Chaeli Mycroft summits Africa's highest peak

Chaeli Mycroft summits Africa's highest peak

Capetonian Chaeli Mycroft is officially the first female quadriplegic to conquer Africa's highest mountain.

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Wheelchair-bound Mycroft and her team summitted Mount Kilimanjaro this morning after a five-day climb.

The 21-year-old set out with a six-member team - the Kili Climbers - on August 29 to return yesterday morning, between 6.30am and 7.30am South African time. 

The entire expedition was detailed online with daily updates in real-time.

Discover Africa's Andre Van Kets says this was to offer family, friends and supporters of the Chaeli campaign a vicarious experience.

"The challenge which we set ourselves when we met with Zelda ( Chaeli's mom), Chaeli and the campaign team was essentially this - to take the people up the mountain with her as close as possible.

"We really feel like we've hit the nail on the head with that right from the video flight to the hourly updates," he says. 

Prior to their departure, it was crucial that both Chaeli and the abled-bodied climbers were physically prepared. 

"The serious physical training started about four months ago while in the recent month or two, they were doing altitude training at a specialist cycling centre to get their bodies climatised to the type of conditions experienced in high altitudes," he says.

Click here to see the interview with Chaeli before her departure.

Mycroft co-founded the Chaeli campaign in 2004 with her sister, Erin and friends, Tarryn, Justine and Chelsea Terry to initially raise money for a motorised wheelchair for Chaeli. 

The campaign has since grown to manage eight different projects, two of which will be beneficiaries of proceeds from the climb - the Inclusive Education Programme and Chaeli Cottage Inclusive Pre-school and Enrichment Centre.

Click here to see the detailed updates of the Kili Challenge. 

The video below is of Chaeli and Kili Climber, Taylor before heading to the peak.

Here is a map showing the route and base camps.

(Photo via discoverafrica.com)

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