Africa’s Rooftop

I never could have anticipated all that my African adventure would prove to be.

The trip forever changed me, led me to a new level of enlightenment and enlarged my sense of gratitude for my good, comfortable and fulfilling life.

From the moment I landed in Tanzania, I sensed that Africa was going to provide spectacularly new and unfamiliar experiences.

Our trip included nine days dedicated to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Known as the “Roof of Africa,” it is the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. In addition, we would devote five days to visiting the southern Serengeti plains and Ngorongoro Crater. Our adventures were organized by Endeavor Expeditions and safari expeditions by Wander Africa.   

Mount Kilimanjaro is the most attempted — and most failed — of the worldwide Seven Summits. Though not as technically challenging as Mount Everest or Mount Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro’s elevation, cold temperatures and occasional high winds make it difficult.

On Day 1, the group enjoyed views of the lush jungle environment, one of five biospheres across Mount Kilimanjaro. Photo by Chandler Williams / modusphotography.com

We spent two days getting our bearings at the Legendary Lodge, a lush oasis located on a working coffee plantation in the foothills leading to Mount Meru. I could easily have lazed longer, but the time soon came for us to board transportation to Kilimanjaro. We would be joined by a Dream Team made up of four guides, 34 porters and two cooks.

The team members’ badly worn clothing scarcely qualified as proper hiking attire. It impressed me as no match for the weather and terrain we were about to encounter. Still, the team beamed with joy, excited to take a new group of visitors on a journey of a lifetime.

The supremely conditioned porters carry (atop their heads) three times the weight that visitors do and at three times the speed. The Dream Team set up our tents each day, prepared meals and constantly asked how they might otherwise serve us. We learned to thank them in Swahili for their kindness.

A 40-member crew of Tanzanian workers made up the expedition’s Dream Team. Lead guide August Joseph Ngowi summited the mountain for his 511th time during the January trek. Photo by Chandler Williams / modusphotography.com

To scale the mountain, we took the Lemosho Northern Route, which covers approximately 60 miles in summiting the Uhuru Peak (19,341 feet) and descending to the Mweka gate. Among possible routes, it is the one that affords climbers the highest level of safety, an opportunity to acclimate to elevation gradually and the greatest likelihood of success. Along the way, climbers encircle the entire mountain.

The going wasn’t easy. We experienced nasty weather, altitude symptoms, and other illnesses and challenges. But we were buoyed by the Dream Team’s support and resilience, along with the leadership of Endeavor Expeditions’ co-founders Kristi “Momma Yoga” Sumpter and husband Jim Sumpter.

Jim has 25-plus years of expedition experience across four continents. In the Army, he led elite recon teams on foreign deployments. As a civilian, he’s achieved wilderness instructor certification from the Professional Association of Wilderness Guides and Instructors (PAWGI). Kristi is a 500-hour certified International Yoga instructor. I was especially humbled to meet our lead guide, August Joseph Ngowi; our trip was his 511th to the mountaintop.

Mount Kilimanjaro is so high and vast that it creates unpredictable weather patterns. The peak is nicknamed Chameleon Kili given the rapidity with which conditions can change from heat to cold, wind, mist, rain and snow. No two days are the same as one proceeds through five biospheres: bushland/jungle, rainforest, heather/moorland, alpine desert and arctic.

The skies over Mount Kilimanjaro proved unpredictable during the journey. Here, a rare clear night produced impressive views of the Milky Way. Photo by Chandler Williams / modusphotography.com

Typically, Kilimanjaro has two rainy seasons, one in March through May, and the other around November. So, when the rain began to fall on Day 2 of our trek in January, we assumed it wouldn’t last long. Like a lot of assumptions, this one was bad. 

We were equipped with only two sets of clothes and should have donned our foul-weather gear as soon as the rain started. We would learn that clothes don’t dry at altitude.

The rain would continue with few interruptions for six days. We elected to wear our clammy clothing until summit day when we were sure to experience the harshest conditions and weather of the trip.

On the evening of Day 5, several people developed nausea and diarrhea. I had skipped eating most of the day due to other gut issues I was having. Because I hadn’t become nauseous, we concluded that the meals that I passed on were to blame for others’ illness. Oops, another bad assumption.

The following morning, we began the rigorous ascent to base camp at 15,000 feet. I had a queasy feeling in my stomach and realized that food had nothing to do with it. The truth is that the meals served during our expedition — fresh produce, meat and starches — were incredible.

