Although we end the day at the same elevation as when you started, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help our bodies prepare for summit day.

DAY 5 (15th October)

• ›    Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
• ›    Elevation: 13 000 ft to 13 100 ft (3 962 m to 3 993 m)
• ›    Distance: 5km
• ›    Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
• ›    Habitat: Alpine Desert

After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge passing the Barranco Wall, to the Karanga Valley campsite. This is a short day meant for acclimatization.

DAY 6 (16th October)

• ›    Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
• ›    Elevation: 13 100 ft to 15 300 ft (3 993 m to 4 663 m)
• ›    Distance: 4 km
• ›    Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
• ›    Habitat: Alpine Desert

After breakfast, we leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are to be seen from this position.

DAY 7 (17th October) – HANNAH’S 10th BIRTHDAY

• ›    Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Hut
• ›    Elevation: 15 300 ft to 19 345 ft and down to 10 000 ft (4 663 m to 5 896 m and down to 3 048 m)
• ›    Distance: 5 km ascent + 12 km descent (17km)
• ›    Hiking Time: 7-8 hours ascent + 4-6 hours descent (11-14 hours)
• ›    Habitat: Arctic

At around midnight, we continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. We head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek.

At Stella Point (18 600 ft / 5 669 m), we will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise we are ever likely to see (weather permitting). From Stella Point, we may encounter snow all the way on your 1 hour ascent to the summit. At Uhuru Peak, we have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. If we’re lucky enough we will see the sunrise from the summit.

From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. Our gaiters and trekking poles are essential here for the loose gravel going down. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.

DAY 8 (18th October)

• ›    Mweka Camp to Moshi
• ›    Elevation: 10 000 ft to 5 400 ft (3 048 m to 1 646 m)
• ›    Distance: 10 km
• ›    Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
• ›    Habitat: Rain Forest

After breakfast, we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive our summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. From the gate, we continue another hour to Mweka Village. Our vehicle will meet us at Mweka village to drive us back to our hotel in Arusha.

If you would like to be involved please contact us

Bobsforgood Foundation

History

Former banker Ron Rutland and former Springbok Captain Bob Skinstad were sick of hearing South Africans complain that the problems in our country were too big for anyone to solve. They decided to take something simple and do their best to help as many people they could, from the ground up. Literally. Bob and Ron stared the Bobs for Good Foundation in 2009, and worked like mad to put little feet into brand new, hardwearing, South African made school shoes. Their paths crossed with Eddels, an award winning, progressive shoe factory. Now, Eddels is Bobs for Good’s sole supplier, and together, we have created the Bobs for Good Safety Shoe, which aims to make children walking to school more visible to cars. Today, Bobs for Good has 2 permanent staff (plus trustees and numerous and awesome supporter and volunteer network), who work to bring about change and get little feet into shoes! We have shod over 25 000 children, and we want to keep on helping these children take steps towards a brighter future. It takes something as simple as a pair of shoes to bring a child hope, pride and dignity, and we’re putting our best foot forward.

Mission

Bobs for Good is dedicated to making sure less little feet are ever dusty, dirty, sore or tired again.

Vision

To provide needy South African children with a pair of quality, leather, locally made school shoes, bringing hope, pride and dignity to themselves, their schools and communities.

The Foundation

When we started Bobs for Good, it was as a social enterprise inspired by the likes of TOMS shoes, where we would sell men’s moccasins and slops on a buy-one-give-one basis, thus raising money for school shoes for underprivileged children in a self-sustainable way. However, we soon realised we where a lot better and more inspired by providing school shoes to children, than selling big ones to adults! Once the work of delivering school shoes started in ernest, people began offering to contribute towards buying school shoes, but without having to buy a pair of moccasins in the process. So, being flexible blokes, we decided to go with the flow and focus on doing whatever we could to increase the positive social impact of our efforts and resources – and that is donating little shoes rather than selling big ones. So, after taking on much positive advice and learning the options available, it was decided that operating as a Trust would be the best way forward. So, after a long procedure, the Bobs for Good Foundation was officially registered as a trust on the 6th of September 2010, and in December 2011 the Foundation officially became a Public Beneficiary Organisation, and it’s stayed that way ever since.

We rely on the donations of big corporations, small companies, and passionate individuals to keep buying and donating shoes to the children who need them most. We don’t however buy into ‘sit back and wait’ attitude, so we’re always getting involved in events and activities, pushing our boundaries and pulling our muscles to raise funds and awareness for Bobs for Good. Because if we don’t get involved ourselves, how can we expect you to?

Email Address: info@bobsforgood.com.

Visit The Bobs for Good Foundation Website