Mount Kilimanjaro’s premier outfitter Peak Planet announces improvements to the company’s guide training, safety protocol, mountain equipment, and meals – while attracting climbers with affordable pricing.
March 30, 2017 (Press Release) – Peak Planet- the premier outfitter for climbing Kilimanjaro- has recently added more features to its already robust operation. “We have made improvements to every facet of our services,” said DJ Wentzel, Executive Director of Peak Planet. “In doing so, we have created the finest company on Kilimanjaro.”
The most important personnel on an expedition are the mountain guides. Peak Planet hires accomplished, experienced Kilimanjaro guides and enrolls them in coursework to become certified Wilderness First Responders – the Western industry standard for professional guides. Each climb is staffed with a 1:2 guide to climber ratio. Peak Planet guides conduct daily health checks by measuring each climber’s pulse and oxygen saturation, which gives an indication of how well one is adapting to the decreasing oxygen on the mountain.
Peak Planet’s new safety and rescue protocols were co-developed with IFREMMONT, a European high altitude medical training organization with the most qualified high altitude doctors in the world. Each trekking party is tracked using handheld satellite communicators with GPS function. These devices can be used to initiate and coordinate rescue. Additionally, all Peak Planet clients are covered by AMREF Flying Doctors evacuation insurance. Injured or ill climbers can be transported quickly via helicopter off the mountain and to the hospital in case of serious emergency. ALTOX Personal Oxygen Systems are also available to reduce or eliminate symptoms of altitude sickness.
While on the mountain, Peak Planet clients rest and relax in tents made by Ferrino Equipment, an Italian company that has been making time-tested outdoor equipment since 1890. “We don’t use locally made tents, which have a tendency to topple over in the wind or leak in the rain, like some operators do,” Wentzel noted. “Our clients will love our warm, roomy tents and comfortable sleeping pads.”
Hot breakfasts, lunches and dinners are prepared using fresh, local ingredients. “We avoid using the box lunches that almost every other company gives to their clients,” Wentzel stated. “They are dry, tasteless and comprised of empty calories. Box lunches are a detriment to the success of the climb because they are unappetizing. Even if you manage to eat them, they aren’t nutritious.”
Additionally, Wentzel stated that protein is a necessary macro nutrient for proper acclimatization. Peak Planet serves an average of 200 grams of meat per day over the course of the climb to meet clients’ protein requirements. “This is not the norm,” said Wentzel. “Most operators serve much less.”
Peak Planet’s high quality services do not come at a high price. As a midrange operator, their prices are thousands of dollars less than so called “luxury operators” who provide comparable services to climb Kilimanjaro. Wentzel explained that each and every expense was carefully evaluated to ensure that every cost incurred made a tangible difference in the climber’s experience. “We provide the best service at the lowest price without compromising our high standards,” Wentzel stated. “That’s why even though we offer so much more than competing operators, we also manage to keep prices affordable.”
“To sum it up, we have better guides, better equipment and better meals than our competitors. We operate on a higher level of safety and are more environmentally and socially responsible. And we do it all for less money,” said Wentzel.
ABOUT PEAK PLANET
Launched in 2008, Peak Planet is an adventure travel specialist leading high quality climbs on Mount Kilimanjaro. Peak Planet is consistently recognized as one of the best operators on Kilimanjaro. Peak Planet is a member of Leave No Trace – an outdoor ethics organization – and a member of the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) – a non-profit organization that monitors Kilimanjaro operators to protect the welfare of porters. Visit www.peakplanet.com for more information.
