Dido & Kilimanjaro — A child, a mountain, a dream

Chapter 01 · The project

A child, a mountain, and a wild urge to write his own legend.

Dhia Hamzaoui — known to everyone as Dido — is about to become both the youngest French and the youngest Tunisian climber to summit Kilimanjaro. The roof of Africa. 5,895 metres above sea level, where the sky merges with eternal ice.

On 3 January 2027, the day before his tenth birthday, he will reach the summit alongside his father. One rope team, two generations, one shared dream.

It's not about performance. It's a story. The story of a child who believes you can start big — very big — and very early. And that every step, however small, writes something.

Chapter 02 · Portrait

Dido, 9 (almost 10). Curious as a fox, free as a bird.

Dido, arms raised, full of joy by the Mediterranean

“Dido”Marseille · Spring 2025

Goal5895mJan. 2027

→ 01 / A life on the move

Already 12 countries

No.12

Twelve flags, twelve languages stammered, twelve cuisines tasted. Dido has been travelling since he could walk, and every trip has shaped him a little more.

France Tunisia Italy Portugal England China Vietnam Turkey Spain Germany Andorra Malta

→ 02 / His passion

Nature, animals, adventure.

He can read animal tracks and name the birds he spots. He loves the smell of damp wood and the silence of the forest. For him, the outdoors is his real home.

→ 03 / His rope team

Father & son, at the summit.

He is living this project as a pair. His father walks beside him, trains him, listens to him. A bond passed on step after step, breath after breath, on the trails that lead to the roof of Africa.

→ 04

Born on 4 January

He will turn 10 on 4 January 2027, the day after the summit, on his way down the mountain. Quite a special birthday present.

→ 05

French and Tunisian

His grandparents come from the Daher mountains in Tunisia. Altitude runs in the family.

→ 06

Serious training

Hiking, endurance, altitude acclimatisation. Every week, Dido trains to be ready for the big day.

Chapter 04 · The route

The Marangu route.
Nicknamed the “Coca-Cola Route”.

The Marangu route is the oldest route up Kilimanjaro, and the only one where climbers sleep in huts rather than tents. Its steady gradient and acclimatisation day at Horombo make it ideal for a young climber: six days crossing five climate zones — from rainforest to the arctic desert of the summit.

79 km

Total distance

6 days

On the mountain

4,052 m

Gate to summit

5 nights

In mountain huts

The Marangu route, from the park gate to the summit · 34 km of ascent

Day 1

Marangu Gate → Mandara Hut

1,843 m → 2,700 m Rainforest 30 Dec 2026

Leaving Moshi at 9:30 am for the Marangu gate. While the guide sorts out the permits and the rangers weigh the porters' loads, the chef prepares lunch before setting off. Then the trail plunges into the rainforest: giant ferns, mosses, colobus monkeys in the canopy. First night at Mandara Hut, among the trees.

8 kmDistance

4–5 hrsWalking time

+857 mElevation

Day 2

Mandara Hut → Horombo Hut

2,700 m → 3,720 m Forest & moorland 31 Dec 2026

A long day at a steady pace. The forest gradually opens onto high moorland, the realm of giant heathers. From here on, nights are spent above the tree line. On a clear day, both peaks appear from Horombo: Kibo and Mawenzi. New Year's Eve at 3,720 metres.

11 kmDistance

6–8 hrsWalking time

+1,020 mElevation

Day 3

Horombo → Mawenzi Ridge → Horombo Hut

3,720 m → 4,389 m → 3,720 m Moorland 1 Jan 2027

The first day of the year, and the key acclimatisation day. A short hike up to Mawenzi Ridge at 4,389 m, then back to Horombo Hut for a second night. This “climb high, sleep low” technique gently prepares the body for the altitude of the summit.

5 km ↑ / 5 km ↓Distance

2–5 hrsWalking time

+669 / −669 mElevation

Day 4

Horombo Hut → Kibo Hut

3,720 m → 4,703 m Alpine desert 2 Jan 2027

The trail crosses the alpine desert, a lunar landscape where almost nothing grows, with the summit in sight. The walking isn't hard, but the altitude calls for a slow pace to save energy. At Kibo Hut: early dinner, early bed — the alarm goes off around midnight.

9 kmDistance

6–7 hrsWalking time

+983 mElevation

Day 5

Kibo Hut → Gilman's Point → Uhuru Peak → Horombo

4,703 m → 5,895 m → 3,720 m Arctic & alpine desert 3 Jan 2027

The longest and most beautiful day. Setting off around midnight by headlamp, up a steep and demanding slope. The team checks oxygen levels and pulse regularly throughout the climb. On the crater rim, at Gilman's Point, the sun rises over Africa.

Then the final ridge to the top: Uhuru Peak, 5,895 m. The roof of the continent. The emotion of a lifetime. After the summit, a long descent to Horombo Hut for one last night on the mountain.

6 km ↑ / 16 km ↓Distance

12–16 hrsWalking time

+1,192 / −2,175 mElevation

Day 6

Horombo Hut → Marangu Gate

3,720 m → 1,843 m Moorland & rainforest 4 Jan 2027

His 10th birthday. The longest stage, but almost all downhill: hard on the legs, easy on the lungs. Back through the moorland, then the forest. At the Marangu gate, summit certificates are handed out and the team celebrates, then it's back to the hotel in Moshi. The dream has come true. Hakuna Matata.

