Adventure Women Africa is a female owned expedition company which employs female guides. We specialize in private and group tours of Mt. Kilimanjaro and Tanzania safaris. Contact us to organize your trip today.
Our Story: A Message From Founder Glory Thobias
I founded this company after many years as a guide on Mt. Kilimanjaro and safaris in Tanzania. When I started trekking Kilimanjaro, there were 2 female guides and 2,645 male guides. There were fewer than ten female porters. When I asked why, I was told that women can’t do what men are doing.
I remembered growing up, that even women with young children work just as hard as the men. African females are very strong, and you will find mothers with their toddlers on their back, collecting firewood or grass for their cattle, or carrying buckets with water for more than 20 km to their home. We can certainly work as guides.
I believe women can do anything. It’s just a matter of changing our mentality and working hard in our career, regardless of our culture. Many women want to be guides, but don’t know how to start, or where to find a job. I founded Adventure Women Africa to make this possible.
“Women can do anything”
Our Mission
Adventure Women Africa aims to inspire women and girls to become the best guides in Tanzania, while helping visitors to Tanzania (you!), achieve their life goals by offering a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, whether to the top of Kilimanjaro, or on a life changing safari. Most of our operations are performed by females, and woman can’t get this chance anywhere else. We offer training and experience, and have the facilities to offer the best working conditions for women in Tanzania, unlike male-dominated companies.
Plan Your Perfect Trip With Us
We offer custom safaris and Kilimanjaro climbs, which can be planned to your specific interests, needs, and timeframe. We provide guides and itineraries for solo travelers, couples, and private groups of every size, from families, to small group tours, and charity groups.
Reach out to us today to plan your perfect trip – the below are examples of our most popular packages. Contact thobiasglory@icloud.com via email to discuss your trip.
SAFARI: SOLO, COUPLES, OR PRIVATE GROUP TRIPS
Tanzania is one of the best safari destinations in Africa, and for good reason. Our beautiful country is home to some of the most iconic national parks and wildlife reserves on the continent, offering unparalleled opportunities to see some of Africa’s most majestic animals in their natural habitats.
Serengeti National Park is known for its vast savannahs and the annual wildebeest migration, where millions of animals cross over from Tanzania to Kenya. The park is also home to the Big Five – lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, and buffalos – as well as a plethora of other wildlife, including giraffes, zebras, cheetahs, and hyenas.
Another must-see park in Tanzania is the Ngorongoro Crater, which is often called Africa’s Garden of Eden. The crater is a natural amphitheater and is home to over 25,000 animals, including some of the last remaining black rhinos.
Tanzania also has a number of other fantastic parks and reserves, such as Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, and the Selous Game Reserve, each with its own unique landscape and wildlife.
THE GREAT MIGRATION
The Great Migration in Tanzania is one of the world’s most awe-inspiring natural spectacles; witness the movement of over 1.5 million wildebeest, along with hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles, across the Serengeti ecosystem in search of fresh grazing pastures.
The Great Migration is a true testament to the power of nature, as the animals move in a seemingly choreographed fashion across the vast plains, with predators such as lions, hyenas, and crocodiles waiting to prey on the weaker members of the herds – the migration provides crucial sustenance for predators such as lions and cheetahs, who rely on the wildebeest and other herbivores for their survival.
MT. KILIMANJARO (WITH FEMALE PORTERS & GUIDES)
Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the world’s most iconic mountains climbs. At 19,341 feet, it is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world. But it’s not just the sheer height of Kilimanjaro that makes it such an amazing adventure – it’s also the stunning natural beauty of the mountain and the sense of accomplishment that comes with reaching the summit.
Climbing Kilimanjaro is a challenging and exhilarating experience. The trek takes you through several different climate zones, from lush rainforests to arid alpine deserts, and finally to the snow-covered summit. You’ll need to be physically fit and mentally prepared to handle the altitude and the physical demands of the climb. But with the help of our experienced guides and support staff, most people who attempt the climb are able to make it to the top.
Reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro is a truly unforgettable experience. Standing at the top of Africa, with views stretching out in every direction, is a feeling like no other. It’s a moment of triumph, of pushing your limits, and of being rewarded with one of the most stunning views on the planet.
What it’s Like to Climb Kilimanjaro
Each year Adventure Women Africa provides the guides and porters to lead the Solo Female Travelers International Women’s Day Climb.
In 2023, the third group of 14 climbers accompanied by 7 female guides, 40+ female porters and 25+ male porters made it to the top. Click Play to join their journey.
What to Pack for Kilimanjaro
Day pack:
For carrying your valuable documents, rain gear, water, electrolytes, personal first aid kit etc. This should be waterproof.
Duffle bag/backpack (waterproof):
For carrying personal gear needed on the mountain. While the exterior of the bag should be waterproof, we advise you to place everything inside in a water proofbag as well, to better ensure your clothes, sleeping bag and other things remain dry.
Sleeping bag:
We recommend bringing a warm sleeping bag rated sub zero (– 25°F) and a sleeping liner. Temperatures can dip below freezing at night, and below zero at Barafu base camp.
Sleeping pad:
A sleeping pad will make you sleep more comfortably as the terrain in camp is often rocky.
Large plastic bags/trash bags:
These will keep your things protected from rain, and a trash bag is a great way to seperate the clothes which you have already used from your main luggage.
Sun hut/sun cap:
The sun will be strong while on the mountain, so a sun hat will provide much needed protection. Quick dry hats are ideal if you get caught in the rain.
