Written By: Edward Lyimo, Owner of Pristine Trails
What a year it has been! At the end of a year most people would like to forget and don’t look back, we have found some truly bright spots for which we are feeling a tremendous amount of gratitude.
Weathering the Pandemic Storm
We’ve managed to keep the business running through the most difficult year to date, even hosting some travelers from August through December who were able to get away, despite the additional challenges they faced. The typical busy season (June-October) proved to be the quietest in recent history, and our guests were able to experience Tanzania void of the usual hum of tourists.
“The crew at Pristine Trails were absolutely phenomenal. Stop your search and book with Pristine now. Our trip was only the two of us, due to COVID cancelations (September 2020). Once we arrived on site, our every need was met. We were picked up at the airport and driven to a great hotel the Pristine crew booked for us. They made sure to choose a hotel that was [taking] extra precautions for COVID, which was much appreciated. All Pristine employees did a wonderful job wearing masks, sanitizing, and maintaining all of the necessary precautions during our trip.”
– Tom Heustis, September 2020
Tripadvisor 2020 Award
We have been recognized by Tripadvisor for the fifth year in a row with a Travelers’ Choice Award. This is thanks to the glowing testimonials of our guests’ experiences with us. The reviews from the few travelers who still visited late this year have been just as excellent and given us hope for the coming year and the post-Covid travel future.
“My daughter and I celebrated my 56th birthday while hiking Kilimanjaro with Pristine Trails. We could not have asked for a better experience…From day one they had our best interests in mind and cared for us every step of the way. The crew wore masks, kept social distance, and sanitized regularly to keep us feeling safe.”
– Julie Simpson, August 2020
Incredible Generosity from Past Guests
A look back at 2020, we experienced the utmost generosity from over 85 past Pristine Trails guests, thinking of their Tanzanian crews this year, who, without work, faced, and continue to face, extreme financial hardship. We distributed over $25,000 in donations to over 100 staff and crew to help ease the difficulty brought on by the lack of tourists this year.
Welcoming New Babies to the Pristine Trails Family
The Pristine Trails team welcomed some little ones in 2020, an absolute joy and highlight of the year. My wife and I welcomed our firsts in January – a two for one deal – Haddie and Elijah. We are over the moon with these two little bundles of joy who have kept us smiling during an otherwise challenging time. Joel Mtunga, Operations Director, and his wife welcomed their first child, Theo, in April, who is lighting up their lives. Our secretary, Aisha, welcomed a son, her second child.
A Star on Kilimanjaro
In all honesty all of our guests are our personal celebrities, supporting us through and through. However, in October we hosted a budding American country music artist, Julia Cole, on a Kilimanjaro trek. You can listen to her music at @juliacolemusic or juliacolemusic.com
A Look Back at 2020 – Making It Easier to Book a Trip in 2021
A look back at 2020 we have implemented a new flexible booking policy for 2021 travel, allowing guests to book a trip with us with minimal risk. You can find all details about these new booking terms here. We are optimistic about the news of a highly effective vaccine and we will be ready to receive you in Tanzania once you can travel again. The Pristine Trails team and I would like to wish you a Happy New Year!
