Paul Mordue, owner of Hexham-based Be Wild About Adventure Ltd, and Carl Halliday, owner of Mountain Escape: Walk-Scramble-Climb, led an expedition of 12 people up to the summit of Kilimanjaro.
![Paul and Carl led a group of 12 up two mountains]()
Paul and Carl led a group of 12 up two mountains (Image: Supplied) Their journey began with a shared vision: to create an expedition that prioritized safety, preparation, and enjoyment over simply reaching the summit quickly.
The adventure started with an ascent of Mount Meru, a dormant volcano in Arusha National Park, standing at 4,566 meters.
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![The group saw a vast range of wildlife]()
The group saw a vast range of wildlife (Image: Supplied) Paul said: "Back in 2009 I completed Kilimanjaro on a personal trip but stayed in touch and became very good friends with one of my guides in the country, Rayson. Over the last 15 years, we have kept in touch and I’ve always wanted to get back there.
![Paul and Carl are now taking bookings for October 2025]()
Paul and Carl are now taking bookings for October 2025 (Image: Supplied) "So, when Carl and I decided to put this trip together I chatted with Rayson and we put together an amazing package and experience for our customers. Rayson has been guiding in Tanzania for 30 years now and has seen and done it all."
![The group hiking to the summit]()
The group hiking to the summit (Image: Supplied) He said the Arusha National Park is 'teeming with wildlife'.
"We experienced giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, baboons, colobus monkeys, and warthogs to name a few and we even just missed a leopard one day according to our ranger who picked up its tracks on our path."
![They took a Northumberland flag to the top of both summits]()
They took a Northumberland flag to the top of both summits (Image: Supplied) They then headed up the Machame route up Kilimanjaro, which offers an 'array of extremely varied landscapes', Paul said.
Paul even took a Northumberland flag to the summit of both Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro, having lived in the county his whole life.
![The group climbed Mount Meru before Mount Kilimanjaro]()
The group climbed Mount Meru before Mount Kilimanjaro (Image: Supplied) "I just want to say that we are now taking bookings for next year in October 2025 and quite incredibly we are already half full with this trip. We met many teams struggling on Kilimanjaro as a result of not building in enough time to acclimatise.
"If you're looking to trek Kilimanjaro in five or six days then look elsewhere. If you'd like to prepare properly, give yourself a better chance of successfully summitting the highest mountain in Africa and enjoy your time on the mountain, then please contact us with your email address to book our October 2025 trips or to request more information."
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