Kilimanjaro: Why Climb with an Expedition Company?
When planning a trek to the Roof of Africa, we don’t doubt that you’ll do your homework comparing routes, prices, operators, and more. If you’ve been digging, it’s more than likely that you’ve noticed a few differences in our Kilimanjaro expeditions compared to others.
So, how do we choose to set ourselves apart from the rest? We are proud to be a true mountaineering guide service rather than simply a trek operator. With a name like Climbing the Seven Summits, it shouldn’t be a surprise that we lead expeditions all over the world. From the summit of Everest to the top of Antarctica, Aconcagua to Denali, our mission is to deploy the best guides and logistics in the world for your safety and success in the high mountains. In addition, we take pride in having a different approach and philosophy when compared to most travel companies. The quality of our hand-picked, global guide staff, our approach to high altitude illness, our acclimatization schedules, our Marginal Gains Philosophy, and our No D*ckheads Policy are just a few of the things that set us apart.
Guide Staff
Our annual Kilimanjaro team departure in December is an excellent example of how CTSS uses our status as a mountaineering guide service to deploy the best guides in the world. Last season, budding mountaineers were guided by world-renowned IFMGA guide Tendi Sherpa. Tendi is widely regarded as one of the most respected guides on Mount Everest and across the entire climbing community. He is also our most sought-after guide in the Himalayas booked years in advance for a summit on Everest. With countless summits on Everest, Manaslu, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, and beyond, he is a prime example of the caliber of guides we bring on our Kilimanjaro expeditions.
In December 2024, our team departure will once again be star-guided, this time by Pega Sherpa, who (much like Tendi) is one of the world’s best Everest and Himalayan guides. With thirteen 8000m expeditions under his belt, including nine Everest expeditions and countless 6000m and 7000m ascents, we are proud to offer up once again the rare opportunity to pick the brains of one of the world’s most sought-after private guides. As one of our clients (and a Seven Summits finisher) recently shared, “Pega is a LEGEND,” and we couldn’t agree more with their feedback.
Regardless of whether you have Himalayan aspirations, we do not doubt that all who climb with our star guides, like Pega and Tendi, will appreciate their skills, patience, and stories from the mountains.
Program Management Team
Whether you’re looking to tackle Kilimanjaro as part of your Seven Summits journey or a singular objective, you will benefit from the expertise of our dedicated Program Management team. From the moment you submit your first inquiry, you will be met with personalized advice and attention from our Program Managers. Unlike other trek operators, we don’t send automated emails about your expedition or push you from person to person within the company when you ask a question.
When you sign up to climb Kilimanjaro, our team offers personalized support to help you prepare and ensure you understand the route, the gear, the training regimen, and all the other logistics that come with flying to Tanzania for a nearly two-week expedition. In addition, as a holistic mountaineering guiding service, we are committed to retaining you as a happy climber. We work with mountaineers over a lifetime of climbing, and we get to know each individual throughout their progression. This means we are deeply invested not only in your safety and success but also in your goals, your learning, your journey, and your satisfaction. A Kilimanjaro-only trek operator only needs your business once, whether you summit or not, get altitude sick or not. It’s our goal that, once you climb with us, you’ll stick with CTSS expedition after expedition.
Our Program Managers look forward to helping you create a path that makes your climbing dreams come true. You won’t get a generalized plan for your mountaineering journey from our team. You get a custom-tailored plan designed for you, your budget, and your timeline, and we will always be ready to answer your questions and provide personalized support rather than become one of the countless faceless online booking platforms.
Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Program
CTSS is a proud Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Program (KPAP) member through the Partner for Responsible Travel Program, a legally registered non-profit supporting the fair and ethical treatment of Kilimanjaro porters, cooks, and mountain guides. We are fully committed to exceeding the expectations outlined by the organization and taking excellent care of our Tanzanian mountain crew.
In choosing us as your Kilimanjaro Responsible Trekking Organization (KRTO), you guarantee that you are doing the most to ensure your porters receive the treatment they deserve. We are monitored independently and objectively by KPAP, and we allow this organization to evaluate the treatment of our porters during all of our climbs. Outside of tracking KRTOs, KPAP also raises public awareness regarding the proper treatment of porters on Kilimanjaro and assists climbing companies with implementing procedures that ensure fair and ethical treatment of their porters.
