SPONSORSHIP BANNER

Thanks to all our sponsors who made our Kilimanjaro trip possible. This was the banner we displayed at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro:




Our sponsors were:

Media Review Network
Billatong
Bargain Wholesalers
La Verna Hospital
Palestinian Solidarity Alliance
Nanima.co.za

We've Conquered Kilimanjaro!

As-salamu-alaikum

Reaching the Top of Africa!

M.T.Khan, Charles Luarie (guide) and M.R.Khan at Uhuru Peak on Mount Kilimanjaro - highest point in Africa and summit of highest free-standing mountain in the world.

Alhamdulillah, all 3 South Africans of the Muslim Hands team have succeeded in summiting Kilimanjaro. At approximately 7:00 AM, Nadim Mahomed ascended upon Uhuru Peak to mark an epic moment in our Kilimanjaro Fund-raising expedition - and that was reaching the top of Africa! An hour and a half later, Muhammad Taher & Muhammad Ridwaan Khan summited at approximately 8:30 AM. Five other member of the 37-man team managed to summit.

With our fund-raising target surpassed and our Kilimanjaro climb successfully completed, we thank Allah (SWA) for all His help in allowing our campaign to be successful, for keeping us healthy, providing us with the physical and mental strength to summit, and for bringing us home safely. The children of Palestine were a constant inspiration and motivation for us, reminding us that the fleeting struggles of the mountain were nothing compared to the perpetual suffering that they endure on a daily basis. Insha'Allah we make dua that all our little contributions make some difference in their lives.

We also thank all donors who selflessly contributed towards raising money for the children of Palestine. It is your assistance that has made this project the success that it has become. Jazakallah'ul'khair to you. We also want to thank all our sponsors, without whom our trip would not have been possible.

Nadim Mahomed & Muhammad Ridwaan Khan holding up the sponsorship banner, with the ice cap of Kilimanjaro noticable in the background

More photos, detailed information and stories from our amazing experiences in Tanzania will follow shortly.

Was-salam

"To the Children & Future of Palestine"

Kilimanjaro Here We Come!

As-salamu-alaikum

The day has finally come. Insha'Allah in 6 hours tim we will be flying on our way to Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. It has been an exciting 6 weeks in the build-up to this journey of ours. Alhamdulillah, the training and fund-raising have gone well. And we feel that all those challenges that we have faced thus far have been worth it all, knowing that we have managed to raise over R300 000 in fund-raising - all of this money to be directly utilised to help the children of Gaza insha'Allah.

Thanks to all our friends, family and the general public who helped us with our fund-raising and also supported us in numerous other ways. We go to climb Kilimanjaro with firm motivation and intention, knowing that we are trying to make a difference in the lives of our children in Palestine.

Please make duaa for us that all goes well, that our climb is enjoyable and successful, and that Allah Ta'allah takes us and returns us safely back to South Africa. Ameen

was-salam,
Muhamad Taer Khan

"To the Children & Future of Palestine"

Detailed Itenary of our Kilimanjaro Climb

Elephants grazing in the Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania

DAY ONE:

Today you will depart from Johannesburg International Airport arriving at Kilimanjaro International Airport . You will be met by our representative and transferred to you hotel in Moshi where you will relax before departing on your Kili climb tomorrow.

DAY TWO:

After breakfast you will be transferred from Moshi to Marangu Gate - once you reach the gate, you will sign the register at the Park office and make your final preparations for the climb. Your team of porters will arrange and load their packs, containing the food, water, cooking gas and most of your equipment. It is important to have all your daypack items such as drinking water, a lunch pack and extra clothing with you and not with the porters, as they will ascend a lot quicker than your group.

When you leave the Park gate you will take a cleared ridge trail through the cultivation zone, where you will see how local farmers manage and produce their goods on the side of the mountain, before you enter the rain forest. This is possibly the most beautiful part of your climb, surrounded by lush forest and sometimes thick clouds.

