From left to right, John, a guide on Mt. Kilimanjaro, Demi, our founder and lead guide, Cony, a guide and crew organizer, and Comfort, a safari driver.
Diamond Glacier Adventures is a Tanzania-based company that specializes in showing you the wonders of east Africa. We offer a smorgasbord of hikes and trips that can be combined, to your liking, into an unforgettable journey.
We offer mountain treks, safaris to our National Parks, visits to indigenous cultures, and trips to the white beaches of Zanzibar. The hike up Mt. Kilimanjaro is one of our specialties, and if you consider it, we’ll provide you with some good tips and tricks to succeed.
We have have been welcoming people to East Africa since 2008. Our founder and lead guide Demi Kessy has more than 20 years of experience guiding groups of people.
Read more reviews from our wonderful clients here or read all of them on Tripadvisor. We are humbled and honored. ?
This review is for Demetrius.
Demetrius is an incredible guide - he is knowledgeable, friendly and patient. He is very focused on safety and regularly checks in on how the... read more group is feeling. While we were hiking (7 day Lemosho route) Demetrius taught us about the local tribes and traditions, the plants and animals of the area, some history of Tanzania and of Mt Kilimanjaro. Demetrius has over 20 years of experience on the mountain and is very capable, easy going and confident. We would absolutely hike with Demetrius again and would recommend him to anyone looking to climb Kilimanjaro.
C7016WTcatherineo 2023-01-11
We chose DG for our climb of Kilimanjaro (6 day Lemosho route) and Meru (3 days).
We climbed both mountains successfully in July 2022 and returned home with fantastic memories... read more and fondness of the teams that supported us in reaching the summit of both mountains.
On the Kili climb, we had two very good guides: Connie and Michael; who enabled us to make the most of our days on the mountain by including additional trips when we had surplus energy.
For example, we managed to take on Shira Peak and Cathedral Point within the 6 day Lemosho climb and had several acclimatisation hikes once we set camp.
The equipment was in excellent condition with a large tent with mattresses and the team set up the night camp very efficiently every evening.
Food was good with three hot meals every day.
A special note for our stomach engineer, Ponzi, who kept us well fed with interesting dishes, plenty of food always, and loads of fruit and veg.
Connie and Michael were knowledgeable, flexible and always looking out for best options for us.
James B 2022-09-03
The team at Diamond Glacier Adventures couldn't have been any better. After a very poorly managed tour company messed up our Kilimanjaro climb Cony and Achii with their crew... read more took us up the tough Western Breach route in 5 days with everyone summiting. We couldn't have asked for any better people to spend our time up the mountain as they were all so helpful and nice!
My overall recommendation would be definitely use these guys for your activities in Tanzania. They are the best!!
543cianr 2022-08-15
Incredible experience visiting Tanzania, climbing Mt Kilimanjaro and going on a safari thanks to Diamond Glacier Adventures. Demi and team took care of us from the moment we landed in... read more Tanzania to the moment we left.
Planning the trip was extremely straightforward and easy, as Demi makes himself available to communicate over whatsapp to answer any and all questions about the trip. Demi provided many suggestions on timing, order or activities, etc. We really trusted his expertise - and he IS an expert!
We hiked Mt Kilimanjaro for 6 days and went on safaris for 4 days. in between the legs of our trip we stayed at the Crest Safari Lodge. Steve and team at the lodge were wonderful to us. And there was delicious food at the hotel!
For Mt Kilimanjaro, Demi and Diamond Glacier Adventures paired us with 2 guides, Johnson and John, 1 cook, Paulo, and 12 porters (I can't list all of their names here but they were all so kind and helpful). The climb was challenging but DGA, Johnson and John helped to make it such a wonderful experience. John and Johnson were incredible, keeping our spirits high, teaching us about the mountain, and having fun with us. We were so lucky to have such wonderful guides who helped us reach the top of Kili! If you have interest in climbing Mt Kilimanjaro I would 100000% recommend Johnson, John and Diamond Glacier Adventures for your trip.
We paired our climb with a few days of safari to end the trip. Per Demi and Diamond Glacier Adventures' expertise, we went to Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, and WOW were we amazed. We have never seen so many remarkable animals all in the same place. An incredible experiences. Comfort was our safari guide. He was great to lead us through these safaris and was extremely knowledgeable.
Overall, this was the experience of a lifetime! If you are considering a trip like this, just Mt Kilimanjaro or just safaris, consider Diamond Glacier Adventures. I would highly, highly recommend them.
mmed4144 2022-07-26
A review specific to Demetrius Kessy: We had an incredible experience on the mountain, and we want to recognize Demetrius! My kids and I really appreciated Demetrius' knowledge of the... read more mountain and its flora, his supportive nature, and his expertise in guiding us. Demetrius is skillful, knowledgeable, quite at ease in the environment, and while exhibiting a quiet strength, is also a lot of fun! Asante sana, Demetrius!
Wanderer78582 2021-09-04
We decided to climb Kilimanjaro on December 2020. Some friends of us who recently made that trip too, advised us to go with DGA as they did. Definitely the best... read more decision we took in the preparation of our trip!
First contact on WhatsApp was super easy and friendly. Demi answered a couple hours after we sent our first message with a very clear and precise offer, detailing all options available (different routes and length). We were amazed by how easy it was to communicate with him.
Due to covid-19 pandemic, our trip initially planned for February 2021 had to be postponed six month later, Demi was super professional and flexible and made no case of it.
