Press Release - Summits Africa Expands into Kenya

The Latest info from Summits Africa, this is the Nov launch press release timed with WTM (World Travel Market). Some detailed information here on Summits Africa operations.

In summary for those that have not encountered Summits Africa before – we are an East African based professional outfitting company started by Kilimanjaro expert and guide Ake Lindstrom. This email is our first travel industry mail out to stimulate interest in our professionally run trips from Kilimanjaro climbs to mountain biking in the rift valley. Please feel free to pass on our information to others that may be interested and we look forward to hearing back from you in due course. By the way, our success rate for all clients ascending Kilimanjaro in 2008 was 98.3%.

In this release 1. The Summits Africa methodology 2. NEW! - Kenya partnership 3. 2009 Trips and rates 4. Meet the team

The Summits Africa methodology Experience and time are among the best tutors. Summits Africa is a team of some 130 porters, cooks, crew and guides that have been working together for 8 years. Founder Ake Lindstrom’s approach is simple – training and learning must be built into all business processes. Data on heart rates and oxygen saturations from all high altitude trips are collected and used by our teams to monitor and assess our clients at least twice a day and as much as every few minutes to ensure that every client is as safe as they can be. We provide oxygen / emergency stretchers / pulse oximetry and altitude monitoring scorecard systems on all high altitude trips. Data from 7 years of trips is used in our bi annual training and complements in depth training on all manner of topics from glaciology to history. 6 of our guides are community first aid instructors. As you read this email teams of our porters are being given basic first aid training. Every single porter we use will have received basic first aid training at least once in the last year. Training our teams builds moral and is part of our career progression framework. Many future guides will have started with Summits Africa. The best will remain with us. All trips we run are highly systemized. Professionalism comes from adherence to well designed and applied systems. On a ascent of Kilimanjaro to extreme altitude it’s reassuring to know that at base before the trip left the emergency oxygen canisters will have been checked, our own rescue stretchers ticked off on page 4 of our 18 page trip preparation document and that the guides will already know that Mrs X is allergic to Sulpha based drugs. Pre trip briefings with senior managers (not just a driver guide or walking guide), post trip feedback forms and a no quibble approach to any complaints are all part of the Summits Africa service. PLEASE NOTE: Summits Africa is an outfitter that specializes in adventure trips. We are more than happy to be booked as part of a larger itinerary through your local ground handler and we liaise very closely with a number of companies that specialize in other areas, such as flying safaris, beach holidays and so on.

NEW! – Summits Africa Kenya Summits Africa has expanded! Previously for Mt Kenya climbs Summits Africa has referred our industry partners to professionals in Kenya. In order to better serve our customers and provide a highly consistent service Summits Africa has now taken over the operations and set up Summits Africa Kenya. Our Kenyan operations are now headed up by seasoned Mt Kenya guide Paul Kanja who is now based in Nairobi with our equipment, crew and guides based at Naro Moru on the slopes of Mt Kenya. As with our Tanzanian operations we welcome trip leaders on FIT trips. To find out more about our Kenya climb trips offered please take a look at our website and all our Kenyan services from airport meet and greets to a range of Mt Kenya routes can be booked through our existing central email – info@summits-africa.com. Our flagship climb for Mt Kenya is a 6 day fully supported luxury specification Chogoria – Sirimon trip. As with our Kilimanjaro operations we prefer to provide all of our own tents and equipment rather than relying on the possibility of overcrowding in huts. Mt Kenya is a stunningly beautiful mountain, and for hikers this must rank as least as highly as Mt Kilimanjaro. Shorter trips are also available on request.

2009 Trips and rates Summits Africa has a range of set departures for Kilimanjaro, Mt Meru and Mt Kenya on our website as well as post mountain short safaris. Please take a look at www.summits-africa.com to see the range of departures that we offer. We also FIT climb services for Kilimanjaro, Mt Kenya, Mt Meru, Oldonyo Lengai and hiking in the Ngorongoro Highlands. All trips on our website are commissionable. You can request our 2009 FIT rates by contacting Ake Lindstrom on info@summits-africa.com or, if you use a local ground handler in East Africa, you can request rates from them too. Recently added to our portfolio is our luxury Mt Kenya climb and a lightweight specification climb will follow.

Meet the team All bookings and enquiries should come into our central email address: info@summits-africa.com All of our team members have climbed all main peaks in East Africa – there couldn’t be a better team to answer your questions. Tanzania General Manager: Ake Lindstrom – rates and media requests, central contact Operations Director: Emanuel Motta – in country default contact Kenya Operations Director: Paul Kanja – in country default contact USA Our USA team switch between East Africa and the USA, providing sales support on rotation. Sales & Systems: Frank Castro – currently in Tanzania until February and then in California to support our USA trade enquiries Sales & Marketing: Laura Hartstone – in East Africa from December to handle enquiries and sales

I look forward to hearing back from you in due course.

Kind regards,

Åke

[Åke Lindstrom – General Manager]

SUMMITS AFRICA see http://www.summits-africa.com/ for East African Adventures see http://www.summits-africa.com/summits-africa-newsletter-ON-TOP.htm to see what’s up at Summits see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgRrg57KreA for our new short YouTube reel www.summits-africa.com info@summits-africa.com “Tourism & Development in Partnership”