Hospitality on Africa’s Highest Peak – Mount Kilimanjaro
“Hakuna Matata”, the first phrase our guide said on the evening prior to our starting day. As we all know from Timone and Pumba in the Lion King, it is a commonly used phrase in Swahili meaning “no worries” or “everything is okay”. This was the beginning of a 6-day guest experience that I will never forget.
In preparation for ascending Africa’s highest mountain (5,895m), most people think about the weather, their level of fitness and the notorious altitude sickness. Having just graduated from a Swiss Hospitality school, I was trying to imagine the camp, food and beverages, hygiene, sleep quality and general comfort. My expectations were very low, due to the fact we were sleeping in tents with no shower facilities and had no ability to communicate with the outside world from such a remote place. Little spoiler alert, it was true luxury.
The first day finally arrived, and we met the full team at the Machame gate, one of the several entrances to the Kilimanjaro National park. Each member of the team had a defined role for the climb given by the lead guide, such as chef, dish washer, tent builder, waiter, and housekeeper. Together as a team, they made sure we had everything we needed to make it to the top. The walk was filled with anticipation as I didn’t know what to expect on arrival to the camp for the first time.
A difficult walk in a steep dense rainforest, where everything looks the same, made it is easy to question the reasons I was there. But right before these questions appeared, I heard a song from the front of our group with a very catchy tune. It was the Kilimanjaro song. The purpose is to motivate you and celebrate your achievements. It brings a smile to your face and distracts you from the difficulties.
After four hours walk (of which three we were singing) in the rainforest and 1,200 meters of elevation, we arrived to Machame campsite, and it was time for check-in. I signed my name with the campsite ranger and headed towards our camp. ‘Finally, I can see the “room” I am going to sleep in this week’, I was thinking to myself. Our camp consisted of three sleeping tents, a main dining tent and portable toilets. Each pair had a tent with two mattresses and two sleeping bags that were set up for you by the tent builder and housekeeper before your arrival. The dining room was in a bigger tent where one side was the dining area and behind a separation was the kitchen.
After organising my personal belongings in the sleeping tent, we were asked to come to the dining area where we found a table and chairs, hot water, tea, coffee and some freshly made popcorn as an aperitif. On tonight’s menu, chopped avocado and vegetables with cocktail sauce as a starter, and chicken schnitzel with boiled potatoes and vegetables as the main dish. Darkness fell just before we finished dinner and I couldn’t ignore the magnificent sky full of stars on my way to bed, falling asleep to the thoughts of how privileged I was to be there.
“Good morning, tea or coffee?” was the first sound I heard on the next morning. Before even rubbing my eyes, I was having a coffee in my sleeping bag on the Kilimanjaro. Ten minutes later it was “washy washy” time, a bowl of hot water, some soap and a little towel to freshen up and get ready for the day. Breakfast was served in the dinning tent, but we all moved outside to eat and warm up in the sun. By the time we got to the second camp the team had dismantled the first, passed us running with all the equipment and gear and set up ready for us on arrival. (and I thought that I was walking fast).
The next day’s breakfast was set up outside the tent after they noticed we enjoyed basking in the morning sun the previous day. Small details such as this were never missed.
This is what I call “breakfast with a view!”
The chef was creating fabulous dishes such as pepper steak with potato chips, spaghetti bolognese without forgetting the parmesan, and even fish dishes. Freshly cut fruit such as watermelons, bananas and melons were served for dessert, making all of us wonder “who carried it all the way up here?”
Euphoria, thrill, happiness, pride - was what I felt standing on the top of Africa. My body endured the long trek, but my mind wouldn’t have the determination without the mountain’s hospitality. The team cheered and sang to us on our return to the base camp from the summit, which made the achievement even more exciting. The personal touches and small luxuries we received made our journey of climbing one of the worlds highest peaks a comfortable experience. I had bonded with and been helped by those who had grown up in the shadow of this mountain, which was an incredible privilege and what has stayed with me till today.
The Kilimanjaro requires fitness and stamina, but it is really all about human interaction and hospitality.
Hakuna Matata.
Author: Yonathan Shenkar
Mountains hold a special place in my heart. I was born in Switzerland and caught the climbing bug from my grandfather, who has summited most of the Alps and received a gold medal from the Swiss Alpine club for his achievements. Unsurprisingly, he took me along from the moment I was able to walk. Walks and climbs involved staying in different mountain huts or hotels, and this is where my passion for hospitality was created. From that point, the obvious journey for me was to obtain a Bachelor in International Hospitality Management. Today I am an analyst supporting the asset management of a 36 hotel portfolio at Hamilton Hotel Partners.