Kasaragod: Akhila Muraleedharan, a native of Poinachi in Kasaragod, has realised a mountaineering dream by conquering Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro, facing freezing temperatures, low oxygen levels, and challenging terrain along the way.

Akhila, who joined the Wayanad-based trekking group Globe Trekkers, was the only woman from Kasaragod among the 15-member team led by Shaji P Mathew and Salim. She described the experience as empowering, saying the journey gave her the courage to overcome any crisis.

Prior to Mount Kilimanjaro, Akhila had limited trekking experience, having undertaken the Ranipuram trek and, more recently, a trek in Parambikulam-Kondarangi in March. Her Mount Kilimanjaro expedition, one of the world’s Seven Summits, became possible when Globe Trekkers accepted her request to join the climb. She credited the guides and fellow team members for their support and encouragement throughout the journey.

Akhila is the daughter of late Muraleedharan, founder of Vidyanagar Leo Industrial Syndicate from Kanhangad, and Shanthakumari of Koliyadukkam. Her mother and brothers, Arjun Muraleedharan and Ananthu Muraleedharan, provided steadfast support for her expedition.

Preparation for Kilimanjaro included rigorous physical training. She trekked in Mysore carrying a 10 kg backpack, climbed more than 3,000 steps, and trained in the gym, including exercises with a mask to simulate high-altitude conditions.

The journey involved flights from Kochi to Mumbai and onward to Nairobi, followed by a road trip to Tanzania. After a day of rest, the team began the ascent to Mount Kilimanjaro. The summit, Uhuru Peak, stands at 5,895 metres above sea level. Akhila completed the climb in six days, returning on the seventh.

Reflecting on the experience, she said Mount Kilimanjaro offered entirely new lessons: high-altitude trekking, her first trip to another continent, and staying in a tent. She noted that the seven-day climb and breathtaking views reinforced a key lesson: “We never conquer the mountain; it only allows us to climb it.”