Achieving Peak Success

Nor is Mohamed Khakoo, a Class XI student of Cambridge School, or Jawad Esmail, who works in a private firm. But the three managed to do something they never did before – scale a mountain. And it was not any odd mountain but the formidable Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania which stands 5,895 metres above sea level.
They were not alone. Along with some relatives from USA, UK and Kenya, totalling 13, they trekked for six days braving harsh winds, freezing temperatures, and tough, rocky terrain before conquering the peak.

Somji, a keen sportsman (he plays volleyball, football and tennis) jumped at the idea. "Khemji has climbed Mount Kenya four times and Mount Kilimanjaro twice," says Somji. "He was our group leader."
But why Kilimanjaro? This is the second highest mountain in the world after Mount Everest, says Somji, and the highest free-standing mountain. By free-standing, Khakoo means it has a steep precipice. During the peak season – between July and September – about a hundred tourists scale the mountain. Every day.