About the Kiliwarriors

Care, Service, Excellence.

How it all started

Several years ago Eben climbed Kilimanjaro with a well-known budget outfitter still operating on Kilimanjaro. Wilbert (a Maasai, aka "The Kiliwarrior") just happened to be an assistant guide on that climb! And that's how they met!

In Eben's own words:

"I was ashamed by the experience. I knew the porters were underpaid and under-equipped. My own tent was small and cold and the food was prepared in a thin, dirty mess tent (without ground cover) where everyone crowded to escape the cold and the rain. Unfortunately the mess tent was too small and some porters had to wait outside while us clients finished our meals. Some long-drop toilets were overflowing and traces of human waste were everywhere. If you could not see it, you could certainly smell it. Frankly, I was angry that the European owners were exploiting their mountain crews and I decided to start a new kind of mountain outfit. "

Eben & Wilbert became close friends during this experience. Wilbert lost his dad a few months before and his mom was trying hard to keep the family together while Wilbert & his brothers & sister faced a very uncertain future.

"Wilbert and I both knew what had to be done. We needed to set new ecological standards on the mountain and we needed to uplift the lives of his family and friends",  explains Eben. " I promised to invest and to send him the best mountain equipment from the USA and to help him with sales and marketing. Wilbert promised to use the memory of his  beloved father to guide him as he builds one of the most-respective companies in Arusha."

Guess what was the very first thing Wilbert did after receiving his first reliable stream of income? He did not buy a car or new house. Instead, he upgraded his mom's house so she can once again be the proud Maasai  lady he once knew! A visit to Victoria's small new house is always one of the highlights when clients visit Arusha. The secret of the Kiliwarrior success clearly starts at home!

With his mom taken care of, Wilbert and his older brother Gilliard (a safari guide) are now focusing on the rest of their immediate family. Their younger brothers have returned to school and the next youngest brother (Hosea) is sponsored by the Kiliwarriors to study at the Mweka Wildlife College in Moshi - while still assisting Wilbert! In Arusha, Kiliwarrior clients are always escorted and transferred by Wilbert or his 3 younger brothers.

Nowadays, the positive impact of Wilbert's success is spreading in his village of Sekei and beyond. It is a festive occasion when the young Kiliwarriors return from the mountain! The next day, many of the neighbors jump in to help clean the equipment - with mom Victoria keeping a critical eye on things. In addition, some clients are sponsoring some individual porters with money for education or just to help them establish themselves. One of our guides (Ernest Kutingala) started a non-profit organization, the Maasai Joy Children's Center (MJCC), in his village to provide kindergarten schooling for  orphans and children from broken families.

But the Kiliwarriors have long ways to go! They want to do a lot more to help the guides and porters.  Says Eben, "As the Kiliwarriors continue to grow as a company, Wilbert & I hope to offer partnerships to outstanding individuals on who we rely for our success. Obviously our guides come to mind. Recently, our famous guide Faraja received his first $3000 royalty check for his excellent narration and camera work in the award-winning DVD, 'Kilimanjaro: The Way It Is'.  He is now building a new house for his small family just outside Arusha!".

The future is indeed bright for a small group of young men - the famous Kiliwarriors - who work so hard to be the BEST on the challenging slopes of the highest freestanding mountain in the world!

Eben & Wilbert in front of Kilimanjaro with their beloved Western Breach clearly visible

Customers, care, service

We care about each client, we care about each member of our staff, we care about the environment, and we care about the communities we operate in. 

When you contact us, you talk directly to Eben or Carol (co-owners in the USA).  They then pass the booking to Wilbert (co-owner in Arusha). There are no agents or 3rd-party persons! Eben grew up in Africa and Wilbert lives in Sekei in the outskirts of Arusha.

You will notice Eben's knowledge and respect for Kilimanjaro. He climbs at least once a year and is the producer of an award-winning series of DVDs about climbing Kilimanjaro - just visit Amazon.com to purchase these! Carol reached the summit via the Western Breach route in 2008!

You will sense the personal attention. You are not part of a tour group. You are part of a small family in Africa. When you arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport, you will be met like an old friend by our Wilbert and his family. While other visitors are herded into crowded buses and minivans, you will avoid the rush and be escorted to your modern, private vehicle where your driver is waiting to take you to your exclusive Lodge/hotel.

At the Lodge, we already took care of the registration details! While the rest of the tourists stand in line to check in, you can proceed directly to your room where you will receive a quick introduction to the facility and amenities.  Throughout your stay, you will enjoy the personalized service from the Lodge staff.

For shopping excursions we avoid the tourist traps - you're a "local" now! We'll show you the real Tanzania and where/how to buy authentic merchandise at reasonable prices. You'll meet our friends and get an insight into daily life in East Africa. You'll find the local people friendly and engaging. And they will appreciate your attention. Many tourists only experience Africa from the comfort of their safari vehicles and that's a shame.

In preparation for your climb you will appreciate the briefing from your guide and insights from Wilbert. You will enjoy your comfortable and safe hotel and the interesting excursions that we arrange so you can get to meet the wonderful people of Tanzania.

On the Mountain we are in a class of our own! Your tent is roomy, modern and comfortable. The porters and guides are happy because they will also be very comfortable during the climb. Please read the section on "Porter Care" at the left of this page. You can relax because we have the best safety equipment and our guides are certified in first-aid. With all the details taken care of, you can focus on the experience itself. Enjoy the climb and take time to absorb the beauty and wonders of this magical mountain.

After the climb, you will hopefully join one of our safari options.  These extensions are part of our Essential Collection - the best experiences in East Africa!

The spirit of the Kiliwarriors is legendary on Kilimanjaro. We take pride in being the best on the mountain and we accept the responsibilities and challenges associated with being the leading outfitter. Many budget outfitters rely on us to help them when their teams get in trouble. We have offered our equipment and skills without hesitation in the past and we continue to assist where we can. Clients from competing outfitters have told us that they felt safer knowing that the Kiliwarriors were camping nearby! This is who we are.

Thank you for choosing to be a part of our exclusive family!

Our Charities

We support the following charities. 

The Company we keep 

We are active members of various Organizations including American Society of Travel Agents, the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators, and various Chambers of Commerce in the Northern Virginia are of the USA. 

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