Category: Mount Kilimanjaro

Gugu Zulu, a South African rally driver and local media star, died on Monday while participating in a Nelson Mandela Day charity climb on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania with his wife. Zulu, 38, a three-time national rally champion who went on to become a popular racing writer and broadcaster, was part of a group of 46 climbers trying Africa's highest peak when he began to have respiratory problems. The Nelson Mandela Foundation issued a statement saying, "It is with a heavy heart that we report that one of the climbers on the Trek4Mandela, Gugu Zulu, lost his life while summiting Kilimanjaro early this morning." According to the foundation, Zulu was climbing with his wife Letshego and a group of other climbers when he "had breathing troubles." "We've been told that the medical staff did everything they could to preserve his life." He was part of a group of climbers attempting to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro on Mandela's birthday. The walk was in support of 350,000 disadvantaged adolescent girls who are unable to attend school due to a lack of sanitary supplies. President Jacob Zuma of South Africa paid tribute to Zulu. "We are extremely grieved by this unfortunate and painful occurrence, which occurred on a day when we should be joyful and honoring Madiba's legacy," Zuma said, using his clan name to refer to Mandela. Zulu wrote on his Facebook page on Saturday that he was suffering from flu-like symptoms and that he was "struggling with the mountain but tackling it step by step!!" The news of Zulu's death "devastated" Sello Hatang, the CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, who had recruited him to climb Africa's tallest peak. The party had intended to meet on July 18, the late anti-apartheid hero and South African President Nelson Mandela's birthday. In

David Bridges lost his life in a tragic avalanche that occurred east of Mount Everest in the Himalayas back in 1999. After 17 years, hikers stumbled upon his frozen body embedded in the ice. During the autumn of 1999, David Bridges, an experienced climber and skilled cameraman, met his untimely demise in an avalanche while on Shishapangma, located to the east of the renowned Mount Everest in the majestic Himalayan region. It wasn't until this spring that hikers came across his preserved body, encased in ice. His brother, Dan Bridges, is now undergoing rigorous training to bring David back home. Despite his previous climbs on Mount Rainier and adventurous treks through the mountains of Nepal, it has been 14 years since Dan's last hiking expedition. Striving to regain his physical conditioning, he is determined to be a part of the recovery team. Armed with his brother's ax, Dan is preparing for the challenging journey that lies ahead. Touched by his family's quest, generous individuals have been donating equipment and supplies to aid Dan in his mission to provide his brother with a fitting final resting place. We offer our heartfelt wishes for success to Dan as he embarks on this poignant and remarkable endeavor. On October 5, 1999, Dave Bridges and Alex Lowe were caught in an avalanche while exploring a possible ski route on the southwest side of Shishapangma. The remains of Bridges and Lowe were discovered this spring. Media attention has primarily focused on Lowe, celebrated as one of the world's leading mountaineers. Bridges, often labeled as a mere "cameraman" or "filmmaker", was much more than that. A talented rock climber, alpinist, and paraglider, Bridges was a cherished individual whose tragic passing deeply impacted those who knew him. Described by his climbing partner Brad Singer as one of

