Kilimanjaro guides take a holiday between busy Mountain Madness schedule

Ben Mality and climbers on Mt. Kilimanjaro summit Oct. 2010!

Thank you to everyone who has joined us recently on our Mt. Kilimanjaro climbs! Many of you probably met lead guide Ben Mality on your trip. Check out what he's up to on his month off below! For those of you who have not yet had the pleasure of joining us on the slopes of Kili, we have many confirmed trips coming up! Click here to find the trip date that would work best for you!

There are very few months throughout the year when Mt. Kilimanjaro experiences heavy rain or snow, making it available to climb nine months out of the year. During the so-called "short rains" of November, Ben Mality, shared with us what his plans were for his long month away from the mountain.

Ben Mality. David Bates photo

Ben was very excited to spend time at home with his family. On November 20th, Ben attended his wife's graduation ceremony, where she received an advanced diploma in Nursing at KCMC (Christian Medical Center) Hospital, where she studied for three years.

In celebration of her hard work and successful completion of her studies, he is treating her to a vacation to Dar es Salaam, where he will take her to the historic town of Bagamoyo, the original capital of German East Africa. As history is one of Ben's many interests, this voyage will be a particular treat for him as well.

The East and Central African Football Challenge Cup will take place in Dar es Salaam this year during Ben's vacation. He and his wife will join the many African soccer fans excited to see the 13 countries compete, including Ivory Coast and Cameroon. Ben joins millions of people around the world when he says, "I love soccer very much!!!"

Once December rolls around, Ben will be back in Arusha preparing for his December climbs up Kilimanjaro.

Crater near the summit of Kili. Jeffrey Demmon photo

"Ben was a joy to be with and provided our group with the right combination of encouragement and confidence. We had the utmost trust in him." ~ Liz H.

"Ben went above and beyond his role as a guide (which he did superbly) in teaching us about the culture and customs of the region. The entire trip far exceeded any of our expectations. The person who referred us said, 'Once you travel with Mountain Madness, you will never travel with anyone else.' Truer words were never spoken." ~ Nikki G.

Joining Mountain Madness on Mt. Kilimanjaro brings climbers a greater pleasure than the experience of being on the tallest peak in Africa. The guides complete the experience, sharing their stories, offering support and creating new friendships while on the mountain. Call us today to plan your adventure with Ben and our other guides on Kili!