John Simon
Lead Mountain Guide & Director
Born on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, John Simon Maeda is a seasoned Lead Mountain Guide with over 20 years of high-altitude guiding and adventure tourism experience. He began as a porter, later attending the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in 1999, where he developed his professional guiding skills.
Read full storyShow less
John holds certifications in Wildlife, First Aid, and Leave No Trace (LNT).
He has achieved over 275 successful Kilimanjaro summits, guiding climbers from age 9 to 86 years old. His experience extends to leading treks in Zanzibar and arranging safaris in Tanzania’s top national parks.
As an instructor at the Sentinel Outdoor Institute, John has trained hundreds of local guides, porters, and cooks, improving mountain safety and operations across Kilimanjaro. He is also passionate about conservation and has organized multiple Kilimanjaro Clean-Up Expeditions since 2019.
John is certified in Wilderness First Aid, Basic Life Support (BLS) from the American Heart Association, and holds a Master Training Instructor Certificate from Reclaim Cooperate. His leadership, positivity, and love for the outdoors continue to inspire adventurers around the world.
