More of Stand Out Adventures

This is my promised follow-up on Mary Kariuki. If you recall, Mary is the owner of Standout Adventures which guides women (although not exclusively women) up Mts. Kenya and Kilimanjaro. I met Mary in Moshi, Northern Tanzania, where she had taken an all day bus ride from Nairobi to talk with me. During our day together, I learned some interesting facts. Mary is considered the first East African woman to summit both Mts. Kenya and Kilimanjaro. Growing up in a village in the shadow of Mt Kenya, and wishing to provide for her son from an early ill fated marriage, she worked as a porter on Mt Kenya which was not only backbreaking work but also highly unusual for a woman in traditional Africa. She then worked her way into guiding on the mountain. Mary and I have decided to collaborate on a Mt Kenya ascent followed by a wildlife safari which will include Kenya's Maasai Mara as well as Tanzania's Northern Serengeti. Since the best climbing months for Mt Kenya are August through October, the Maasai Mara (the same ecosystem as the Serengeti) and the Northern Serengeti are the destinations of choice for that time of year.

Please see Active Safari under Tour Info for Mary's Mt. Kenya climbing programs.

05-10-2007