Summit for the Students of St Jude's!
The Mt Kili Challenge is the first ever fundraising activity of its type for St Jude’s and provides an opportunity for individuals, family members, friends or colleagues to take part in a once in a lifetime achievement of both the physical, and emotional. The St Jude’s Mt. Kili Challenge provides inspiration from both climbing the world’s tallest free-standing mountain but also from helping to break the cycle of poverty for orphaned and vulnerable children of Tanzania. By taking part in the ‘Kili Challenge’ participants will be supporting the fight against poverty through education.
The St Jude’s Mt. Kili Challenge is an all-conquering, cultural awakening and truly heartfelt experience that will be matched in smiles, thanks and probably blisters!
Day 1 - Sun 28 Nov: Begin the St Jude’s Mt. Kili Challenge in Nairobi, Kenya or Arusha, Tanzania.
Option 1: Meet at Kenya Comfort Hotel in Nairobi at 8am; visit the Langata Giraffe Centre in Nairobi where you can hand feed a giraffe, bus transfer to Arusha, Tanzania and arrive at St Jude's in the late afternoon.
Option 2: Make your own way - with assistance if required from the St Jude’s Visitor Department - to the School of St. Jude, Moshono Campus on the outskirts of Arusha.
Welcome dinner will be provided at St. Jude’s.
Day 2 – 4 Mon 29 Nov – Wed 1 Dec: Three days discovering The School of St Jude and acclimatising in Arusha.
Tour the school’s primary and secondary campus at Moshono and Usa River, as well as the Moivaro boarding campus. See where the students learn, play, eat and sleep and have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture of St Jude’s by having lunch with the students, taking a St Jude’s bus ride home with the students, joining in on an assembly and perhaps even sit-in on a PE, Art or Music class or two. You will also have the opportunity to visit a home of one of our students, meeting their family and seeing the first-hand the opportunity, through their child’s education St Jude’s is providing.
You will be introduced to the busy founder and Director of The School of St Jude, Gemma Sisia, who eight years ago had a dream to provide free quality education to disadvantaged children.
Around Arusha you will; visit the local craft markets, browse for Tanzanite, the country’s famous gemstone and take a ride on a (in)famous dalla-dalla (you have not experienced Africa until you have ridden in or on the local transport!).
Dining over these three days will take place either at the school with the students in the dining hall, in the private kitchen reserved for the tour group where a full-time cook is employed or at one of the many cheerful restaurants. One in particular, ‘Khans’ - otherwise known as ‘Chicken on a Bonnet’ - is famous in Arusha; during the day it is a mechanic and in the evening they sell delicious grilled chicken and salads.
The night before the climb all participants will be visited by Summits Africa for a gear check then given a hearty meal and encouraged to have an early night, after all, there is a large mountain to climb!
Day 5 - Thu 2 Dec: Day One Kili - Commence Mt Kilimanjaro climb with Summits Africa on the Machame Route to Machame Camp
Depart Arusha and drive to Machame Gate to register for the adventure and meet your experienced guides and porters (who amazingly carry the majority of the gear up the mountain for the tour). The first day’s hike is through graduated forest zones with sightings of pretty flora before setting up camp and enjoying the first night’s rest on the side of the mountain.
Day 6 - Fri 3 Dec: Day Two Kili Shira camp
From Machame camp the first section of the hike is relatively steep and altitude is gained rapidly. You will enjoy a picnic lunch on the trail and start to notice a change in geological features.
Day 7 - Sat 4 Dec: Day Three Kili - Barranco camp
This is a slow and steady long day of hiking with the opportunity to take an altitude acclimatization walk up to Lava Tower, before descending back again to camp.
Day 8 - Sun 5 Dec: Day Four Kili - Karanga camp
A short day’s walk where you will reach camp by lunchtime, having hiked glacial valleys.
Day 9 - Mon 6 Dec: Day Five Kili – Barafu camp
Another half day hike - reaching camp by lunch - through a region of desolate alpine desert with strong winds and in the evening views of Mawenzi peak. Early to bed, early to rise is the motto of this day!
Day 10 - Tue 7 Dec: Day Six Kili – Mweka Camp
A slow, night hike is required, starting in the very early hours of the morning so that the group will summit by sunrise. How spectacular! You have reached the Rooftop of Africa, Uhuru Peak. Now what goes up must come down, and down, and down, and down until you reach Mweka Camp.
Day 11 - Wed 8 Dec: Day Seven Kili – Mweka camp and Down
After breakfast is a pleasant stroll down through picturesque forests. Around midday you will farewell Summits Africa guides and the mountain to be returned to St Jude’s to give yourself a big pat on the back, have a hot shower and enjoy a warm comfortable bed.
Day 12 - Thu 9 Dec: Celebratory Lunch
Your group will be taken by a brightly coloured St Jude’s bus for a proper celebratory lunch at a local NGO restaurant called Shanga, which employs people with disabilities who make handmade jewellery. After the four course lunch including salad, local foods, coffee and desert there is an opportunity to explore the grounds and browse for gifts.