Photographer Chandler Williams (left) joined Emerald Coast Magazine associate publisher McKenzie Burleigh (left center) and Endeavor Expeditions’ founders Jim and Kristi Sumpter (right) on the Kilimanjaro trip. Williams documented the trip as part of his work with Endeavor’s nonprofit organization. Photo by Chandler Williams / modusphotography.com

A guide called Lightness carried my bag while I focused on getting up the mountain baggage-free. Then Chandler Williams, a photographer on the trek, toted stuff so I could quickly get to my drinking water after taking urgent bathroom breaks. Sumpter escorted us over the final miles of the day at double speed, ensuring that we arrived at camp as quickly as possible.

The compassion and unselfishness demonstrated by everyone on the trip was inspirational. Sumpter had promised us that we would reach a personal summit in addition to the literal one, and I was beginning to understand what he meant.

As we reached Kibo Camp on Day 7, the rain turned to sleet and snow. The camp resembled a moonscape and was bitterly cold, but we were warmed knowing that our push to the summit would begin in a few hours. I needed calories and struggled to eat some white bread.

At 10 p.m., I packed my gear and put on clean, dry clothes. Snow blanketed the ground, but the skies were clear. Gazing at the Milky Way, I knew the universe would provide us with everything we needed to complete our mission.

We began our assent at midnight with headlamps on. Our guides broke out in song, and chants kept us going.

Guide: “One dream!”

Group: “One team!”

Guide: “One team!”

Group: “One dream!”

Guide: “Don’t stop!”

Group: “Until the top!”

The sun was rising as we neared the first of three peaks, Gilman’s Point (18,652 feet). Now above the clouds, I was freed of all sea-level worries and felt confident that I was looked after by the spirit in my soul.

Burleigh and the group spent an afternoon visiting the Maasai people. Historically known for their reputation as fearsome warriors and cattle rustlers, the traditionally nomadic tribe is the only tribe allowed to inhabit Ngorongoro Crater National Park. Photo by Godwin Magembe

About an hour later, we reached Stella’s Point (18,885 feet), and from there it was on to the tallest peak, Uhuru, which means “freedom” in English. Once we reached it, we celebrated our monumental achievement on top of the world. We had to be brief at that altitude as we could feel our bodies breaking down, and the intensity of that feeling increased with each second. I had been so focused on my every step that I forgot that a 10–12 hour trek back to camp awaited us.

The descent was grueling. We had exhausted our adrenaline during our final ascent and were coming off an emotional high. Getting back to camp was a matter of force of will. When we arrived there, I could barely form words.

The next morning, however, I felt great. The virus was gone, I was rested and I ate my first meal in three days without an issue. Separating from the Dream Team was hard. We thanked every porter and guide by name and gave them personal notes, tips and donations of gear. These mountain warriors had changed our lives.

In addition, an announcement was made about the formation by the Sumpters of a new nonprofit, Kids of Kilimanjaro, which is devoted to raising funds for the education of the children of porters and guides. Endeavor Expeditions’ founders believe that tourism should benefit communities as well as profoundly affect visitors.

Bodies worn and tired, arrival to Uhuru Peak on the morning of Day 8 brought adrenaline-filled joy to the hikers. A 12-hour trek back to camp awaited them. Photo by McKenzie Burleigh

Dream Team members cheered and spontaneously began dancing in response to the news. I was among trekkers who pledged to sponsor one or more benefiting children. Doing so will help us maintain our connection with Africa. 

Next, we set off on safari. Wander Africa provides some of the most exclusive and luxurious safari experiences available. After nine showerless days spent conquering fears and a mountain, we were ready to be pampered.

At Sanctuary Serengeti Camp in Kichakani, we did not camp. We glamped. Spacious, luxurious tents were equipped with power and running water. The service was impeccable and included wake-up calls, five-star dining and turndown service. The staff was delightful and highly knowledgeable.

Mohomed, our butler, treated us like family. Our guide Emanual taught us how to track animals while leading us to encounters with giraffes, elephants, zebras, wildebeests, lions, cheetahs, cape buffalo, hippos and more.

Photo by Chandler Williams / modusphotography.com

After three magical days in the Serengeti, we flew to Karutu, where we were greeted by Godwin, a guide who would introduce us to the Ngorongoro Crater. We stayed at the stunning Gibbs Farm, an eco-lodge that rejuvenates mind, body and soul. It sits on 45-plus acres of farmland, gardens and a working coffee plantation. Fully 85% of the food we enjoyed was sourced from the lodge property.

We participated in daily yoga sessions on a veranda, and one morning, I heard a chorus of roaring elephants and experienced a primal connection to Planet Earth.

At the Ngorongoro Crater, we closely approached wildlife species, many of which were caring for young. To the list of animals we saw on the Serengeti, we added black rhinos, warthogs, flamingos and serval cats. Housing as many species as it does, the crater is like a Noah’s Ark.