19 kmDistance

7–9 hrsWalking time

−1,877 mElevation

⛰️

Why the Marangu route? For a 9-year-old, it's the most reassuring choice: nights in huts rather than tents, a gradual slope, and a full acclimatisation day at Horombo (up to 4,389 m and back down) before heading for the summit. The whole climb is done with a professional team: mountain guides, porters and a cook, from the gate to the summit.

The full itinerary. Arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport on 29 December 2026 and a night in Moshi, six days on the mountain from 30 December to 4 January, another night in Moshi, then the flight home on 5 January 2027.

Chapter 06 · The destination

Tanzania. The land where Kilimanjaro rises.

A cradle of humankind, Tanzania is home to some of the most spectacular landscapes on the planet: the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater, the island of Zanzibar — and of course Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain.

Kilimanjaro National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, covers 1,688 km² and spans five distinct climate zones: from lush rainforest to equatorial glaciers, by way of moorland and alpine desert.

Giraffe crossing the savannah in front of snow-capped Kilimanjaro — Kilimanjaro · 5,895 m

Elephants in the Tanzanian savannah at sunset — Savannah · Serengeti

Herd of elephants in Tanzania — Wildlife

Acacia and giraffe in the savannah — Acacias & giraffes

⛰

5 climate zones

From tropical rainforest to eternal glaciers. In 6 days, the expedition covers the equivalent of a journey from the Congo to the North Pole.

✦

A UNESCO treasure

Kilimanjaro National Park has been a World Heritage Site since 1987 for its exceptional biodiversity and its status as Africa's highest peak.

☼

The Marangu route

Nicknamed the "Coca-Cola Route", it is the oldest route up Kilimanjaro and the only one with nights in huts. 79 km there and back in 6 days, including an acclimatisation day.

Chapter 07 · The timeline

Twelve months to get ready.

Spring 2026

Official launch

Project announced, partnerships set up, physical training begins.

Summer 2026

Altitude & endurance

Trekking in the Alps, progressive acclimatisation sessions. The first 3,000 metres.

Autumn 2026

The final stretch

Medical checks, gear, visualisation. Intensive training supervised by experts.

29 Dec 2026 → 5 Jan 2027

The climb

6 days on the mountain. Marangu route. Goal: Uhuru Peak on 3 January 2027.

Training hike · Pyrenees

From the Lys car park to the Maupas hut

A proper training day in the Pyrenees, above Bagnères-de-Luchon. From the Lys car park, the trail climbs through the forest and then high mountain pastures to the Maupas hut, perched at 2,430 m below the Pic du Maupas (3,109 m). More than 1,300 metres of ascent: more than the summit stage on Kilimanjaro.

The story

Backpack on, Dido sets off up the trail at a good pace. He's in great shape that day: the forest, the switchbacks and then the high pastures roll by, and he climbs the 1,320 metres of ascent in 3 h 55 min. No heading back down that evening: the night is spent up high, at the Maupas hut, at 2,430 metres. A full-scale rehearsal for Kilimanjaro, where every night on the mountain will be spent in a hut.

7.8 kmAscent · one way

+1,320 mElevation gain

3 h 55 minDido's climb time

2,430 mNight at the hut

The route

Elevation profile · ascent

Dido looking out over the valley, surrounded by mountains

Route calculated on OpenStreetMap trails · elevations from a digital terrain model · figures are approximate.

Training hike · Néouvielle

The Pic Maubic, a Pyrenean 3,000er

Another training day, in the Néouvielle massif. From the Cap-de-Long dam, the trail climbs above the lake to the Pic Maubic, a summit of more than 3,000 metres that stays quiet, overshadowed by its more famous neighbours. Stony ground, scree slopes and 1,080 metres of ascent: ideal training for the final climb on Kilimanjaro.

12.15 kmFull loop

+1,080 mElevation gain

3,043 mHighest point

6 h 35 minAverage time

The climb to the summit

Elevation profile · ascent

Figures from the Visorando route sheet · track rebuilt from OpenStreetMap trails · elevations from a digital terrain model · figures are approximate.

Health & medical preparation

Vaccinations done.
Dido is ready.

Medical preparation for an expedition to Tanzania is rigorous. Here are the vaccinations required and recommended by the Institut Pasteur and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs for travel to Tanzania. Dido is fully up to date with this protocol.

✓

Yellow fever

Mandatory · certificate required

✓

Hepatitis A & B

Strongly recommended

✓

Typhoid fever

Recommended

✓

Rabies

Recommended · rural areas

✓

Meningitis A/C/Y/W

Recommended

✓

DTP · MMR · Whooping cough

Routine vaccinations up to date

✓

Malaria prophylaxis

Prescribed by a tropical medicine doctor

✓

Altitude consultation

Mountain doctor · Chamonix

Mandatory Recommended Preventive

Visitor information Planning a trip to Tanzania? A yellow fever vaccination certificate is mandatory to enter the country (travellers over 1 year old). Visit an international vaccination centre at least 6 weeks before departure. Also remember malaria medication, a mountain first-aid kit and repatriation insurance covering altitudes above 5,000 m.

Dido &
Kilimanjaro

A child, a mountain, and a wild urge to write his own legend.