Team building, charity events, challenges – all good healthy fun for friends and colleagues; and for those who are up to it, Northamptonshire company Legend Expeditions takes all three to, literally, a whole new level.
Company founder Jack Fleckney leads regular planned and bespoke expeditions to conquer Kilimanjaro, the highest point in Africa. Each expedition takes eight days and Jack and his team of Tanzanian guides are there to help climbers every step of the way.
While Legend Expeditions also offers adventures in Morocco and, more recently, Borneo, it is around the foothills of Kilimanjaro that Jack and his business partner Sam White have focused their attention.
Determined to be different from the host of guided climbs available, Legend Expeditions offers the best of everything, from sturdy tents with cot beds, showers, and chefs to prepare Western-style meals. Regular medical tests are carried out on all climbers to check on their fitness and oxygen levels as they climb.
“We decided to focus on Kilimanjaro and do the expeditions in way that really makes a difference,” said Jack. “We employ 45 people from the local area and that’s likely to grow ten-fold as we expand; we pay them at least 20% higher than the going rate, and we provide them with the proper clothes and equipment they need for the climbs.
“In terms of the ethical side of the adventures, we are absolutely committed to looking after our local teams, helping to provide employment and support the local economy.
“Kilimanjaro is such a good mountain to climb, we take it easy for the first few days so that people acclimatise gradually, it really doesn’t get that tough until the summit day, which is around seven hours up to the top and then four hours back down.
“You have to have a decent level of fitness, but most people could do it; it’s a good reason to get yourself into the gym and get into shape, but really, as long as you can do a decent day’s steady walking, you’ll be fit enough to climb Kilimanjaro. Th e only issue is altitude sickness and that can hit even the fittest person.”
There are already two more dates in the diary for this year’s Kilimanjaro expeditions: August 4 to 13 and August 19 to 28. Besides those dates, which are open to individuals or groups of friends or colleagues, Legend Expeditions can discuss bespoke packages.
The price for a Kilimanjaro expedition is £3,295. That doesn’t include flights to and from Tanzania but covers two nights in a luxury hotel before and after the climb, all camping equipment, food and guides, and extras such as park entry fees, portable oxygen tanks and a T-shirt, framed photograph and plaque to celebrate reaching the summit.
“If climbers want to use this as an opportunity to raise money for a charity, they are welcome to,” said Jack. “There’s lots of information on our website, but we’re also happy to set up calls and meetings if someone wants to find out more. And one of the benefits is that all of our clients deal directly with me or Sam, depending on who is going to be leading the expedition, so they get to know us.
“We’ll take them through everything they need to know, support them to prepare for the trip and then we’ll be there will them all the way through the climb.”
Find out more about Legend Expeditions through the website