After stopping for lunch and a rest, you will head off to Mandara Hut where you will stay overnight. This camp consists of a group of wooden A-framed huts situated in a forest clearing, with each hut sleeping 6 - 8 hikers in bunk beds. All the huts are equipped with solar generated lighting and this camp has a total capacity of 60 hikers. Spring water is piped into the camp and you will find flush toilets behind the main hut.

• Today's Route: Marangu Gate - Mandara hut
• Altitude range: 1970 metres - 2710 metres
• Hiking time: About 5 hours Distance: 12 kilometres
• Habitat: Rain forest

DAY THREE:

Early in the morning you will begin your ascent again - from Mandara hut the trail passes through a short stretch of forest, and then heads around the base of the Maundi Crater where you will leave the rain forest and enter the moorland zone.
On the way, we recommend that you take a short detour up to the rim of the Maundi Crater , from here you see the impressive Kibo Crater, and on a clear day you will also be able to see the glaciers of Kibo ,this is a great photographic opportunity, so get your camera ready.
Keep your camera handy because you will encounter some of Kilimanjaro's most spectacular and strange plants in the open moorland - with giant lobelia and groundsel growing to heights of 3 metres and 5 metres respectively!
Later in the afternoon you will reach the Horombo hut for your next overnight stay, where you will have hot washing water, an evening meal prepared by your cook. Your hut will be comfortable enough to ensure a good nights rest. Temperatures during the night will be around freezing point.

• Today's Route: Mandara hut - Horombo hut
• Altitude range: 2710 metres - 3725 metres
• Hiking time: About 6 hours Distance: 15 kilometres
• Habitat: Moorland

DAY FOUR:

Today is acclimatisation day so you will stay based at Horombo hut. From here we recommend taking the hike past Zebra Rocks to Mawenzi hut , this hike forms an important part of the acclimatisation process. The hike will take you 3 hours on the ascent, and a further 1 hours for the descent back to camp. Remember to keep your water intake levels up, and not too rush this hike.

Horombo hut is actually a village of huts with double the capacity of Mandara camp , both ascending and descending hikers meet here with all the guides, porters and cooks on their respective routes - so this camp is normally full and buzzes with activity and excitement.
All meals for the day are provided at Horombo hut. Tonight you will have a good opportunity to get to bed early for a good night's sleep , make the most of it because you will need all the energy you can get for the next couple of days.

• Today's Route: Horombo hut , Zebra hut , Mawenzi hut
• Altitude range: 3725 metres
• Hiking time: 4 hours Distance: 6 - 8 kilometres
• Habitat: Alpine desert

DAY FIVE:

Today the climb gets a little more difficult with your walk up to Kibo hut, which is approximately 4,700m. The oxygen at these altitudes begins to thin out considerably and you will start to feel it. The climb today will be about 5 - 7 hours and takes you through the last part of the Moorland and into the highlands desert. This a barren area of extreme conditions, with temperatures at night sometimes dropping to below freezing point and daytime temperatures being relatively high. At Kibo hut, you will rest, have dinner and try to have a really good night's rest.
After breakfast you now continue your ascent From Horombo into the Alpine desert habitat, taking one of the two trails to the "Saddle", located between the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo.
The upper route will look familiar to you if you took the hike to Mawenzi hut yesterday. Rather stick to the lower route which is much easier and has the added benefit of taking you past the last watering point. Unless you are willing to buy mineral water at Kibo hut, you should stock up with all the water you will need - the next watering point will be at Horombo hut when you return there on your descent the night after next. Once again remember to take it slowly and drink enough water.

After lunch you will reach Horombo hut, a large stone house which can comfortably sleep 60 hikers in bunk beds , remember there is no water supply at this camp, although you can buy mineral water and soft drinks at the camp office. There are toilet facilities behind the hut.
Spend time this afternoon preparing your equipment as you will be making your final ascent tonight , you will need your ski-stick and extra thermal clothing for your summit bid also ensure that your headlamp and camera batteries are in order and make sure you have spare sets of batteries available as well. Carry your water in a thermal flask otherwise it will freeze later.
Make sure you are in bed by 19h00 - you will need all the sleep you can get before your very early wake up call in only 4 hours time.