Some may also like to make a departure of the trip in the afternoon. Alternatively, you might want to extend your stay and spend more time at the St Jude’s? As we say in Kiswahili - ‘karibu sana’ – you are very welcome! (At an additional cost)
Day 13 - Fri 10 Dec: Day safari to Arusha National Park can be arranged upon request at a cost of USD100 per person (includes lunch box, park fees, vehicle and driver). Note that a minimum of four people is required to arrange this tour however the team at St Jude’s is also able to provide advice on other options if necessary.
You might want to extend your stay in Tanzania to visit some of the other famous National Parks like Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti or the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area, or to just relax on the beaches of Zanzibar.
The cost of the St Jude’s Mt. Kili Challenge is USD8000 which includes; non-refundable registration fee of USD500, 7-day climb package USD2500, all hire of hiking gear (tents, sleeping bags and most hiking equipment is supplied – your personal requirements will be specified on booking), all transport of equipment up the mountain by Summits Africa Porters, all accommodation, all food while at St. Jude’s (incl. celebratory lunch), excursions by bus and most importantly you would have made a generous and much-needed, tax deductible donation of USD5000 to The School of St Jude; the inspiration for your climb!
The donations from this tour will be used to support the purchasing of a new (well second hand really, but almost as good as new) school bus for the staff and students. The brightly painted St Jude’s buses are famous around Arusha town, and are easily recognisable for our students catching them every morning, or on Sunday’s returning to boarding. With 150 new students every year the school requires more buses to ensure that everyone gets to class and work on time. A new bus will also ease the pressure of the fleet of 20 buses which a team of over 25 drivers and mechanics maintain.
The buses also ensure that our students can take part in excursions, visit the National Parks and notable places in their town, an opportunity which the students would otherwise not have.
The St Jude’s Mt. Kili Challenge is a fundraising event therefore participants are not necessarily expected to make the donation of USD5000 alone. They are encouraged to seek support from friends, family and colleagues; hold fundraising events or information sessions to create a ‘buzz’ about the challenge. St Jude’s Marketing Team will also provide advice on effective ways of reaching the target. And don’t forget that the donation is tax deductible!
Participants will receive an official thanks, photos and information regarding their donation and achievement once the new St Jude’s bus is purchased, fitted out and painted! What better satisfaction than knowing the students of St Jude’s will be provided a safe and effective way to get to school so that they can continue to fight poverty through education!
Not included in the tour cost is; airfares, visa costs, extra beverages and food, insurance (compulsory), tips (budget for USD250 per climber)
For further details, please contact our Visitors Department via email schoolofstjude@habari.co.tz
View of Mt Kilimanjaro from the School of St Jude playground
Summit for the Students of St Jude's!
The Mt Kili Challenge is the first ever fundraising activity of its type for St Jude’s and provides an opportunity for individuals, family members, friends or colleagues to take part in a once in a lifetime achievement of both the physical, and emotional. The St Jude’s Mt. Kili Challenge provides inspiration from both climbing the world’s tallest free-standing mountain but also from helping to break the cycle of poverty for orphaned and vulnerable children of Tanzania. By taking part in the ‘Kili Challenge’ participants will be supporting the fight against poverty through education.
The St Jude’s Mt. Kili Challenge is an all-conquering, cultural awakening and truly heartfelt experience that will be matched in smiles, thanks and probably blisters!
Day 1 - Sun 28 Nov: Begin the St Jude’s Mt. Kili Challenge in Nairobi, Kenya or Arusha, Tanzania.
Option 1: Meet at Kenya Comfort Hotel in Nairobi at 8am; visit the Langata Giraffe Centre in Nairobi where you can hand feed a giraffe, bus transfer to Arusha, Tanzania and arrive at St Jude's in the late afternoon.
Option 2: Make your own way - with assistance if required from the St Jude’s Visitor Department - to the School of St. Jude, Moshono Campus on the outskirts of Arusha.
Welcome dinner will be provided at St. Jude’s.
Day 2 – 4 Mon 29 Nov – Wed 1 Dec: Three days discovering The School of St Jude and acclimatising in Arusha.
Tour the school’s primary and secondary campus at Moshono and Usa River, as well as the Moivaro boarding campus. See where the students learn, play, eat and sleep and have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture of St Jude’s by having lunch with the students, taking a St Jude’s bus ride home with the students, joining in on an assembly and perhaps even sit-in on a PE, Art or Music class or two. You will also have the opportunity to visit a home of one of our students, meeting their family and seeing the first-hand the opportunity, through their child’s education St Jude’s is providing.
You will be introduced to the busy founder and Director of The School of St Jude, Gemma Sisia, who eight years ago had a dream to provide free quality education to disadvantaged children.
Around Arusha you will; visit the local craft markets, browse for Tanzanite, the country’s famous gemstone and take a ride on a (in)famous dalla-dalla (you have not experienced Africa until you have ridden in or on the local transport!).
Dining over these three days will take place either at the school with the students in the dining hall, in the private kitchen reserved for the tour group where a full-time cook is employed or at one of the many cheerful restaurants. One in particular, ‘Khans’ - otherwise known as ‘Chicken on a Bonnet’ - is famous in Arusha; during the day it is a mechanic and in the evening they sell delicious grilled chicken and salads.