At our arrival in Kilimanjaro, Demi was outside the airport waiting for us and arranged everything from the very beginning until the last day. Since then, The only thing we had to care about was reaching the summit.
We spent the first night at Pepe hotel (a small and cool B&B in Arusha). Demi checked all our equipments at our arrival in order to be sure everything was appropriate and nothing missing which was very reassuring for us.
We took the machame route with the objective to complete the climb in 7 days. Our team counted 1 guide (Demi), one assistant Guide (Koni), one Cook, one waiter and 8 porters. All of them were super friendly, positive and encouraging. A special 5* for the cook who prepared delicious dishes everyday for both lunch and diner. The great thing was that we had 3 hot meals everyday whereas other groups had cold pack lunch.
About our Guides (Demi ans Koni), they are incredibly entertaining with a great sense of humour. We even climb with some music on some parts of the trek !!
Furthermore, they were always watching over us making sure we were in the best conditions to make it I til the summit.
We finally made it to the summit in 6 days (instead of 7) without any trouble and Demi arranged an extra night in Arusha in order for us to visit the city and share a super great last lunch together at his own restaurant.
As a conclusion, DGA really went above and beyond our expectations !! It has been a lifetime experience and we highly recommend them without any doubt.
Arthur L 2021-08-10
Did a one day trek to the Mandara hut on Mt Kilimanjaro with Diamond Glacier Adventures. Demi was my guide for the day. I had such a great time.... read more Demi is a great motivator to get you up the hardest parts. No rush and the scenery is spectacular. Lots of opportunity to stop and take pictures. Lunch was very good, You stop about half way up in a picnic area. Also we stopped on the side of the road on the way home so I could get some great shots of Kilimanjaro once the cloud lifted off the mountain. I would highly recommend going with DGA if you are interested in any sort of trek long or short. They are excellent to deal with.
Jeneane M 2019-09-18
Shorter review: AMAZING ONE-IN-A-LIFETIME EXPERIENCE, HIGHLY RECOMMEND, Demi and his Diamond Glacier Adventures are professionals, great guides and made us feel very welcome! MANY THANKS, DEMI AND THE TEAM! Do... read more not hesitate and support the smaller business by choosing Diamond Glaciar Adventures instead of larger and more commercialized providers.
Longer review: Based on my colleague's recommendation we booked (a group of 4, two couples from Germany/Russia/Poland) a 7 day Machame trip with Demi and his team in July 2019. The price was very reasonable, the communication was great and there were no issues with transferring the money via a bank transfer which was a strongly preferable option for us.
We arrived at Kilimanjaro airport and were transferred to Pepe Hotel the same night without any delays. Pepe Hotel is a basic but very nice hotel with all the necessary amenities. Demi had a brief debriefing with us which made us feel in good hands; overall very professional and we were very pleased with the trip planning. We went through our equipment and apparel and Demi provided us with warmer apparel if necessary.
The service of Demi and his team on the mountain was top-notch; we felt very welcome, the food was great and the climbing pacing was tailored to us. Demi recommended that we shorten our 7 days trip to 6 days one because of our good shape, which we did and did not regret afterwards; however, this was a risky move on our part because it implies quicker ascend and a higher risk of altitude sickness.
We made it to the summit on the fifth day - even though it was physically straining, we didn't have any health issues and were super happy to make in such a (relatively) short time. Nature is something out of this world, the views are breathtaking, the whole experience is something we will not ever forget in our lifetime! It is totally worth the price and the long flight and the strenuous ascend!
As a little after-Kilimanjaro present Demi and his brother Connie invited us for a great barbecue in Arusha which was definitely a nice touch.
Overall I was an amazing experience and we would definitely recommend Demi and his team as your guides and helpers! Many thanks for making it happen, guys!
P.S. The Demi's team consisted of 19 people in total. I would highly recommend asking beforehand how large the group would be because it is crucial for tips at the end of the trip. Overall please refer to the tip calculation scheme at Demi's website beforehand; we referred to different resources which state 200-250 dollars per person, the actual amount is around 400+ per person for a group of four which is something you should definitely consider when comparing the prices.
P.P.S. If you have any questions about our experience, feel free to contact me directly through TripAdvisor.
Sofya S 2019-08-18
I researched many well known companies to hike Kilimanjaro, I did not feel a connection them until I made contact with Demi. I was seeking a true local authentic experience,... read more Demi natural and genuine. It was very important to me to book with a local Tanzanian company, the money goes directly to the guides and the local people.
I was very taken in that Demi worked his way up from a porter, Chef and ultimately to the very best guide in Tanzania. He never asks any of him team to do anything that he has not done himself.
When I was sick, Demi was there to rub my back, his encouragement, positive words, his superior mental strength, he made me believe that I could do it.
I thought some days would never end but a very wise man, Demi pointed out that everything has an end, I witnessed the most spectacular sunset, had it not been for Demi who never ever let me quit, I would not have seen this.
The food prepared by Nikolau was exceptionally fresh, tasty and excellent. The service provided by the porters was superior. Always the most amazing encouraging smiles on their faces. My admiration is endless, it was a pleasure to be in their company.
On the way back, I noticed Demi looking at his team at, with a warm smile on in face, he stated 'it makes me happy to see them happy' and this sums up the man that he is, kind, thoughtful and a genuine care for the well being his people.
This review is for Demetrius.
C7016WTcatherineo