IT ALL STARTED THREE YEARS AGO THIS WEEK......with two girls and a crazy dream. 3 years and 13 adventures later, WHOA has become an unstoppable community of over 200 kick ass women from around the world who are changing what it means to travel!
Read moreSalkantay, Her Way!
Welcome Elizabeth (aka "Mama Sherpa") to our WHOA family! We are so thrilled to have her as the lead mountain guide for our Peru and Machu Picchu Adventures. She's been hiking through the Andes her whole life, and her wild, wondrous spirit and extensive knowledge of the region will bring so much to each of our adventures. Get to know Mama Sherpa...
Read moreWomen Of The Mountain
William, our lead Kilimanjaro guide, smiling with our awesome female porter!
At WHOA, we want to spread this message and encourage the success of all the women who aspire to be guides on Kilimanjaro because we believe the best way for sustainable change is to have a positive impact on local women and their communities. This is why our Kilimanjaro climb is so important to us, because we see first hand the empowerment of women, both from WHOA group and the local community, grow both physically and mentally, on and off the mountain.
Read more5 Questions That Will Determine Your Ideal Adventure
Mountain girl or city chick? Beach or snow? So many options, but which season will I even go!? Choosing an adventure that is right for you can be a bit difficult at times when all you want to do is travel. There’s a whole world out there - places to explore, foods to try, mountains to climb. So how do I pick my next trip? Let us be your guide! Here are some critical questions to consider when deciding what makes the top of your travel list.
Read moreCan You Name Kilimanjaro’s 5 Climate Zones?
Get out your winter wardrobes, and summer too! It is said that to climb up Kilimanjaro is to walk through all four seasons in just five days. With five distinct climate zones ranging from the lush green rainforest to the dry and rocky desert, with a final ascent to the snowy, ice capped summit, Kilimanjaro is truly a natural phenomenon. The variety of vibrant flora and fauna and diverse landscapes can be attributed to the mountain’s tremendous height and its unique location, bordering both the equator and the Indian Ocean. The variations in climate zones and temperature from the top to the bottom of the mountain create the ideal conditions for an expedition like nowhere else in the world. Here are the five different climate zones you will experience as you hike Africa's tallest peak!
Read moreYour Flow, On The Go!
How to deal with your period while traveling, and empower women, too!
While travelling around India last year, through cities and villages, by plane, by train, by rickshaw, and by foot, things became increasingly difficult when I realized I had gotten my period...And of course, the one thing I forgot to pack was my tampons! Here are two simple solutions to your period on the go, and what companies are doing to address the lack of access to sanitary products around the world.
Read moreJambo Elizabeth: Meet our Next Kenyan Kilimanjaro Climber
Elizabeth Gathoni is former student of Tembea Girls School in Kajiado, Kenya. Tembea is apart of Beads for Education whose mission is to improve the status of women in Kenya through girls' education and women's business development.
Read moreGrowing up in India as a Woman: An Essay from a Young WHOA Fan
Recently, we received an email from Yesha, a 14 year old who lives in Gujarat, India. She heard about WHOA in a local newspaper, and wanted to use the time between school terms to experience the adrenaline rush of climbing Kilimanjaro for herself. How awesome is she!? In her own words, she said "I'm not exactly a woman yet." Well, Yesha, one thing is for sure: you're an inspiration and true WHOAer in our book! We can't wait to adventure with you (even though it will have to a few years)!
By Yesha Desai
When I say I live in India you guys probably think of me, a shy sari-clad girl living in a small house without light and electricity, walking kilometers to fetch water from the nearest well.
Well this may be true in some cases but when I say I live in India I mean the beautiful coastline, enormous mountains hovering in the north and guarding us and oh!! The undiscovered paradise of rivers and forests in the north east.
All photos courtesy of Yesha
Yes life in India can be tough sometimes. Because no matter what religion you follow you are bound to face social suffocation.
But isn’t that the case in every country?
But unlike every other country, India is way more diverse and I have no idea how we even manage to be united as a country.
In India, it's like festivals are life and the art of living is just a colorful festivity. Year round we have festivals after festivals. Shops beaming with lights and presents to shop and of course food.
How can anyone describe India without the mention of food? Having a vibrant history and culture we always have a reason to celebrate and with heaps of extremely delicious delicacies.
From quiet villages to ever growing cities life in India can be fun. You may imagine that a person might get bored here but there are lots of fun things to do. Just like Hollywood we have our own film industry- Bollywood.
Just like I said before, India is a country of diversity. Our national language is Hindi but in every country people speak different languages. Just like in my state Gujarat we speak Gujarati, in the Maharashtra they speak Marathi etc. There are more than 15 main languages and many other tribal ones. Most people in India speak at least 3 languages if not more.
I am quite sure that a few of you reading this blog will be joining the cycling trip in India in 2016 , held by WHOA. As much as negativity you may have about India, all I can say is that people here are extremely helpful and kind. You may find then intruding your privacy sometimes but….What can I say it's in our culture to help people.