A Pretoria east pensioner, Kevin Brett, celebrated his 70th birthday by conquering Mount Kilimanjaro, hoping to inspire others not to let age stand in the way of their dreams.

Rather than celebrating with a traditional birthday party, Brett chose to fulfil a dream he had carried for four decades.

He reached Uhuru Peak, 5 895 metres above sea level, after beginning his expedition on July 14, via the Lemosho Route in Tanzania.

“It took six days to reach the summit, and every day I climbed higher, I knew I was getting closer– not only to the top of Africa, but also to a birthday I would never forget,” Brett said.

The dream started 40 years ago when he first saw Kilimanjaro during a safari in Kenya.

“I was amazed by its grandeur and always wanted to climb it, but I never found the opportunity.”

That opportunity finally came when his daughter surprised him with the expedition as a birthday gift.

For Brett, the climb was about much more than reaching the summit.

“I wanted my 70th birthday to mean something more than simply celebrating at home. It was about proving to myself that being older doesn’t mean the difficult and extraordinary things in life are behind you.”

He selected the Lemosho Route because it allows climbers more time to acclimatise to the high altitude.

“At my age, this was never going to be about racing up a mountain. The objective was to get there safely and steadily.”

The greatest test came during the final seven-hour ascent from Barafu Base Camp to Uhuru Peak, which began at 23:00 in freezing temperatures and low oxygen levels.

“A third of the way up, the voices in my head were telling me to quit, yet it was never really an option considering the six months of preparation and the support from family and friends.

Standing there holding my 70th birthday banner was an enormously emotional moment. Months of preparation and all those difficult hours on the mountain suddenly had a purpose,” he said.

Brett trained with a biokineticist, completed strength and endurance sessions, hiked regularly around Pretoria, the Magaliesberg and the Drakensberg, and spent time at altitude in Lesotho before travelling to Tanzania.

He also underwent regular medical monitoring during the expedition, with oxygen levels and heart rate checked three times a day to reduce the risks associated with high altitude.

Looking back on his achievement, Brett hopes his journey inspires others, particularly older South Africans, to keep challenging themselves.

“I encourage people not to retire from life simply because they have retired from work. The challenge doesn’t have to be a mountain. It could be travelling somewhere you always wanted to go, learning something new, getting fitter or starting something you always dreamed of.”

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