• Today's Route: Horombo hut - Kibo hut
• Altitude range: 3725 metres - 4710 metres
• Hiking time: 6 hours Distance: 15 - 16 kilometres
• Habitat: Alpine desert

DAY SIX:

Today will by far be your toughest day, you will rise and hopefully shine at around 23h30, and after some tea and biscuits you head off into the cold night up a rocky path towards to the Hans Meyer Cave at 5150 metres , you may take a short rest here before continuing your ascent up to Gillman's point at 5 680 metres. Probably the most demanding section of the entire route as it is very steep and stony ,slowly and carefully here. From Gillmans Point, you will more than likely be walking through snow for the next 2 hours, when you will finally reach the summit of Uhuru Peak at 5895 metres. Well done ,you have conquered Kilimanjaro, the highest freestanding mountain in the world!

Don't get too relaxed and spend too much time on the summit, even if the weather is good. Cold and fatigue will set in quickly and you may find it very difficult to get started again. So spend a little time to enjoy the fact that you have conquered Kilimanjaro, get the camera out and take some pictures, then it will be best that you get moving again , it's a long way down!
The first part of your descent to Kibo hut will take almost another 3 hours. After a short rest you will begin the next part of your descent , it will take another 3 hours of hiking to get to Horombo hut where you will spend the night. Later you can enjoy your last dinner on the mountain. You will no doubt have a good sleep, feeling exhilarated and proud of your achievement.

• Today's Route: Kibo hut - Uhuru Peak - Horombo hut
• Altitude range: 4700 metres ; 5895 metres ; 3720 metres
• Hiking time: About 14 hours
• Distance: About 27 kilometres in total
• Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit

DAY SEVEN:

After an early and well-deserved breakfast, you continue your descent passing the Mandara hut, down to the Marangu gate , this will take the best part of 6 hours.At Marangu gate you sign your name and details in a register. To make your achievement official, you will receive a summit certificate. If you reached Gillman's Point you will be presented with a green certificate, and if you made it all the way to Uhuru Peak you will have earned yourself a gold certificate.

You will then take a road transfer back to Moshi where you will be welcomed back to your hotel. Take some time out for a long hot shower, and indulge and celebrate before getting a decent night's rest in a comfortable bed.Final Descent

• Today's Route: Horombo hut - Marangu Gate
• Altitude range: 3720m - 1980m
• Hiking time: 1980m
• Distance: About 27 kilometres
• Habitat: Moorland and Rain forest

INFORMATION ABOUT OUR KILIMANJARO EXPEDITION

Click on the graphic below to check out our introductory blog-post explaining all the details of our Kilimanjaro fund-raising expedition.

Introduction to our Kilimanjaro Expedition

All other blog posts can be accessed by clicking on their respective titles under the "Blog Archive" located in the light green column to the right of this post.

"To the Children & Future of Palestine"

Weekend Hike in the Drakensburg 06-07/06/09

The Kilimanjaro Team on a Training Hike in the Drakensburg Mountains (2950m)

On Saturday the 6th June 2009, the trio of us headed out to Sentinel Peak along the Northern Drakensburg's Amphitheatre to get in some hiking training. About an hour and a half drive from Ladysmith, we drove through the town of Qwa-Qwa, close to the Lesotho border. We then stopped at the Witsieshoek Mountain Resort - situated some 2100 m above sea level - making it the highest resort in South Africa. After a short stop, we headed up the gravel road until we reached the Sentinel Peak parking lot. This was the beginning of the hike. Sentinel Peak is amongst the highest mountain peaks in Southern Africa reaching an estimated 3150m above sea level. The hiking trail that we chose was also the only day-hiking route in which one can access the summit of the Amphitheatre. Most other routes require over-night camping along the way.

