Faustin Meela

Faustin Meela is the perfect guide for anybody wishing to visit Africa and experience it as one should: immersed in its environment and part of African life, albeit for a week or so.

Faustin is from the Chagga tribe and lives near Marangu gate, one of the main access gates to the famous climbs of Mount Kilimanjaro.  To provide for his family he went to work in dangerous Tanzanite mines, after losing too many friends, he then worked as a ranger for the National Parks where he learnt his trade as a safari guide.

Living in Kilimanjaro all of his life means, of course, that he has climbed to the summit several times, nearly 400 in fact!  His dream was to one day own his own lodge and this year he opened it after 25 years of saving and building in his spare time with his friends.

Faustin is currently building a new road - by hand!  This requires digging out 100 metres of volcanic rock to a height of 10 metres - for the comfort of his guests.

Each year I travel to Kilimanjaro for my work and I will definitely be taking a break at the lodge and asking Faustin to be my guide.

I cannot recommend him highly enough.  He is quiet and considerate, knowledgeable, well trained and formally qualified as a licensed tour and climbing guide with a registered company.  You will relax totally  - safe in the knowledge that Faustin is taking care of you.

So if you fancy sitting on the roof of Africa or roaming free with its wild animals in its beautiful vast countryside, you could not be in better hands.

Colin Dobbyne

Cambridge, UK.