Africa for me is one of those far off places that fascinates my mind in amazement. The safaris, the wildlife, the hikes, the fair trade markets have always peaked my curiosity. I sat down with Frank Castro of Summits Africa for my first Q&A.
Frank and Summits partner Ake Lindstrom met while Frank was running a lodge outside of Arusha Tanzania. Their interest for mountain climbing lead Ake to start Summits Africa, and soon after Frank came on board to help develop and support the company. Summits Africa started as an outfitter and works with other climbing operators.
Their goals are unlike other companies. Ake has concentrated on acute mountain sickness, highly trained and professional guides that make sure clients are getting detailed health monitoring and oxygen saturation measurements, top quality gear, good food and ultimately, a safe trek.
Here is my brief Q&A on why Summits Africa is so unique.
Q. What is the recommended amount of time for a Climb?
A. We recommend 7 to 9 days. Not only do we want you to enjoy the experience but we also try and inform our clients to not be in a hurry. There is a saying in Swahili “pole pole”, meaning slowly slowly. The more days you go is going to allow for acclimatization (where the body produces more red blood cells so you can store more oxygen), as it is not about how fit you are but how your body is going to react to altitude.
Q. What are some tips to ensuring a safe climb?
A. Walking slowly, Drinking lots of water and not over taking the guide.
Q. Who takes part in the climb?
A. There is the Porter- who carries all the equipment and food. The Crew who helps in carrying, setting up camp and serves food. And the Guide who is the main person in setting the pace and health monitoring.
Q. What is the next level for Summits:
A. We pride ourselves in being safe and ethical. Our tour guides are some of the best and therefore treated and taken care of in that manner.
What we are truly excited about and very happy to announce. We are the first tour operator to offer Carbon Neutral trips. Our goal is simple: based on the number of days trekking ( such as: vehicle transfers or propane for cooking food), and safari days, we donate money to Carbon Tanzania. A group of conservationists and scientistists who measure indigenous plant species. What they are finding with some organisms belonging to a particular species has turned out to be less than others.
When you donate money, they are able to turn CO2 emission into natural forest replacing what some species that have been lost. Our goal is to encourage you to visit their site. http://www.carbontanzania.com/ as a way to help calculate carbon emissions used during International plane flights and the donation goes toward planting trees.
Another reason to check out Summits Africa. “Safaris”—They specialize in custom safaris using mobile, luxury tented camps, that are strategically place to see the great migrations. Wildebeest and Zebras roam year around following the rains in search of food. Particular times of the year these animals congregate which are an amazing sight and definitely worth exploring.
Thank you Frank for our conversation! Even though I can only convey a small portion of our conversation through my blog, It has filled the journey in my mind to someday (soon), explore the depths of Africa.
If you are interested and want to further explore the depths of Africa: please go to Summits Africa site.
http://www.summits-africa.com/
