STARTSEVA OLGA

On February 6 of this year, at 14.30 local time, as part of the 7 Summits Club group, Indira Weaver and Jamila Bashirova ascended the highest point of South America, Mount Aconcagua. Cousins, Kazakh by nationality, they come from the small village of Sosnovka, in the Semipalatinsk region, East Kazakhstan. The Semipalatinsk test site was located 200 km from Sosnovka, more than 400 nuclear tests took place there from 1949 to 1989.

  The famous Kazakh artist Karipbek Kuyukov was born 100km from the landfill, and was born without hands due to radiation from nuclear tests. As a child, he fell in love with art, and learned to draw by holding a brush in his mouth and toes. At the moment, Karipbek is an activist of the anti-nuclear movement, a speaker, an artist, and was even nominated for the Nobel Prize as an activist for peace.

 Tells Indira Weaver: Last year, during our first attempt to climb Aconcagua, we met Miguel Doura, an Argentine artist who lives and paints in the base camp. He showed great interest in the culture and traditions of the Kazakh people, and in Kazakhstan in general. Not many representatives of the Kazakh people have visited Aconcagua, and according to our data (from the Internet), only one Kazakh girl, Saphira Kanaeva from Russia, ascended on the summit in 2014.

 So the idea arose to connect two countries and two cultures through art and Aconcagua.

 After the Canaleta, where everyone left backpacks, Jamila and I took turns carrying my backpack, so there was a picture there. At Karipbek's request, after our successful ascent, the painting was donated to Miguel's private collection.   Miguel was pleasantly touched by such a gift from distant Kazakhstan, and in turn decided to draw a picture especially for Karipbek. Fortunately, Valery Myasoedov still returned to the mountain with the final group of the 7 Summits Club and was able to pick up the painting from Miguel. At the moment, the painting is with him in St. Petersburg, and soon Valera will send it directly to Karipbek in the city of Karaganda.

Jumbo! Tanzania is in touch! Today the Iskorka group made a successful ascent on the top of Kilimanjaro, Uhuru Peak 5895 meters.  We went out at 12 o'clock at night and met a beautiful dawn with a view of Mavenzi. The ascent was not easy, but we coped and at 09:30 stood at the top. There is also a record in our group - one of the participants Dmitry Tararin made his first ascent at the age of 17!

The members, tired but happy, went down the mountain. Tomorrow, according to the plan, is a rest day and an award ceremony. The guides of the program are Alexander Dorojukov and Olga Startseva.

Greetings from Tanzania! The Iskorka group ascended to the Kibo assault camp, the height of 4720 meters. Now we have lunch, rest, and come to our senses after more than six hours of walking. The height is already felt, members conditions are within normal limits. At night, around 24:00, we go out to storm the summit.  The weather conditions are favorable. Wish us good luck! The guides of the program are Alexander Dorojukov and Olga Startseva.

Джамбо! Группа «Искорка» на связи из Танзании. Сегодня день отдыха и акклиматизации. Мы прошли от лагеря Хоромбо до красочных Зебровых скал, поднялись на высоту 4000 метров и увидели Килиманджаро во всей красе. Отдохнули с чаепитием и видом на вершину. Мы оценили маршрут и уже с нетерпением ждем его. Гора на первый взгляд не сложная, но придется потрудиться! Погода замечательная, настроение бодрое, вся команда чувствует себя хорошо. Завтра переезжаем в штурмовой лагерь Кибо. Ведущие программы - Александр Дорожуков и Ольга Старцева.

Friends, hello to all from Tanzania! Today we were greeted by the bright sun and the singing of birds. We had breakfast and held a morning medical check-up for the whole Iskorka group. All feel great, saturation is 90+. The Mandara Hut pleased with its accommodation in fairly comfortable cabins for 4 people. Yesterday we passed a picturesque and uncomplicated passage, met waterfalls, small rivers, exotic plants and animals. We were moving towards the Horombo camp (3760 m). On the way 15 km, a set of 1000 meters. The first meeting with Kilimanjaro took place! Kibo Cone and Mawenzi Peak appeared to us. We got to Khorombo a little tired, but happy.

The guides of the program are Alexander Dorojukov and Olga Startseva.

The group of the 7 Summits Club "Iskorka" has arrived in Tanzania. Yesterday we stayed at the Aisha Machame Hotel, held a briefing and checked the equipment. Today we drove up to the gate of the Marangu Gate National Park (1894 meters), then we got permits and went to the Mandara hut with a height difference of 900 meters. Nature pleases with bright colors of flowers and plants. We managed to get acquainted with the local inhabitants of the hotel - small nimble monkeys and fluffy rabbits. The weather favors us, there was a little rain in the morning, but now the sun is shining. Wish us good luck! The guides Alexander Dorojukov and Olga Startseva are in touch.

Olga Startseva, guide of the 7 Summits Club, from Nepal:

Namaste! Big greetings from Nepal to everyone! The VIP trekking group to the Everest BL or "11 Friends of Nepal" has successfully completed the program. All the participants reached the Base Camp, where we were warmly welcomed. We were shown how the mountaineering weekdays of the expedition of the participants of the ascent of Mount Everest pass and treated to a delicious lunch. Most of the group went to the top of Kala Patar and met the dawn with a view of Mount Everest, despite two difficult days of walking and ascetic conditions of accommodation in a lodge in Gorak Shep. As a team, we are proud of the 12-year-old member of our group - Savva Verkhovsky, who successfully completed the entire program and showed perseverance, courage and courage, and also received his first mountain experience at a height of 5643 m.

The whole group returned to Kathmandu by helicopter, admiring the views of summits, glaciers, mountain villages and Himalayan forests along the way.

Now we are resting in Kathmandu, recuperating and warming up in the sun. Part of the team is leaving in the near future, the rest of the participants are visiting the sights of Kathmandu and walking around the city.

Guides: Maria Besogonova and Olga Startseva.

Two groups of the 7 Summits Club simultaneously begin their trekking to the Everest base camp.  Their routes differ only slightly. In one, Alexander Dorojukov works as a guide, in the other two women – Maria Bessogonova and Olga Startseva. All participants successfully flew to Kathmandu and stayed in a hotel.  The guides inspected equipment, all people walked around the Tamel and part of the group managed to visit the Monkey Temple - Swayambunath. In one of the groups we have the youngest participant - the boy Savva, who is 12 years old.

In the evening they had a festive welcome dinner in the unique restaurant of traditional Nepali cuisine at The Dwarika's Hotel. Everyone is flying to Lukla tomorrow. The mood is great!

Manager of the 7 Summits Club Olga Startseva from the Elbrus region: Hello everyone! The corporate group of VEB RF arrived at the Cheget glade and stayed at the hotel "Povorot". After lunch, we held a briefing and checked the equipment. After that, we went for a walk and got acquainted with the resort. Some of people took a walk to the Narzan Valley. And, of course, we got acquainted with the Caucasian cuisine, tried "khychiny". The group is friendly, everyone is in a fighting mood. Tomorrow we are going to acclimatize on Cheget. The guides of the group are Sergey Larin, Ilya Tsygankov. Manager Olga Startseva.