The night before the climb all participants will be visited by Summits Africa for a gear check then given a hearty meal and encouraged to have an early night, after all, there is a large mountain to climb!
Day 5 - Thu 2 Dec: Day One Kili - Commence Mt Kilimanjaro climb with Summits Africa on the Machame Route to Machame Camp
Depart Arusha and drive to Machame Gate to register for the adventure and meet your experienced guides and porters (who amazingly carry the majority of the gear up the mountain for the tour). The first day’s hike is through graduated forest zones with sightings of pretty flora before setting up camp and enjoying the first night’s rest on the side of the mountain.
Day 6 - Fri 3 Dec: Day Two Kili Shira camp
From Machame camp the first section of the hike is relatively steep and altitude is gained rapidly. You will enjoy a picnic lunch on the trail and start to notice a change in geological features.
Day 7 - Sat 4 Dec: Day Three Kili - Barranco camp
This is a slow and steady long day of hiking with the opportunity to take an altitude acclimatization walk up to Lava Tower, before descending back again to camp.
Day 8 - Sun 5 Dec: Day Four Kili - Karanga camp
A short day’s walk where you will reach camp by lunchtime, having hiked glacial valleys.
Day 9 - Mon 6 Dec: Day Five Kili – Barafu camp
Another half day hike - reaching camp by lunch - through a region of desolate alpine desert with strong winds and in the evening views of Mawenzi peak. Early to bed, early to rise is the motto of this day!
Day 10 - Tue 7 Dec: Day Six Kili – Mweka Camp
A slow, night hike is required, starting in the very early hours of the morning so that the group will summit by sunrise. How spectacular! You have reached the Rooftop of Africa, Uhuru Peak. Now what goes up must come down, and down, and down, and down until you reach Mweka Camp.
Day 11 - Wed 8 Dec: Day Seven Kili – Mweka camp and Down
After breakfast is a pleasant stroll down through picturesque forests. Around midday you will farewell Summits Africa guides and the mountain to be returned to St Jude’s to give yourself a big pat on the back, have a hot shower and enjoy a warm comfortable bed.
Day 12 - Thu 9 Dec: Celebratory Lunch
Your group will be taken by a brightly coloured St Jude’s bus for a proper celebratory lunch at a local NGO restaurant called Shanga, which employs people with disabilities who make handmade jewellery. After the four course lunch including salad, local foods, coffee and desert there is an opportunity to explore the grounds and browse for gifts.
Some may also like to make a departure of the trip in the afternoon. Alternatively, you might want to extend your stay and spend more time at the St Jude’s? As we say in Kiswahili - ‘karibu sana’ – you are very welcome! (At an additional cost)
Day 13 - Fri 10 Dec: Day safari to Arusha National Park can be arranged upon request at a cost of USD100 per person (includes lunch box, park fees, vehicle and driver). Note that a minimum of four people is required to arrange this tour however the team at St Jude’s is also able to provide advice on other options if necessary.
You might want to extend your stay in Tanzania to visit some of the other famous National Parks like Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti or the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area, or to just relax on the beaches of Zanzibar.
The cost of the St Jude’s Mt. Kili Challenge is USD8000 which includes; non-refundable registration fee of USD500, 7-day climb package USD2500, all hire of hiking gear (tents, sleeping bags and most hiking equipment is supplied – your personal requirements will be specified on booking), all transport of equipment up the mountain by Summits Africa Porters, all accommodation, all food while at St. Jude’s (incl. celebratory lunch), excursions by bus and most importantly you would have made a generous and much-needed, tax deductible donation of USD5000 to The School of St Jude; the inspiration for your climb!
The donations from this tour will be used to support the purchasing of a new (well second hand really, but almost as good as new) school bus for the staff and students. The brightly painted St Jude’s buses are famous around Arusha town, and are easily recognisable for our students catching them every morning, or on Sunday’s returning to boarding. With 150 new students every year the school requires more buses to ensure that everyone gets to class and work on time. A new bus will also ease the pressure of the fleet of 20 buses which a team of over 25 drivers and mechanics maintain.
The buses also ensure that our students can take part in excursions, visit the National Parks and notable places in their town, an opportunity which the students would otherwise not have.
The St Jude’s Mt. Kili Challenge is a fundraising event therefore participants are not necessarily expected to make the donation of USD5000 alone. They are encouraged to seek support from friends, family and colleagues; hold fundraising events or information sessions to create a ‘buzz’ about the challenge. St Jude’s Marketing Team will also provide advice on effective ways of reaching the target. And don’t forget that the donation is tax deductible!
Participants will receive an official thanks, photos and information regarding their donation and achievement once the new St Jude’s bus is purchased, fitted out and painted! What better satisfaction than knowing the students of St Jude’s will be provided a safe and effective way to get to school so that they can continue to fight poverty through education!
Not included in the tour cost is; airfares, visa costs, extra beverages and food, insurance (compulsory), tips (budget for USD250 per climber)
For further details, please contact our Visitors Department via email schoolofstjude@habari.co.tz
View of Mt Kilimanjaro from the School of St Jude playground