49ers' Ben Garland details hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro after Super Bowl loss

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It’s a 20,000-foot hike to the top, but Mt. Kilimanjaro has been a place for climbers to knock an adventure off their bucket list since the first record of such a feat occurred in 1889. For 49ers offensive lineman Ben Garland, he not only made the trek, but made history in the process.

Back in February, Garland became the first active NFL player and military reservist to reach the peak in Africa.

He also did it for a good cause and detailed his trip in a diary. 

Working with the Waterboys was originated by the Chris Long Foundation which brings clean water to communities in need, ESPN’s Nick Wagoner wrote. It raised more than $205,000 which went toward the trip itself and putting two clean water wells in Tanzania with a population of about 57 million not having access to clean water. 

[RELATED: Jed York explains why 49ers are donating $1M to social change organizations]

The group that included NFL defensive end Lamarr Houston, water advocates, ESPN radio host Mike Golic Jr. and military veterans, all began their trip in the Serengeti where they saw plenty of African wildlife and got to experience an authentic well ceremony and school visit.

Garland called it a life-changing experience and would be happy to return to Africa to hit his ultimate goal of providing more than 1 million people with clean water.

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