While visiting the crater, we had the unique opportunity to spend time immersed in a Maasai village called Boma. While being respectful of the villagers’ traditional way of life and dignity, we participated in rituals and visited their schoolhouse. Like their dirt-floor houses, it is built with branch arches covered with layers of soil, urine and cow dung. The school was filled with bright young students learning English in a class led by a child.

With help from safari organizers Wander Africa and the local Maasai people, Jim surprised then fiance Kristi with a Maasai wedding blessing held at Lake Manyara. The couple dressed in traditional ceremonial wraps for sanctioning and blessing by the tribe’s elder. Photo by Chandler Williams / modusphotography.com

Much of Africa remains pristine, and people live simply. While lacking finer things, they are authentically joyful and appreciative. There is love in all that they do.

Africa captured my heart. I am already planning my next visit.

Indelible Memories

Travelers who conquered Mount Kilimanjaro and immersed themselves in the natural world of the Serengeti Plain were humbled, inspired, challenged and changed by transformative adventures.

Adam Faatz

Conservation Geophysicist, Age 36, Hawthorne, New Jersey

“The trip taught me patience and how to slow down and was a stark reminder of how blessed we are, and how the things I sometimes take for granted could be taken away in a second. I was reminded, too, that if you want to accomplish something great, you need to surround yourself with like-minded, supportive people who make you remember that no one can take on life’s challenges alone.”

Chandler Williams

Photographer and Entrepreneur, Age 43, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

“The trip to Africa helped me truly reconnect with my passion for photography.”

Kelly Wilson Hill

Broker-Associate, Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty, Age 66, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

“Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, going on safari on the southern Serengeti at a private game reserve and visiting Rwanda to see mountain gorillas and golden monkeys were experiences of a lifetime. The climb pushed all boundaries — physical, mental and spiritual — each day. I felt exceptional growth after living on the mountain at altitude for nine days. The safari was incredible, especially connecting with a nomadic tribe. Sitting with gorillas on a Rwandan mountainside capped it all off!”

Mandy Cooper

Real Estate Agent, Age 47, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

“I decided to take this trip after a particularly hard year in my life. I needed to redefine myself while doing some soul-searching. It was hands down the hardest and most rewarding thing I have ever done. I came away from that beautiful mountain and her beautiful people with a newfound resilience but also a new sense of calm. It was truly a life-changing experience, and I’ll be forever grateful.”

Nancy Sumpter Follett

Retired, Age 61, Ridgefield, Connecticut

“The magic of the mountain, porters and fellow hikers filled me with a calmness and an awe that I will treasure inside of me forever.”

Sally K. Agnoletto

Anesthetist, Agnoletto Anesthesia LLC, Age 65, Gypsum, Colorado

“My ego peeled away like an onion, and I left it on Mount Kilimanjaro after gaining a new sense of peace and presence from this incredible experience of a lifetime.”

Xeomy Frayle

Data Processor, Age 50, Miramar Beach, Florida

“It was truly one of the most amazing experiences of my life which I will forever cherish.”

Photos by Chandler Williams / modusphotography.com

Want to Go?

Outfitters/Guides

Endeavor Expeditions
Guided adventures with immersive and impactful experiences.
endeavorexpeditions.com

Wander Africa
Explore authentic Africa through curated, luxurious and exclusive safari adventures.
wanderafrica.com

Clothing/Gear

ThruDark
Offers rigorously tested performance outerwear, coats and rain gear along with base layers.
us.thrudark.com

Giving Back

Kids of Kilimanjaro
Endeavor Expeditions’ founders Jim and Kristi Sumpter have established a new nonprofit, Kids of Kilimanjaro. The organization will supply scholarship funds to the children of the Mount Kilimanjaro guides and porters. The nonprofit believes that area tourism should benefit the Tanzanian people.
To learn more and to pledge sponsorship, visit kidsofkili.com.

Kids of Kilimanjaro

The nonprofit Kids of Kilimanjaro organization in Tanzania is dedicated to providing tuition assistance to students of the families of the Kilimanjaro communities who lack the financial means to pursue education. Through fundraising efforts and community partnerships, the organization ensures that deserving students have access to quality education without financial barriers.

By offering direct tuition payments, the nonprofit aims to empower Tanzanian youth with the skills and knowledge necessary for a brighter future.

Through its commitment to education, Kids of Kilimanjaro seeks to uplift communities and contribute to the socioeconomic development of Tanzania. By investing in education, the organization envisions a society where every child has the tools and resources to thrive and contribute positively to their community and beyond. Ultimately, the vision is to create a more equitable and prosperous Tanzania through the transformative power of education.

To learn more and to pledge sponsorship, visit kidsofkili.com.