International Women’s Day is an important day in my calendar each year. It’s a chance to recognise what women have achieved, but also to think about how far we still have to go.
This International Women’s Day, I decided to do something a little different. I signed up to climb Mount Kilimanjaro with an all-women team.
It felt like a great idea when I booked it. Standing at the foot of the mountain was a slightly different story!
The Challenge of Kilimanjaro
At 5,895 metres, Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain. The climb would take seven days, with five to ten hours of hiking each day, followed by a midnight start for the final push to the summit. I knew it would be physically demanding, but I hadn’t fully appreciated the impact of the altitude. It hit me hard and quickly, and there were times when I wondered whether I would make it.
There were plenty of other challenges too. No comfortable bed, no shower and no phone connection. By the end of each day, I was exhausted and ready to sleep.
But there were some incredible moments too.
Hiking above the clouds was breathtaking. We also tackled the famous Kissing Rock, which involved a few hours of climbing that I found genuinely terrifying. I had butterflies in my stomach the whole way up, but the sense of achievement afterwards was brilliant.
And then there was the group.
The women behind the climb
One of the things that made this experience particularly meaningful was learning more about the women working in the Kilimanjaro trekking industry. Female guides and porters are still significantly underrepresented, and our guide, Glory, is helping to change that through the Tanzanian Women Guides Foundation and the support of Solo Female Travellers.
The foundation is working to create more opportunities for women in an industry where they have historically been in the minority. Having Glory lead our climb gave me a chance to see first-hand the difference that women supporting other women can make.
Summit Day
Then came summit day. We started at midnight after very little sleep and an already exhausting week of climbing. The temperature dropped to around minus 10 degrees, and the lack of oxygen made every step harder. It was, without question, the hardest physical challenge I have ever taken on. There were points when I genuinely thought I couldn’t do it. In fact, I felt like giving up about every 20 steps!
But I kept going. Partly because I wanted to reach the summit. But also because I didn’t want to let the women I was climbing with down. We had supported each other throughout the week, and by this point it felt like we were in it together. Eventually, we reached the top.
Standing at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro on International Women’s Day, surrounded by an all-women team, was an incredible feeling. But when I look back, reaching the summit isn’t the only thing I remember. I remember the women.
We laughed a lot, cried a bit (mostly me!) and supported each other through the difficult moments. There was kindness, encouragement and the occasional gentle push when one of us needed it. I genuinely don’t think I would have reached the summit without them.
What I learned from climbing Kilimanjaro
Keep putting one foot in front of the other
There were times when thinking about reaching the summit felt completely overwhelming. The only way I could deal with it was to focus on the next step. That sounds simple, but it made a huge difference. I couldn’t control how many hours of climbing were ahead of me. I could control whether I took the next step.
It reminded me that progress doesn’t always feel dramatic. Sometimes it’s simply about continuing even when the end feels a very long way away.
Showing emotion doesn’t make you weak
There were plenty of tears on Kilimanjaro. I was exhausted, uncomfortable, scared at times and pushed well beyond what felt familiar. I could have tried to hide all of that, but there didn’t seem much point.
The experience reminded me that being vulnerable doesn’t make us less capable. Sometimes admitting that something is difficult is part of getting through it.
Women supporting women really does matter
This was probably the biggest lesson for me. We couldn’t climb the mountain for each other, but we could encourage each other, check in on each other and help each other keep going. There is something powerful about being surrounded by women who want to see you succeed.
That’s something I believe strongly in, and it’s one of the reasons supporting women is such an important part of my work.
More than just a mountain
My Kilimanjaro journey started as a personal challenge, but it became about much more than reaching the summit. It made me think about the women who are still challenging expectations, whether that’s working in an industry where women are underrepresented, stepping into a leadership role or simply finding the confidence to speak up. We all have our own mountains to climb. For me, the experience was a reminder that we don’t always have to climb them alone.
Supporting Women in Tanzania
If you’re interested in climbing Kilimanjaro, I’d encourage you to look at trekking companies that support and employ women as guides and porters. The organisation behind our climb, Solo Female Travellers has supported the Tanzanian Women Guides Foundation for several years.
If climbing Kilimanjaro isn’t on your list, there are plenty of other ways to support women, including choosing to buy from and work with female-led businesses. Small choices can make a difference.
Supporting women to speak up
Supporting women is also at the heart of my work as a public speaking coach.
I help women build their confidence, communicate more effectively and feel more comfortable speaking up, whether that’s in a meeting, presentation or other professional setting.
If you’d like public speaking tips and advice, you can also sign up for my monthly newsletter, where I share practical advice, resources and details of free sessions.