As a KRTO-certified partner company, we can guarantee the following:
- Socially responsible Kilimanjaro mountain tourism
- Fair and ethical treatment of all mountain crews
- No exploitation and mistreatment of all mountain crews
Check out our recent webinar—Mountaineering 101: Understanding Acclimatization & High-Altitude—to better our philosophy.
Acclimatization Schedule
Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a common concern for trekkers, especially since Kilimanjaro is often a first foray into high-altitude environments and shouldn’t be underestimated. We favor the 7-day Machame Route, which allows for the best views and optimum acclimatization on the mountain, increasing your opportunity for success. We purposely keep a slow acclimatization schedule and climbing pace to allow you plenty of time to acclimatize naturally. Slow and steady wins the race.
Keeping a generous acclimatization schedule on Kilimanjaro is especially important for people under 25 years old who, while incredibly fit, have higher incidences of altitude sickness because they have less cranial space than their older counterparts. Because of caveats like this, we collaborate with some of the industry’s best experts in the field of acclimatization and spend time educating our clients to help them manage altitude safely.
Marginal Gains Philosophy
Our Marginal Gains Philosophy is simple: we capitalize on every little advantage. One percent here and one percent there quickly compounds into a huge overall improvement. People sometimes dismiss these little luxuries as soft, but we invest in them because they are highly strategic.
One of the most critical parts of mountaineering is eating well. Most climbers lose a huge amount of weight when climbing because altitude affects appetite and suppresses hunger. People just don’t “feel” like eating, the very thing they need to do given how much energy the body expends climbing, and even at rest, at altitude! On Kilimanjaro, we ensure your team has a dedicated cook team who prepare fresh, nutritious, and delicious meals that help fuel your body at altitude. No freeze-dried meals or cans of Spam in sight! Our goal is to help you keep your energy, strength, stamina, and happiness high throughout the expedition.
The list of marginal gains could go on and on—but what you need to know is that we’ve spent time engineering our expeditions to make you feel your best so you can focus on climbing at your best.
No D*ckheads Policy
We stand by our No D*ckheads Policy.
Successfully summiting the world’s mightiest peaks requires more than just physical fitness. It demands enormous mental strength, commitment, and, most importantly, deep humility. The “secret sauce” to a great expedition is the people you share it with. It can be the difference between success and failure. Most operators never bother getting to know their clients and will blindly accept anyone who pays the bill, whereas CTSS is selective of both our guide staff and our clients and holds everyone to the same high standards of behavior. Our culture is a huge part of what makes our expeditions so enjoyable, and we love climbing with like-minded people who are assets to their team.
We look for climbers who have humility and respect for the mountains, the environment, your guides, your teammates, and our shared priorities of safety and success (strictly in that order).
Signature Safari + Custom-Luxury Add-Ons
Our 3-day, 2-night signature African safari is a great way to celebrate your success on Mount Kilimanjaro and a perfect time for your friends and family to join you. We have put together a quick, celebratory safari after your climb that shows you the best of Tarangire National Park (renowned for its distinctive landscapes and the most abundant elephant population in Tanzania) and Ngorongoro Crater (a UNESCO World Heritage Site, often called Africa’s Eden), where you will experience some of the most spectacular wildlife and landscapes that Africa has to offer. No trip to Africa is complete without a safari!
If you have something else in mind, our team will plan a customized luxury itinerary that hits all your African-inspired bucket list items! Maybe it’s a hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti or getting up close (but not too personal) with the wild gorillas in Uganda. And don’t forget about our 3-day, 2-night Zanzibar getaway, a great way to unwind and relax in one of the most beautiful parts of the continent. With idyllic swimming beaches, turquoise waters, and beach bonfires by night, daily itineraries tend to be gloriously simple: sunbathe, swim, party, and repeat.
Final Thoughts on Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro is a fantastic climb for beginner and seasoned mountaineers alike because of its accessibility, stunning landscapes, cultural richness, and enjoyability. It offers a non-technical climb, meaning no prior climbing experience or hyper-specialized gear is required. This accessibility makes it an ideal choice for individuals new to high-altitude trekking and mountaineering who are eager to give it a go and take on a significant challenge. If you’re eyeing the Seven Summits or maybe just looking to get a taste of mountaineering, Kilimanjaro deserves a place on your tick list.
If you have any questions that remain unanswered, check out our Kilimanjaro website and drop us an email at info@climbingthesevensummits.com so our team can provide one-to-one support to make your climbing dreams a reality.