I mentioned in one of my comments on the previous entry - Grumeti Reserves: Sasakwa Hills and Sabora Plains: A moving clip about a recent news article in the Arusha Times about how a group of 22 climbers from different countries scaled the Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for an orphanage in Kenya. These 22 climbers are expected to raise GBP22,000 (US$ 42,000; CAD 47,000). A noble adventure for a good cause.
These were just 22 of approximately 30,000 climbers which scale ‘Kili’ every year. Some do it for adventure, some for personal goals, some for charity and some ‘because it is there’!! However, whoever has scaled Kili have been amazed at the landscape the views. Those that have been able to scale Kili have, undoubtly, to be envied. Most definitely.
A group of mountain climbers, who scaled Africa’s highest mountain last week, told journalists here that conquering it was a life-time adventure that tourists from Western Europe were eager to attempt.
”Kilimanjaro is one of the world’s greatest landmarks and in Africa it is only comparable to the Victoria Falls on Zambezi river. We are proud to get this chance to climb it” said Prof Michael Oriscoll from the University of Middlesex in the UK.
Prof. Oriscoll led a team of 22 mountain climbers from UK, Dubai and Kenya on a weeklong adventure on Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise funds for an orphanage in Kenya which his university has supported for years.
The trip is expected to raise about 20,000 British pounds ( equivalent to 2.5 million Kenyan shillings) for Stars-for-Jesus orphanage at Kiambu near Nairobi where 160 former street boys are now accomodated.
Among the 22 climbers, who set off for Kibo Peak from the Marangu gate on Tuesday morning,only one of them who identified himself as Shaikesh Kanani has climbed the mouintain at least once. The youngest was Karim Hashim (15).
Mt. Kilimanjaro, one of the leading tourist attractions in Tanzania after the Serengeti national park and Ngorongoro crater, is visited by over 30,000 mountain climbers from around the world every year.
I mentioned in my comment in response to Mzee Mauma’ comment that “..Maybe something ‘Musoma’ should look to doing?” It would take some planning, quite a bit of fitness, and a great deal of dedication to plan and implement such a venture.
Here is some ‘ground-breaking’ news about Tanzania and the western world’s initiative to provide clean drinking water to the sub-Saharan countries in Africa. The lack of clean drinking water is one of the biggest health challenges facing Tanzania. Clean drinking water - something people in the West take for granted and consider a birth right to some extent.
IPP Media carries the full report on this initiative. The full IPP Media report (of 22 Sept. 2006) can be seen by clicking this link > Madam Bush ’water’ for Tanzania
Excerpts from the report:
US First Lady Laura Bush announced a groundbreaking USD 60 million (equivalent to 80bn/-) alliance with Tanzania and nine other sub-Saharan African countries to bring the benefits of clean drinking water to up to 10 million people by 2010.
’’PlayPumps are children’s money merry-go-rounds attached to a water pump and a storage tank. When the wheel turns, clean drinking water is produced. PlayPumps are fuelled by a limitless energy source: children at play,’’ the First Lady is quoted as saying.
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) will provide a combined $10 million to the alliance over three years, according to the statement.
Across Africa, millions die each year from preventable waterborne diseases and up to half the region’s population at any one time suffers from diseases related to unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation, says the statement.
This is indeed some good news for Tanzania and the other sub-Saharan countries. However, with a touch of cynicism, it would be interesting to see how many ‘PlayPumps’ actually do get installed and how much of the fund allocated actually get used to provide the basic essential to the people of Tanzania.
Here are some Grumeti Reserve pictures all one screen.
I am sure Alastair of Grumeti Reserves will be forced to insist on some free hospitality for the Musomians, at the Grumeti Reserves Resorts, after seeing the excellent, brilliant, absolutely stupendous work in making the following ‘video’ moving clip!
Following the earlier ‘Trailer’ post on the Grumeti Reserves in the Serengeti Region, with apologies for the delay, here are some pictures of two the Grumeti Reserves resorts - Sasakwa Hills and Sabora Plains. Surely whoever takes a look at these pictures will agree that it would be difficult to believe at a resort/hotel of such caliber is actually located within a National Park in Tanzania, East Africa!
Mr Alastair Norton-Griffiths of Grumeti Reserves was kind enough to send me these excellent pictures of the resorts and I post them here on this blog, with his permission. Alastair has been following this blog and has also expressed his deepest sympathy on the recent unfortunate murders in Musoma of the Taank family.
With Alastair’s permission, here are some excerpts from his communications:
(email dated 6 Sept. 2006) ….Many thanks for your email and the link to your blog on Musoma, all very interesting stuff!!
I have read your posting on the proposed airport which still continues to go through all the political motions as you can no doubt imagine. Likewise as you mention there is the proposal to relocate the main Musoma road to route through the more Northern section of the park at Tabora B and then through Mugumu and on, however this is also still in process.
I have attached a couple of images for you to include on your site, and look forward to having another look at the site in the near future. Always nice to hear from people who have a long history and vivid memories of the region back in its heady heydays. We have had a number of the original “Fathers” of the Serengeti through here in the past few years including the old DC Steve Stevenson. In fact my own father was a researcher at SRI back in the sixties…..I recall all the tales of the weekend trips to Nairobi for shopping!!
With regard the flight issue and ease of access, we do currently have two schedule flights a day operated by Regional Air, from Arusha to our Sasakwa airstrip.
(email dated 15 Sept. 2006) My condolences to all who knew the Musoma family so brutally murdered!!
Alastair also has indicated that Grumeti would be more than happy to be considered as a potential venue for a Musoma Reunion. This is, I know, a long way off, and needs to have the benefit of the Musoma Committee members’ discussions and decisions. However, judging from the location within Tanzania and the relative ease of flight connections in and out and its proximity to Musoma, it wouldn’t be a bad choice, in my personal opinion.
Here are the pictures:
Sasakwa Hills: Main Pool to Lodge
Sasakwa Hills: Hallway
Sasakwa Hills: Cottage Sitting-Room Fireplace
Sabora Plains: Lounge Tent
Sabora Plains: Deck and Plains
Sabora Plains: Bedroom
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Activities Vintage Sundowner
Well there you have them. The pictures of two of Tanzania’s quality resorts. I have no doubt that, due to the nature of the growth and development in Tourism that Tanzania enjoys currently, there must be quite a few more resorts within Tanzania National Parks. Some may even be connected in some way to some of the Musomians.
Grumeti Reserves happened to be in the news due to the ‘Serengeti Airport’ project and the common factor of Paul Tudor Jones, and also on account of its proximity to Musoma and it having a potential impact on the Musoma community - should the Serengeti Airport progress to fruition.
Musoma Blog has received some pictures of Sasakwa Hill resort. These pictures will be added in a few days. From the initial view of these pictures, it would be difficult for most people to believe that such a place is located within a national park in Eastern Africa!
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