Small-group 7-day Lemosho Route Kilimanjaro Climb from Arusha

It was the second day down from UHURU Peak in Kilimanjaro, and my calf was still sore but fuller than ever. This time it was Kilimanjaro's famous lemoshu route, a seven-day, six-night climb, and Meru Slopes guides Julius and John, two young men no older than twenty-five and twenty-three - that accompanied me through the journey and took me into a more real world. In the mountain days, the pace was slow. Julius always laughed and said to me: “Pole Pole” (Take your time). Living in Zhejiang, accustomed to an efficient lifestyle where everything in the city is about to happen, we are accustomed to putting everything ahead of time. But on this mountain, 5,895 metres above sea level, I came to understand the wisdom of that phrase. Instead of pressing, the guides patiently paced "so fast so good?" and gently reminded me, "slow down, catch a breath" when I wanted to speed up. They remember all my little habits: knowing that I needed to signal my family, they offered to take me to the Internet every time I went to a new camp; knowing that I liked potatoes and that my food was being adjusted every day; seeing my backpack struggle uphill, they would whisper to me if I needed help sharing; and every time I went to a place where the scenery was great, Julius would remind me to hold up my camera and detail what was unique about each plant or natural landscape. And young John, somewhat "silent" compared to Julius, always walked half a step behind me, like a silent protective barrier. Looking at them, I remembered the article I read in Little Red Books about Philbert the guide. The author wrote that it was only after going downhill that it became clear that the guides' tents were all rented and that “everyone has his own way of living, except for the Altezza kind of earthy company”. What about Julius and John I met? They carry heavy communal gear, but still wake us each morning with the brightest smile, pointing to the dead leaves of the millennium wood to tell us that a layer of leaves represents a yearling, and pointing out with childlike excitement the rock sheep on the far cliffs. On the steep Baranco Wall, I saw a backman fall overboard from a heavy load. Some of his luggage was shared silently by his companions, and after a simple treatment he stood up and moved on. I was sore watching them in flattened big soles, rubberized board shoes, hiking shoes and even thongs. How much of what we hikers pay will really be left in the hands of those who shoulder the entire mountaineering industry? Once down the hill, I over-tipped and gave the ex330, which had accompanied me for 400km, to guide Julius, hiking shoes mh500 to John in his ground-up shoes, and my warm plush slippers to Hamidu, who was still barefoot in a thong at minus 5 degrees, leaving behind some practical hiking items (warm babies, snow covers). Not for charity, but in the hope that these insignificant things will make them a little easier at some point. I hope their sincerity and professionalism will be seen by more people and allow them to make more money directly. This journey showed me another side of Tanzania. It's poor, the infrastructure is poor and people don't have easy times. But strangely, here I feel a long-lost sense of security - but a natural lookout from the community. Julius told me that locals hate thieves because everyone knows the weight of life. I used to watch the porters put the ugali (a local food) mixed with the leftovers I ate into their mouths and chew, and what I couldn't eat was precious to them, listening to them after tea talking about family and the future - that was plain aspiration for a better life. It makes me wonder why the continent that first gave birth to human civilization is still struggling to develop today. And what can those of us from more affluent areas do? Last night, the last night of his stay in Kilimanjaro National Park, Julius said to me: "This mountain changes a lot of people." The mountain is an honest mirror. In the thin air, man fades away from all enclosures and meets only Ben-Me. When we went down, we all quietly took some of the mountain's soul and left behind some of our old selves. Pole Pole, change happens between every breath. It taught me that what matters is not the speed of the summit, but the breath of every step, the scenery of every moment: don't rush, feel the way. Kilimanjaro is not just a mountain, it is the spine of Tanzania and the head of the African continent. The process of climbing it is the process of connecting with an older, more resilient life force. Many climbers like us from the rich world were struck here for the first time by another survival philosophy: not “faster”, but “steadier”. We ate what the locals couldn't afford, slept in rented tents, and were protected and encouraged by a crowd of materialistic but smiling people. When I left, I took away not just photos, but a responsibility - I decided to devote myself to exchanges between Central Africa in the future as well. I want to take over my parents' trade, come to Africa and do honest business, teach people to fish, create value rather than plunder resources. It is not just business, it is a form of giving back - to the land and the people. “Hakuna Matata”, Julius used to say. Yes, there's no passing worries, like there's no mountain you can't climb - just one step at a time, Pole Pole. Life is not a race, it's not about who gets to the top first, it's about how you walk and how you see those who accompany you along the way. Thanks to Julius, thanks to John, thanks to all the backmen and guides we met in the mountains.

The most amazing experience of our lives was created by the two guides Kennedy and Adam. Those gentlemen are true professionals and we are grateful to them for everything they did for us.

only words of positivity i have for this company and the way we were treated. 100% reliable, such a hardworking group of people plus extremely kind and helpful. would recommend to everyone without a blink of an eye. Thank you Meru Slopes!!!

A great experience of hiking the Lemonosho traverse with head guide Kenedy and second guide Julius. Perfect choice of route and camps to stay at. A few challenging hikes combined with “rest” days of small hikes, all finished with the big one - the climb to Uhuru peak. Great support given by the guides on the way up, alongside mentioning quite a few facts and trivia about our surroundings. All the crew were extremely supportive as well - we never felt like any need is not accounted for. Had a very fun week, throughout all the challenges - would highly recommend and I’d personally plan a different route with the same team again.

Yona, Nico and the rest of the team made our dream come true. Without their good care we never would have made it to the summit. During the trekking we suffered from altitude sickness, so they checked our condition frequently. They also adjusted the food to our altitude sickness to ensure we absorbed as many nutritions as possible. The food was really good, at a restaurant level, and there was always more than enough. We really enjoyed the trek, the views and the conversations with Yona and Nico.

Great Kilimanjaro trip. Accomodation good, food very good, guides and porters excellent. All safety equipment present and used appropriately, eg, oxygen and pulse oximeters. Saved £££s compared to UK operators with no compromises and no corners cut. Highly recommended.

My husband, his friend and I travelled to Tanzania at the end of June and climbed the Lemosho route with amazing support from the Meru Slopes crew. Our friend booked the adventure and he'd decided that he wanted to book directly with a local operator rather than a European intermediary. We're really glad that he did as by all accounts the owner (Geofrey) responded swiftly and professionally to every question posed to him before we'd even left the UK. When we arrived, we were met at the airport by a Meru Slopes rep and taken to a cozy guest house in Arusha, where we had dinner and rest before meeting Geofrey and the mountain guides. Geofrey and his team took time to check our kit to make sure we were fully prepared and recommended that we take Diamox tablets (for altitude sickness) we didn't have any, so they provided them for us. I thought these extra checks were brilliant and it made us three feel very safe. The 7-days were, by turns, challenging and exhilarating and the Meru Slopes team were incredible throughout. The three of us had differing experience levels and the guides took care to ensure we all received individual attention, whether this was describing the local flora and fauna, testing our blood O2 levels and singing to keep us motivated, they made sure we all got the most from the tour as safely as possible. Massive shout outs go to the guides William and Emmanuel, the chef (who made some delicious food and kept us hydrated and clean throughout) and the porters. It felt like the crew created a protective ring around us, they were absolutely fantastic. A well deserved 5*. Please note that after we completed the climb we went on the 5 days Serengeti Migration Safari and there's a separate review for this part of the trip.