M.Ridwaan and Nadim with the Eastern Buttress of the Amphitheater in the background (2800m)

Considering that the recommended hike time was 6 hours for this particular route, we had to up the pace from the word go since we arrived late (we actually got lost driving), and we weren't too keen on being on the mountain at sunset. The initial ascent was along a moderate incline zig-zagging across the the grassy mountainous ridges. After 4km along this fairly even ground, the terrain became rocky and steeper as we ascended closer to the Amphitheater's posterior cliffs for 2 km. We then came to the infamous "chain ladder" - a 100 rung, 30m vertical steel ladder that leads up to the top of the Amphitheater along its posterior cliff.

Nadim ascending the 30m vertical chain ladder to get to the summit of the Amphitheater (3000m)

The amazing and adrenaline-filled climb up the chain ladder leads to an even more exciting experience - a kilometre walk along the top of the Amphitheater to the Tugela Falls and the source of the Tugela River - with the falls dropping down some 947m - making it the 2nd highest waterfall in the world! Obviously, being winter, the falls were not flowing thunderously but the sights were still amazing. It was cold up on the summit, with temperatures falling rapidly as evening was approaching.

After making our way down the chain ladder again, we began our descent that lasted for an hour and a half. Upon reaching the car, we had covered 17km. The total round-trip took us 4.5 hours and we felt good knowing that none of us had sustained any muscular or joint injuries due to doing the hike at an increased pace. A great day's hike had come to an end.

M.Taher & M.Ridwaan at the top of the 948m Tugela waterfall (3050m)

The next day, we drove out to the Royal National Park which accesses the Amphitheater from the anterior side. A moderately-paced 8km hike up to the Cascades and the subsequent steep-incline up to Tiger Falls proved to be a good workout considering that we had a rather heavy trek the day before. This was training that we necessary since the Kilimanjaro climb will require 6 days of continuous hiking at an average of 16km per day for the first 3 days, and even more km over the last 2 days!

All in all, it was a great weekend to gauge fitness levels and give feedback with regards to the state of our physical preparedness. So far, so good! and insha'Allah everything will work out well and we will be even more ready and confident come Kilimanjaro!

Was-salam,
Muhammad Taher

"To the Children & Future of Palestine"

INFORMATION ABOUT OUR KILIMANJARO EXPEDITION

Click on the graphic below to check out our introductory blog-post explaining all the details of our Kilimanjaro fund-raising expedition.

Introduction to our Kilimanjaro Expedition

All other blog posts can be accessed by clicking on their respective titles under the "Blog Archive" located in the light green column to the right of this post.

"To the Children & Future of Palestine"

INFORMATION ABOUT OUR KILIMANJARO EXPEDITION

Click on the graphic below to check out our introductory blog-post explaining all the details of our Kilimanjaro fund-raising expedition.

Introduction to our Kilimanjaro Expedition

All other blog posts can be accessed by clicking on their respective titles under the "Blog Archive" located in the light green column to the right of this post.

"To the Children & Future of Palestine"

Why I want to help Gaza's Children - M.T.Khan

As-salamu-alaikum - Peace be Upon You

I reflect back to a month and a half ago - when I first heard about this Kilimanjaro Expedition to raise awareness and charity for children affected by war in Gaza, Palestine - and I think about what compelled me to ensure that I would be part of this noble international cause. At that time, I didn't care that I was no were near physically fit enough to embark on such a grueling expedition, nor did I think how I was going to raise the minimum fund-raising amount; all I knew was that before me lay an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of innocent children - kids that have been ravaged by the devastating effects of the Israeli war in Gaza. It was clear to me that I had to grab this opportunity with both hands. I sit here now wondering where all this passion to assist our children in Gaza had come from and it dawns on me that the answer I am looking for is actually closer to me than I think.

