"Dream, Dream, Dream! Conduct these dreams into thoughts, and then transform them into action."
- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
16 Aug 2019
Under the supervision of expedition leader, Samir Patham, nine-year-old Advait Bhartia successfully reached the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania which is at 19,341 feet above sea level and is also the highest in Africa.
Earlier, in 2016, Advait who was only six years old then had successfully trekked to the Everest base camp and finished the summit in seven days.
Advait who is also fondly called 'Simbum ToTo' (Little Simba) took the Machame route which is also the most recommended route that begins at the southern base of the mountain. He had to face many challenges like thin air, reducing atmospheric oxygen by approximately 50 per cent, and sub-zero temperatures ranging between minus 21 and 25 degrees Celsius at higher altitudes. However, little Advait braved them all. He underwent stringent training over a period of two months to gear up for the climb.
Advait said that while summitting the Everest Base Camp, they lived in wooden houses, but during the Kilimanjaro trek, they had to stay in tents which was a good experience due to the exposure to snow and the surroundings. Advait said that he could have reached the summit faster, but he took many breaks to just soak in the beauty of the place.
Next on Advait’s bucket list is Mount Elbrus which is Europe’s highest mountain. Pune-based adventure and trekking company Adventure Pulse had organized this trek for Advait.
Image Courtesy: Holidify