Kelly Cartwright, a Paralympian from Australia, was in good spirits as she was carried down Mount Kilimanjaro after her prosthetic limb failed to fit during the grueling seven-day trip. Kelly Cartwright won a gold medal in the London 2012 Paralympic Games, but she made headlines on Tuesday for a different reason. When her prosthetic limb failed to fit after the seven-day trip, the 27-year-old athlete rushed to Instagram to share a photo of herself being carried down Mount Kilimanjaro. 'Excuse the guy look and no shower for 8 days, but this is me coming down Kilimanjaro (since my leg didn't fit after the 7-day trek!)' she captioned the photo. 'This was by far the best/hardest thing I've ever done, and I'm already planning my next adventure!,' she said beside the hashtag #kilimanjaro on Instagram. She beamed a broad grin as she threw her arms around the guide who carried her down, keeping warm in a black pullover with a Qantas emblem printed on the arm. The paralympian couldn't disguise her delight in completing the difficult accomplishment for the second time. Lynzey contributed funds for the Humpty Dumpty Foundation in 2009, which helps more than 50 Australian hospitals and two in East Timor. Lynzey had to wear a rudimentary hydraulic limb for the hike since her regular leg is prone to freezing at high altitude. Kilimanjaro is not a climb for the faint of heart. It is Africa's tallest peak, with Uhuru Peak, at 19,340 feet, thousands of feet higher than Everest base camp, which takes climbers two weeks to reach. A third of the 20,000 individuals who undertake the walk each year fail to complete it due to altitude or extreme mountain sickness. Since her adolescent years, the inspirational actress has gone a long way. When she was 15, she

Imagine having pizza on Africa's rooftop, and above all, hot pizza! Pizza Hut Africa and Yum! Brands have made history with their recent achievement of the highest altitude pizza delivery on land. The General Manager of Pizza Hut Africa, Randall Blackford, along with a group of employees and experienced guides, hiked to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro where they shared a pepperoni pizza at a height of 5,897 m (19,341 ft). This incredible feat was accomplished with a specially designed pizza box backpack and marked the launch of the first Pizza Hut in Tanzania, the 100th country that the restaurant company has entered. Pizza Hut's Special Pizza Box Backpack To complete the record-breaking delivery, Pizza Hut designed a special pizza box backpack that could hold the pizza securely and keep it warm during the four-day journey from the restaurant to the top of the mountain. The backpack was made from durable and lightweight materials and featured a custom-designed insulation system to keep the pizza fresh and hot. The Journey to the Top The pizza had to travel approximately 745 km from where it was made to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. It was transported by car, plane, and on foot by Mr. Consea Dissa and several members of his climbing team. The journey was not without its challenges, but the team was determined to reach the summit and make history. Verification by Guinness World Records To ensure that all the guidelines were followed correctly, the official Guinness World Records adjudicator, Pravin Patel, flew out to Tanzania to verify the record attempt. The delivery was carefully monitored, and all the necessary documentation was provided to the Guinness World Records team. President of Pizza Hut International's Comment Milind Pant, President of Pizza Hut International, expressed his excitement about the achievement, stating, “We

Imagine running a marathon after climbing Africa's highest peak and lugging an extra 120 pounds the entire way. Breathing is tough. Your joints throb with pain. Everything is in pain. That's how Kara Richardson Whitely felt after descending Mount Kilimanjaro twice, despite weighing more than 300 pounds each time. That's correct. She has twice reached the peak of the world's highest freestanding mountain.  Whitely decided to start working through her longstanding eating issues during her third ascent. "If you're going through a shift, Kilimanjaro is a terrific spot to cycle through things in your thoughts because there is so much time spent with oneself," she added. She's struggled with her weight since she was nine years old, around the time her parents separated and her father vanished. Whitely was then sexually raped by a friend of her elder brother on her 12th birthday. "My weight surged past the 300-pound threshold" in college as food became an emotional crutch. Throughout her 20s and 30s, Whitely struggled with her weight, but she dreamed of going on big adventures and trekking the world's tallest mountains. She remarked, "There weren't a lot of hikers that looked like me." Whitely and her husband, Chris, summited Mount Kilimanjaro in 2007, following a spectacular 120-pound weight reduction. After two years, one baby, and a weight gain of roughly 300 pounds, Whitely attempted a second ascent of the mountain, which he failed to complete. Whitely trained for the climb in 2011, but she made it on her third attempt without attempting to drop weight. Gorge: My Journey Up Kilimanjaro at 300 Pounds was released in April 2015 by Whitely. She finished the novel while attending Butler University's Chamonix Summer Writing Program in the French Alps, where she collaborated with Wild author Cheryl Strayed. Whitely has featured on