How climbing Mount Kilimanjaro brought 4 Hong Kong friends closer together

Trio in their 50s and a son, 27, from Hong Kong challenge themselves with 8-day climb to top of Africa’s highest peak in wind, rain and cold

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(From left) Hozefa Topiwalla, 52, Seshu Krishna Anne’s son Sagar, 27, Jaya Kumra, 52, and Seshu Krishna Anne, 54, at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in East Africa, the world’s highest free-standing mountain. Photo: Jaya Kumra

Published: 7:15am, 14 Jun 2024

Exhaustion gave way to elation for Hong Kong residents Jaya Kumra, Seshu Krishna Anne and Hozefa Topiwalla after six days of gruelling uphill trekking.

The friends took in the spectacular views from Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa at 5,895 metres (19,341 feet) above sea level, as the realisation of their accomplishment began to sink in: they had summited Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

It is the world’s highest free-standing mountain and known as the roof of Africa. It is also the most popular of the Seven Summits, the highest peaks on the seven traditional continents. Each year, 30,000 to 50,000 hikers attempt the climb.

What inspired this adventure

Kumra’s love for the outdoors was born on Dragon’s Back, a mountain ridge on Hong Kong Island. Her initiation into hiking sparked a love affair with the trails in the city, says the ex-lawyer and talk show host, who has lived in Hong Kong since 2011.

The first day of the climb begins, with Kumra in the lead. Photo: Jaya Kumra

She trekked to the Mount Everest base camp in Nepal in 2019 and she wanted to summit Kilimanjaro to celebrate her 50th birthday, but the coronavirus pandemic got in the way, she says.

“Last year I thought, why not give it a go for my 52nd birthday?”

The adrenaline rush and excitement of climbing and reaching a peak drives her, as does a challenge that pushes her outside her comfort zone.

For her friend Seshu Krishna Anne, 54, the appeal of climbing the mountain was to go on an adventure with his son, Sagar, 27. “A chance to spend eight days with him was priceless,” says the executive in a large multinational corporation.

Hozefa Topiwalla, 52, is always on the lookout for a challenge. When Anne asked him to join, the finance executive and fitness enthusiast saw it as “the perfect opportunity to push myself”.