Last summer, Caleb Bonham embarked on an African expedition which included an 8 day trek to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, a walking safari, and a gorilla expedition in the Virunga mountains. Summiting Kilimanjaro had been a goal since he was in grade school. He would make frequent visits to his Opa’s office and view his collection of cultural artifacts gathered from trips abroad. “One day,” he told himself, “I’ll travel to Africa and hike Kilimanjaro.” 

The challenge captivated him and thus began his pursuit into adventures. Kilimanjaro towers at 19,341 feet above sea level. The challenge of summiting this height is mentally and physically challenging in so many ways. Caleb wanted to see what he was personally capable of and push his body to new limits. HIs experience included sleeping above 15,000 feet, a challenge in itself with the lack of oxygen and the possibility of getting altitude sickness. Caleb went on to  persevere this altitude challenge to reach his life long goal. Although the trek to the top is incredibly difficult, as they say, what goes up, must come down. The venture back to base was “nearly impossible”, having to summon even more energy to make it down the majestic mountain. Many hikers would agree that hiking down can actually be more difficult than up.

Caleb’s other adventures along this trip lead him to run-ins with wild animals. As he was walking through the bush, his group was charged by an elephant. The mighty animal charged within ten yards of the group until the guide was able to calm the elephant and stop him from roaring. The group, rightly so, took off in the other direction to avoid the charge. On another trek through the Serengeti, Caleb’s group walked right into a lion’s den. There were five lions in total that had been sleeping, but upon the encounter with the group, they spirited away. The lions, approximately 5 yards from the group, pounced away, fearful of these strange beings entering their den. 

The image of Kilimanjaro's snowy summits towering above the Serengeti has become somewhat stereotypical, often shown from the plains with a lone giraffe or elephant wandering under the mountain's vast presence. It left an enduring and profound impression on Caleb’s imagination, as did the adventure of the Serengeti, Ernest Hemmingway’s Snows of Kilimanjaro and Green Hills of Africa painted an image of untamed ruggedness and pure freedom of the Serengeti bush.

Situated in Tanzania, Mount Kilimanjaro stands as the highest peak in Africa, reaching approximately 5,895 meters (19,340 feet). This dormant volcanic mountain is renowned for being the world's largest free-standing mountain. It is a common starting point for those who seek to summit the seven peaks of each continent. 

The Serengeti ecosystem, encompassing over 12,000 square miles, is a significant geographical area in Africa that includes the Serengeti National Park. It hosts the world's second-largest migration of terrestrial mammals and is also famous for its lion population, offering one of the prime locations to view prides in their natural habitat. 

Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park is renowned for hosting the largest population of mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in the Virunga Mountains. Established in 1967 by American primatologist, Dian Fossey, the Karisoke Research Center became a pivotal site for mountain gorilla research. Here, Fossey passionately advocated for the preservation of mountain gorillas and mobilized support against regional poaching, a crusade she pursued until her murder in 1985. The mountain gorilla population has grown from 620 individuals in 1989 to approximately 1,004 today. 

Caleb enthusiastically recommends this trip for those with a heart for adventure. According to Caleb,  “Africa is the Cradle of Humankind, the history is rich but the people and the beauty of this continent are unparalleled. It’s romantic and adventurous”. This type of travel is more than an investment financially. It takes dedication, training and work to get bodies and minds ready for such a trek. 

Caleb advises, “If you decide to hike Kilimanjaro, have a reason to do it. You need to do this for a reason because it’s no vacation. But the rewards of overcoming the mountain are life-changing, and it puts the potential you have in life into perspective”.