Want Everest, train in Rwenzoris says Everest solo climber

Kampala –“I have climbed many mountains, been to Mt. Kenya and Mt. Kilimanjaro, but none compares to what confronts you when you climb the Mt. Rwenzori Mountains,” says RavichandranTharumalingam who has just returned from the Mountains after an expedition to Margherita at 5109m.

“When they told me about the Rwenzoris, I didn’t know much. Our focus has been on these two mountains and every year we find it easy to summit Mt. Kenya and Mt. Kilimanjaro the better known ones.” Ravi says it took him 8 days to discover this is the best mountain experience in Africa.

“Rwenzori mountains have so much to offer. I only did one. I will return to do the others.” Adding that this climb brought up the memories of the Himalayas with all the technical difficulties, the glaciers, the attention to detail every climber must have.

Ravi has promised to invite professional climbers to include the Rwenzori mountains on their summit challenge. He has offered to train four guides as professional mountaineers who he will then take to Mt. Everest in a year or two. Ravi’s nod is no mean approval. The Malaysian climber summited the Everest solo on May 15, 2006.

“This promotion by prominent climbers like Ravi is timely and in sync with the work we are doing at UTB,” says Stephen Asiimwe, the Uganda Tourism Board’s Chief Executive Officer. “We have just completed a new marketing strategy to promote the whole Rwenzori region as prime mountaineering and cultural tourism destination.”