You know, our religion is so beautiful in that it teaches us from a young age to be compassionate and generous to those less fortunate than ourselves. I think of how my parents, my mother especially, had a big influence in inculcating these values into my sisters, brother and I. But the major influence that has recently ignited my passion and determination to help our children in Gaza is my father Fazleh Ahmed Khan. He is one of those lucky, privileged and heroic doctors who formed part of the medical team with Gift of the Givers that traveled to Gaza in early January 2009 - during what we all know was the height of the Israeli aggression against the people of Gaza. I remember standing at O R international airport in JHB watching that noble team of doctors leave for Palestine and I kept thinking to myself how much in awe and amazement I was, and how much of pride I had in my father for doing what he was doing. He was sacrificing so much! – he was sacrificing his time away from his family and time away from his practice. More importantly, he could have been sacrificing his life knowing that there were so many inherent dangers with going to Gaza at that time of the war - but he did this all because he wanted to make a difference in the lives of those suffering. Standing there, it struck me - I actually felt guilty knowing that I had so much to be grateful to Allah (S.W.A) for - for what He's given me and allowed me to achieve in my life and the fact that our lives were so much less challenging than any of the Palestinians.

I also began thinking how much younger I was than my father, and how much much more I should be doing in my youth for others. It was then and there that I made a promise to myself that insha'Allah when an opportunity to help my brothers and sisters in Palestine arises again I would make sure I seize it. And you know, Subhanallah, we underestimate the power of our own Duaas and intentions - it was not long after that I was on the internet and I just happened to stumble across this Kilimanjaro expedition organized by Muslim Hands. Needless to say, when I saw it I got so excited that I immediately informed my brother (Muhammad Ridwaan Khan) and friend Nadim Mahomed about it. They inturn were extremely eager to take up this challenge and noble cause.

Alhamdullilah, my initial excitement and determination has started to pay of and things are now falling into place. Here I am today with fiitness levels rapidly increasing (due to intense daily training!) and charity donations starting to come through generously - with help from the other expedition members and family ofcourse.

I remember a saying that goes like this: "If you don't stand for something in the world, then you stand for nothing in life". I would like to believe that in setting myself such a tremendous challenge in such a short time, and taking a stand to help our children in Gaza, that I wouldn't ever look back on my life and think that I didn't make a difference in this world.

Was-salam,
Muhammad Taher Khan

"To the Children & Future of Palestine"

Kilimanjaro Sponsorship Banner Campaign

As-salamu-alaikum - Peace be upon You

Alhamdulliah, our charity-drive is going well and feedback has been good from friends and family. It's amazing how people respond to a noble cause - especially when it deals with a topic so dear to us all - our children affected by the war in Gaza, Palestine.

My friend (and fellow Kilimanjaro expedition member) Nadim and I were brainstorming about ways in which we could get the broader public - businesses and companies, more involved in our fund-raising initiative. Another friend (the infamous "Ned") had previously suggested to me the concept of a sponsored banner to sell "banner-space" to people in return for sponsorship towards our cause.

After toying around with that concept, we've finally decided to initiate our Sponsorship Banner Campaign. The idea is to place the logos and names of businesses , companies or organizations that sponsor towards the Kilimanjaro Expedition onto a 1.5m x 0.90m vinyl colour banner (sufficiently sized to fit into a hiking back-pack). We aim to then carry the banner with us to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro insha'Allah, making sure we capture plenty of video footage and camera photos. The banner will look something like this:

There will be 42 sponsorship blocks available on the banner, each with a value of R1000. So if you are a business owner or are aware of any company or organization who would like to sponsor towards our cause, please contact us. I'm sure it would be a great feeling to know that your sponsorships towards a fund-raising drive made it possible for the team to make it to the top of the highest free-standing mountain in the world! We also aim to bring back and give to sponsors the photographs and videos of the banner at the summit of Kilimanjaro. Besides, the aim is also for all our photos and videos to be posted on YouTube, Facebook as well as on various print media such as the Muslim Hands feedback brochures, Islamic newspapers, etc.

Drop us an e-mail to get involved in our Kilimanjaro Sponsorship Banner Campaign: mtk007@gmail.com ; nadimm@gmail.com or phone us on +27 82 535 1201 or +27 82 221 2312.

Shukran, was-salam,

Muhammad Taher Khan

"To the Children & Future of Palestine"