The Luminaire Foundation raises £25k through first Kilimanjaro hike

Specialist tour operator The Luminaire has raised £25,000 for charity through its first Kilimanjaro hike organised as part of its partnership with Virgin Unite.

The trip saw 13 participants scale the mountain to raise funds for U-Go, a university initiative providing scholarships for Tanzanian women.

The partnership between the operator and Virgin Group’s philanthropic arm was unveiled last year and will see The Luminaire donate 100% of profits from its Foundation trips to global initiatives. 

Among the participants was 65-year-old travel industry figure Sudheer Sharma and an 11-year-old boy, who became one of the youngest people to summit the mountain last year.

The group spent seven days reaching the summit due to altitude and strong winds, reaching the top during sunrise on December 22.

The Luminaire Foundation is currently planning two more fundraising Kilimanjaro hikes in 2026 alongside a Bhutan trek and Mount Everest expedition, with 100% of funds due to go towards natural conservation, cultural preservation and education initiatives.