Gallery: meet the climbers

Riaan Manser, 40, is the celebrity climber from the gang. He is doing the climb to raise awareness about the Daily News Milk Fund.

Jason Parkin, 44, from Somerset West in the Cape, a property developer, said it had always been his dream to climb Kilimanjaro. 'I have tried on two previous occasions to put a tour group together, but for some reason we were unable to get it off the ground.' He is a social hiker.

Melissa Cuthbert, 32, from Cowies Hill, is manufacturer of the 'best tasting ice cream' " owner of Huberto's, Real Dairy Ice Cream. She is climbing Kilimanjaro as it is on her bucket list and it was a life-time opportunity she couldn't pass up. She also wants to raise awareness about the Milk Fund. She last hiked in Grade 10.

Andrew Taylor, 45, from Hillcrest, chairman of the milk fund, is keen to take on a new experience and has no hiking experience.

Ray Hills, 43, from uMhlanga Rocks, an entrepreneur, is doing the challenge to see the sunrise on the highest point in Africa. His only other previous experience in adventure is the Cape Argus 94.7 Cycling challenge. He has never hiked before.

Karen McIntosh, 42, from uMhlanga Rocks, an entrepreneur behind a nutritional ice cream brand called Miss K Ice Cream Food, said she was climbing to 'quench my thirst for adventure. I am banking on mental fortitude to help me summit'. McIntosh has climbed a dormant volcano in South America.

Michelle Hall-Jones, 45, from Ballito, an entrepreneur, is climbing Kilimanjaro to experience the adventure and challenge her mental grit. She has run three Mont-aux-Sources 50km trails in the past.