Kilimanjaro Summited (5,895 meters) - Tanzania

Kilimanjaro Summit - An Unassuming Beginning 

At the outset, I start with pranams to Sringeri Jagadguru  Sannidhanams  His Holiness Jagadguru Sankaracharya  Sri Sri Sri Bharathi Theertha Mahaswamigal and  Jagadguru Sankaracharya His holiness Sri Sri Sri Vidhu Shekhara Bharathi swamigal  of Sringeri Saradha Peetham for everyone’s welfare & continued prosperity.

The mountains taught us that the journey itself holds the most profound rewards—and sometimes, if you are patient, prepared, and humble enough, the mountains gift you the summit. Kilimanjaro was not merely a climb; it was a slow, deliberate shedding of comfort, ego, and certainty. What remained was resolve.

Not long ago, I turned back 400 meters short of the Mera Peak summit—not as a defeat, but as an unfinished conversation with the mountains. A combination of factors made that the right decision then. I carried that moment quietly, allowing it to shape me. From that slip, I returned with silence in the mind and a steady, burning desire to stand on a summit again. This time, missing the summit was not an option.

Kilimanjaro became that reckoning.

From the very first steps, the mountain revealed its pulchritude—not merely in form, but in the way it demanded patience, humility, and presence. The journey itself was layered with meaning, reminding us that while summits are gifted, they are never owed.

The Team and the Leader

Our terkking team and Support Staff

Every expedition is defined by its people, and ours was anchored by exceptional leadership. Our trek leader, Lt Col Romil Bhartwal, made one thing unequivocally clear:

"not summiting is not an option, and no one would be left behind"
"Your only goal is Summit, rest leave it to me" .

These were not words spoken lightly. They became the moral compass of the expedition. True to his soldierly spirit, he ensured that every member of the team moved forward with confidence and returned stronger—together. Romil sir is person of fine mettle who has adorned the uniform with distinction and leader truly worth his salt.

With the Rain in Rain forests

Thick and lush rain forests

The early days took us through dense rain forests, where the mountain felt alive and watchful. Rain fell steadily, turning the trail into slushy, muddy terrain that tested balance, patience, and endurance. Each step through roots, sludge, and slick ground demanded attention, reminding us to be watchful.In that persistent rain, character revealed itself quietly, and resolve was shaped long before the summit came into view.

Like the raven—intelligent, playful, and resilient
joy finds its way even in the harshest landscapes.

Like the raven—intelligent, playful, and resilient—we learned to find joy even as the mountain tested us. Amid slush, rain, wind, and uncertainty, there were moments of quiet laughter and lightness that reminded us why we climb. Joy, like the raven in the highlands, does not wait for comfort; it appears when resilience and presence walk together.

Landscape is rich in Flora

Cathedral–Shira Detour and Barranco Wall

Cathedral Point

On Day 3, the trek leader introduced a deliberate challenge. Three of us were tasked to take a detour via Cathedral Point toward Shira Point, complete the ascent, and return to rejoin the main team—on time. It was a test of navigation, pacing, and discipline at altitude. We followed the instructions precisely, embraced the detour, absorbed the terrain, and completed the loop as planned. When we regrouped with the rest of the team, it felt less like a task completed and more like quiet confirmation that intent, when aligned with effort, always finds its way back.

Barranco Wall

Scaling the Barranco Wall

The Barranco Wall tested our composure early—steep, exposed, and mentally demanding. It required trust in movement, technique, and each other. Hands searched for rock, boots found narrow holds, and the mountain demanded complete attention. Fear had to be acknowledged rather than resisted, and progress came only when focus replaced hesitation. It was a lesson in presence—one move at a time, fully committed.

Summit Night : One Team one Dream

The Summit - We started by 11:00 PM.

The climb was slow steady and measured. Between 3:30 AM and first light at 5:30 AM, Kilimanjaro revealed her fiercest temperament. There was a snow blizard, the biting cold, and gusty winds tested every layer of resolve. There were moments when I slipped in the snow, struggling to find footing and regain composure.

First light & First sight of Summit - From Stella Point

In the darkness, the guide’s steady voice repeated “Pole pole” in Swahilli—(menaing slowly, slowly) along with a reminder that cut through the storm: one team, one dream.

Team @ Summit

In those fragile moments, memory became strength. My thoughts returned to conversations with the Sringeri Jagadguru Acharyals, the reverberation of Shivaratri Rudram at our Kailasanathar temple, and the many ultra-marathon journeys shared with my running mates: disciplined, playful, and relentless. The mind returned to  my endurance whcih stood as a foundational rock: I repeated to myself "this path is not for the weak of will"

Uhuru in Swahilli means FREEDOM

Step by step, breath by breath, the mountain opened up and embraced us in her lap and took us to summit.

Beyond Sight : Climbing with Angmo

With Angmo and Lt Col Romil @ summit

An Inspiring piece. 

Beyond Sight with Angmo,( 1st Indian Visually challenged woman to climb Mount Everest:) 

A Journey to the Top of the World

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I had the opportunity to summit Kilimanjaro with Ms Angmo from Himachal who is 100% visually impaired. They say "seeing is believing," but my fellow climber  has spent her life proving that believing is seeing.  As the first and only visually challenged woman to summit Mt. Everest, she has already redefined what is possible. Angmo has also done Mt Elbrus in Russia. Now, after our successful climb of Kilimanjaro, she continues her relentless pursuit of the Seven Summits. By day, she serves with excellence at Union Bank; by heart, she is a conqueror of horizons. 

Watching her summit with such grace, it was clear that her mind is more than ready for the world’s highest peaks. She reminds us that while "eyes see obstacles, the spirit sees the summit". It was a profound honor to stand on the roof of Africa with a woman who is redefining the art of possibilities 

The only barriers to success are the ones we set ourselves. Salute to her unwavering and conquering spirit 

What the mountain leaves behind

At the summit, wrapped in wind, snow, and silence, an ancient truth felt unmistakably alive:

माता भूमिः पुत्रोऽहं पृथिव्याः

Earth is my mother; I am her child.

Kilimanjaro did not need to be conquered—She has to be respected. The mountain tested patience, rewarded humility, and finally allowed us to stand at her highest point.

Kilimanjaro peak - we bowed in reverence and took leave of her!

Gratitude and New Beginnings

No summit is ever solitary. I carry deep gratitude for my family and closest friends, who stood beside this journey with prayers, belief, and quiet strength. Their camaraderie, trust, and constant presence became an unseen rope line—steady, reassuring, and always there when it mattered most.

These new beginnings arrive gently. They are not loud or demanding; they reveal themselves in moments of calm, in unspoken understanding, and in the comfort of knowing one is not walking alone. There is strength in that closeness, and reassurance in shared silence.

Moving forward with them, the path ahead feels clearer and kinder. Each step carries purpose, each pause carries meaning, and every beginning feels grounded, shared, and worth embracing.

A humble feeling