Earlier this week, we wrote about the Ndarakwai Tented Lodge, one of our favorite places to stay on the eve of our climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro. But where we spend our final night in Tanzania is of equal importance as we kick our feet up and reflect on the journey of a lifetime, and the Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge is at the top of our list.

What makes this lodge so exceptional isn’t only that it looks down on the town of Karatu with epic views, or that it is so close to the Ngorongoro Crater, or that it is the idyllic place to relax and rest before the long haul home. The Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge is ultimately great because of its mission: to provide a home for the children of Rhotia Valley who have none. The great folks behind the lodge call their project “two hills one goal,” and they currently care for 24 children, ages 6 to 17.

Traveling halfway around the globe to climb a mountain and witness an entirely new world of wildlife is not just the adventure of a lifetime, but a chance to truly connect with local people and local missions, and this is but one of Embark’s ways of becoming a part of the places we visit. Because like the Rhotia Valley lodge, Embark is not just a company – it is a philosophy.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.