Sunglasses and ski goggles:
Polarized sun glasses are essential! Ski goggles can be helpful for summiting as the temperature is usually subzero and can have light snow / strong winds as you hike from 15,000 ft up to passing through the glacier.
Warm hat / Balaclava / Warm gloves or mittens:
This will keep you warm during the night, though also on the way up, as some days may be chilly. Summiting during the night means trekking in subzero temperatures with the good potential of additional wind chill, and you will be in this weather condition for at least 8 hours. If you do not have a hood on your jacket, you might want to bring additional head cover for this day. Lighter weight gloves are fine for much of the trek, but again, pack gloves for subzero temps.
Gore-tex rain gear or water proof gear/trouser/jacket:
The weather is unpredictable on Kilimanjaro and you will be carrying your raingear every day in your day pack. Gore-tex rain gear is light, packable and breathable and very durable in the rain. It dries quickly and can double as a windbreaker jacket/pants.
Camelbak and Nalgene bottle:
We highly recommend to come with camelbak as its easier to drink while hiking. They also allow you to carry enough water to cover the half day up to the point we refill it. Come with something to insulate the pipe as the summit has the potential to freeze. It will help to certain point, and from there you need your Nalgene bottle to save you to the summit and back.
Electrolytes/salt pills:
Bring a brand of your choice. Electrolytes and salt pills come in several flavors, so choose one you enjoy drinking, as you’ll be drinking 6 liters per day. Based on this amount of water intake, you’ll also be peeing a lot, and electrolytes will help to give back lost minerals.
Personal first Aid Kit:
It’s important to consult your doctor before leaving home, as they know your medical history will recommend and prescribe anything you need to come with. Bring a personal first aid kit which includes any prescriptions and over the counter medication, but make sure you tell your guide about all this so that they will know what to do and how to attend to you in case of an emergency.
Leather hiking boot or any water proof shoes:
Waterproof shoes will protect your feet from getting wet, your ankles from getting wet and cold, and generally protect you from rain. These will also keep you warm, keeping you safe from hyperthermia or related sickness on the mountain. The summit will be cold and/or snowy so you need warm and clean shoes to insulate your feet. Make sure they have enough space so that your toe will not hit the front of your boot on the way down the mountain. Proper footgear can reduce your chances of getting blisters and help ensure a positive climb experience. We highly recommend breaking in (wearing) any new shoe purchases before arriving in Tanzania.
Poncho:
You will need a poncho to cover your day pack to keep everything in it dry. And if the weather is warm, a rain poncho will be more comfortable to wear than your full rain gear, so it’s best to have both with you on your trek.
Warm jacket:
You need a warm jacket to wear around camp each night, and also to stay warm in the early mornings before you pack up and leave for the next day of walking. Most of all, you will need this for the summit night; you might already have several layers, but a warm jacket is a crucial layer.
Warm trousers:
Are essential for both summit night, and while you’re spending time around the camp. You may bring your skiing trousers as these do well at insulating you when hiking in the snow, and allow you to top up on your layers. It’s better to come with extra warm trousers than to not come with any at all; some people feel warm when hiking, and others may feel very cold.
Long underwear:
Thermal / long underwear will be an asset to you when hiking, and allows you to shed more layers during the day as they insulate your body. You can sleep with them on for more insulation overnight when camping.
Enough underwear:
There is no washing available on Kilimanjaro, so you need to come with enough pairs of underwear to last the whole trek. Put used underwear in your trash bag and wash them at the hotel.
Enough pairs of socks:
You need to come with enough pair of socks according to number of days you will spend on the mountain. We recommend you keep your thickest pair of socks for wear on the night you climb to the summit.
Hiking trousers:
You need at least two pairs of hiking trousers, and these will need to be able to withstand both dust and rain.
Tennis/walking shoes:
You need shows to wear around the camp which are different to your main hiking boots, so casual walking shoes or slippers make it easier to get in and out of your tent, for instance, when you want to use the bathroom quickly.
Ear plugs:
Earplugs may help, as some people have difficulty sleeping amid the noise at camp. There are no private campsites on Kilimanjaro, so everyone camps at the same site, where other trekkers with their crew are constantly passing through.
Head lamp/flash light:
Bring a head lamp with extra batteries, and a flash light to use at the camp and on the final evening when we start for the summit. Flashlights can be tricky on the summit night night as you can’t hold it for a long time, so headlamps that are hands free are very important.
Body towel & face towel:
While there are no washing facilities on Kilimanjaro, we will give you water for washing, so please bring a towel with you. Wet wipes / tissue to clean yourself come in very handy, and allow you to clean some of your things as well. Wet tissues are easy to use and easy to dispose of at camp.
What Our Clients Say
FAQ
Do you guide solo travelers?
Yes we do. Please email thobiasglory@icloud.com to discuss your solo trip, and we can organize a private tour for you
Do you book family groups?
Yes we do. Please email thobiasglory@icloud.com to start planning a private trip for your family group. We are well experienced in planning trips to suit children of all ages. We can include visits to a local school and connect your children with Tanzanian pen pals, or spend a day in the local community with a mentor before our game viewing.
What level of experience is required to climb Kilimanjaro?
No specialist equipment or climbing experience is required to reach the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. The routes taken to reach the summit do not require technical climbing skills, only some scrambling at times and the use of hands and feet.
Do I need a visa for Tanzania?
All travelers to Tanzania need a visa. You can organize your visa on the official Government website, and we strongly recommend that you apply at least 3 weeks in advance of your trip. If you do not manage to obtain a visa online before your trip, you may also get one on arrival at the airport.